No further developments observed.

No further developments observed.

The date ECOWAS ended ECOMOG activities in Sierra Leone is not clear. Nevertheless, ECOWAS appointed a 30-member delegation to monitor Sierra Leone’s May 14, 2002 parliamentary and presidential elections. Following the post-conflict elections, the regional peacekeeping force can be coded as ended or withdrawn.

Germany would reportedly contribute 250,000 dollars in logistical support for the deployment of an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) military force along Guinea’s volatile border with Sierra Leone and Liberia.¹

ECOWAS continued its presence and verification role in Sierra Leone as mandated in the Lomé Agreement.

On January 13, 2000, the Foreign Secretary of Nigeria wrote a letter to the Secretary General of the UN offering to suspend the withdrawal of Nigerian troops that were part of ECOMOG for 90 days. To prevent a potential security vacuum, however, it was agreed that two Nigerian infantry battalions and one tank company would be incorporated for 90 days (S/2000/186, March 7, 2000).

ECOWAS played an important role facilitating the peace process, especially related to security issues.

On May 9, 2000, ECOWAS leaders agreed to consider re-deploying the West African Intervention Force, (ECOMOG), to Sierra Leone. “They also nominated Liberian President, Charles Taylor, to negotiate the release of hundreds of UN peacekeepers held hostage in Sierra Leone. The leaders warned in a statement that they would use military force to stop any attempt to grab power undemocratically in Sierra Leone.”² On May 12, 2000, the Organization of African Union supported the ECOWAS resolution on Sierra Leone.³

In May 2000, ECOWAS leaders endorsed the deployment of 3,000 additional troops to Sierra Leone to help shore up the faltering peace process. The deployment was intended to reinforce the 11,000 UNAMSIL troops supervising the DDR process under the Lomé agreement.⁴

Efforts to mediate a ceasefire between the RUF and the Sierra Leone Government were not effective due to Liberian support to the RUF. In order to protect the border areas, ECOWAS deployed an interposition force of 1,796 troops. The troops were situated along the Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea borders. “The proposed mandate of the force would include monitoring the border areas; neutralizing irregular armed groups; facilitating the movement of persons, goods and services; ensuring the security of refugees and displace persons; and creating a conducive environment for humanitarian assistance” (S/2001/228, March 14, 2001, page 4). ECOWAS continuously tried to revamp the role of UNAMSIL.

As provided for in the Lomé Agreement, there was a new six-point mandate for ECOMOG operations in Sierra Leone, set forth by the Federal Government of Nigeria on July 8, 1999. The six points of the mandate are: reconstruction; disarmament; demobilization; integration of the citizenry; training of the Sierra Leonean Armed Forces; and a provision of security for VIPs in the post- war country.⁵

However, ECOMOG troops were withdrawn from Sierra Leone in September 1999.⁶ The first batch of 498 Nigerian troops was withdrawn on September 2, 1999.⁷

The West African Peacekeeping Force (ECOMOG) in Sierra Leone stopped the withdrawal of troops following renewed tensions between the former military junta leader, Johnny Paul Koroma, and rebel leader, Foday Sankoh. “A senior ECOMOG official said in Freetown on Saturday that they suspended the pullout of Nigerian forces, the backbone of the peacekeepers, following an appeal by Sierra Leone’s President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah and the United Nations. Some 2,000 Nigerian troops have already left the country.”⁸

No further developments observed.

No further developments observed.

No further developments observed.

The transition from the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) to the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) was well planned and carried out without major obstacles.⁹