Application Of The Conflict Resolution Mechanism Of Ecowas On The Management Of The Gambia’s Post Presidential Election Crisis

Gambia, which is the smallest country in mainland Africa, has been confronted with countless challenges of electoral malpractices and corruption among the leaders since its independence. These challenges have resulted in the killings of many journalists and members of the opposition party. Yahya Jammeh, having plundered The Gambia’s state coffers through his numerous corrupt schemes; and rigging elections has enabled him to run the country as his personal property and estate.

Thus, this has resulted in his refusal to relinquish power to the winner (Adama Barrow) of the 2016 presidential election. In resolving the Gambian crisis, ECOWAS adopted some of its already established mechanisms such as the ECOWAS mechanism on Conflict Management, Resolution, Security, and Peacekeeping and ECOWAS mechanism on Good Governance and Democracy. The study adopted Bargaining Theory of Coercion in other to understand the coercive mechanism of ECOWAS in resolving the conflict in the Gambia. For the purpose of data collection, the study relied on documentary method. By so doing, data were collected from secondary sources by reviewing various newspapers, journals, textbooks and online sources.

The findings of the study reveal that ECOWAS has been very successful in its Conflict Resolution Mechanisms in West Africa as it has resolved several conflicts with/in the region. These countries include Liberia, Sierra-Leone, Cote d’ Ivoire, Togo and recently the country under study (The Gambia). Consequently, this study therefore concludes and recommends that other sub regional bodies should emulate ECOWAS in adopting their conflict resolution mechanism within their sub region. Finally, ECOWAS should also ensure that democratic governance through free, fair and credible elections, rule of law and respect for human rights are fully respected and implemented in her sub region.