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Article Details

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026): December

ECOWAS Standby Force and Civilian Protection: ECOMOG Social-Legal Lessons for Future West African Interventions

https://doi.org/10.35912/ajh.v6.n1.p49-62.2026
22 Sep 2026

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines the relationship between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Standby Force (ESF) and civilian protection, drawing on the historical experience of the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in Liberia and Sierra Leone to inform the design of future regional interventions in West Africa.

Methodology: The study adopts a qualitative documentary research design that applies comparative historical and policy analysis to ECOWAS legal instruments, regional policy documents, peace support frameworks, institutional reports and relevant scholarly literature, guided by Human Security Theory and Responsibility to Protect Theory.

Results: The findings show that ECOMOG demonstrated the capacity of regional military action to contain violence and restore constitutional order, but also exposed recurrent weaknesses in mandate clarity, civilian harm mitigation, command responsibility, humanitarian coordination and perceived impartiality that continue to shape contemporary reform debates.

Conclusions: Ongoing reforms, including the 2025 ESF Training Policy and the 2026 Protection of Civilians Policy process, offer a credible institutional pathway for embedding civilian protection into mandate design, operational planning and accountability structures.

Limitations: The study relies on secondary documentary sources rather than field-based or survey data, which restricts its ability to capture frontline operational experience.

Contributions: The article contributes an integrated social and legal framework treating civilian protection as a core measure of regional peace support effectiveness rather than an incidental humanitarian concern.

Keywords

Civilian Protection ECOMOG COWAS Standby Force Human Security

How to Cite

Otakwu, A. A. . (2026). ECOWAS Standby Force and Civilian Protection: ECOMOG Social-Legal Lessons for Future West African Interventions. Annals of Justice and Humanity, 6(1), 49–62. https://doi.org/10.35912/ajh.v6.n1.p49-62.2026

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Authors

Adams Adah Otakwu
Centre for Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMICO), Abuja, Nigeria

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Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026): December
Section: Articles