The Collective and Cooperative Security of Preventing Failed States: An Interrogation of Small Arms Control in Liberia
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Date
2016
Authors
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Ikoyi Lagos
Abstract
Intra-state conflict has been identified as a central or
prevalent contributory factor to the failed state
phenomenon. One of the major arteries that keep these
conflicts alive is the volume and nature of arms
proliferation within the country and region. Consequently
by implication, arms proliferation becomes is a key
stakeholder in state failure. During the Liberian conflict,
the United Nations and ECOWAS intervened in the war
at the levels of collective and cooperative security
respectively using several diplomatic instruments
including embargoes, legal legislation, voluntary
weapons collection programs and DDR. The intent with
regards to small arms control was to starve the conflict
of weapons and so compel the belligerents to the
negotiating table. This study examines the process and
impact of these instruments and the extent to which
they have enabled the post-war peacebuilding efforts.
The paper holds that Liberia’s DDR and voluntary
weapons collection programs have largely contributed
to the reconstruction process as a key aspect of
security sector reforms.