International Crisis Group
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West Africa project

The West Africa region has suffered from civil wars, coups and instability since the end of the cold war. A “regional civil war”, caused by weak states and economic collapse but fuelled by regional war lords and mercenaries, engulfed Liberia and Sierra Leone in the 1990s. The United Nations became involved, sending some of its biggest ever peace keeping missions to the two countries. From the mid 1990s, West Africa was one of the first areas of concern for Crisis Group.  The West Africa Project, initially based in Freetown, was at the forefront of international work to contain and ultimately end these wars, producing a large number of reports accompanied by intense advocacy activity.

Since the end of the wars in Sierra Leone in 2002 and in Liberia in 2003, these countries have faced enormous challenges in reconstructing their economies and institutions, and rebuilding societies ravaged by a decade of civil violence. The West Africa Project has accompanied this process, providing analysis and recommendations on rebuilding institutions, including the justice and security sectors, and on post conflict elections.

Liberia and Sierra Leone’s neighbours were not immune to the consequences of state weakness and economic decline. Following an attempted coup in Cote d’Ivoire in September 2002, the country became divided between rebels and loyalist forces, and an international peace keeping force (initially from the sub-regional organisation ECOWAS, subsequently a United Nations Operation) was put in place to hold the line between the belligerent forces. Again the Crisis Group West Africa project has been at the forefront of analysis and advocacy, reporting and formulating recommendations on implementation of the various peace treaties put in place, and on prospects for credible elections.

The region’s civil wars of the 1990s appear to have abated, with many of the key protagonists now deceased or behind bars. Equally there are some encouraging signs that the peace process in Cote d’Ivoire may finally be gathering some momentum, although the situation remains fragile in all these countries. However, the region still faces many conflicts and potential conflicts, including army indiscipline, regional insurgencies, communal tensions and criminality. These are mainly the consequences of the weakness of public institutions, widespread unemployment and leadership transition crises..

The inherent fragility of West Africa’s governance structures has been underlined by more recent events in Guinea (Conakry) and neighbouring Guinea-Bissau. The death of Guinea’s dictator Lansana Conte on 22 December 2008 opened the way for a military take over. The country has been under military rule ever since, and plans for a transition back to civilian rule look shaky. Crisis Group, following years of analysis and recommendations on preventing violence under Conte’s dictatorship, has been at the forefront of efforts to avoid a serious breakdown under military rule. In Guinea Bissau, the assassination of the chief of military staff on 5 March, quickly followed by the killing of the President, has underlined how the repeated use of violence is hindering any healthy democratic and social development in the country. Following our decision in 2008 to begin reporting on the country, Crisis Group has been at the forefront of analysis of these issues.

Nigeria, despite approaching 10 years of civilian rule, is still beset with problems of violent conflict. Starting in 2006, Crisis Group’s West Africa Project has worked on conflicts in the Niger Delta and reported on and made recommendations on the way the country is governed; arguing that the country’s many problems cannot be solved without better democratic governance from the centre.

More details on each of the countries covered can be found by clicking on the country links on this page.

Our most recent reports and briefings are listed below.  Articles, op-eds, speeches and media releases can be found under the media section.

 


Recent reports & briefings


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