The EU and conflict in West Africa

Abstract:

The European Union has increasingly professed a priority commitment to conflict resolution policies, predicated upon a targeting of the ‘root causes’ of instability. The challenge posed by ‘failed’ or ‘failing’ states has become a well-established and prominent concern of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). This article explores this question through an analysis of European approaches to conflict prevention and resolution in West Africa, namely Sierra Leone, where the UK has played a prominent role, and Ivory Coast, where France has been primary protagonist. The article addresses three questions. First, how have EU conflict resolution policies and instruments evolved, both generally and as they apply to West Africa? Second, what has been the relationship between UK and French national policies, on the one hand, and common EU-level strategy, on the other hand? Third, how have British approaches in Sierra Leone compared to French strategy in Ivory Coast? Based on this analysis, the conclusion argues that some of the core lessons learned in conflict resolution assessments still await incorporation into EU strategies.