Military Co-operation between Nigeria and The Gambia: Strategic Component for Regional Security
1 . Geo-strategic importance of The Gambia
Gambia presents a region of geo-strategic importance for Nigeria in the combat against the Boko Haram (Touray, 2015) as well as in maintaining influence in Western world Africa. Nigerians currently signify the largest human population of overseas nationals in Gambia (Punch, 2018) and also to keep politics peace in the area (Blomfield, 2017). The doubt of Yahya Jammeh at hand over capacity to the properly elected Adama Barrow was obviously a signal towards the other Western African states that Gambian politics might undermine the ECOWAS and create complications for them. Nigeria quickly pledged to send military forces to make sure that the democratically elected Barrow was inaugurated.
The Gambia is viewed as rich in mineral solutions and as an important waterway, and Nigeria wish to strengthen control relations with all the Gambia for this reason. As The Standard (2018) remarks: The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) have fixed a comunicacion of understanding (MOU) to facilitate and deepen monetary ties in both countries. This RAMOLLI is meant to serve as the earth floor of the relationship that will encourage, promote and assist in trade co-operation among the business communities of both countries (The Normal, 2018).
However , The Gambia is also 90% Islamic, and with the radical Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram currently regarded a primary danger among Western African states, the possibility of a nest of Islamic terrorism burgeoning in The Gambia is actually a palpable the one which states like Nigeria want to address. That is certainly one cause Nigeria was adament about viewing Barrow suppose his situation as Gambias rightful leader. In order to face the Islamic threat represented by Boko Haram, Nigeria needs to know that the threat is covered and that a spigot of terrorism is not exposed in Gambia, which is backed financially by simply several Islamic states in the centre East (Hadebe, 2017), so as to flow within the whole of West Africa.
2 . Summary of the Army Cooperation Among Nigeria plus the Gambia in Handling Reliability Challenges
The Nigerian Substantial Commissioner to The Gambia, Esther John Adu, stated that in support of the Gambia government authorities development work, the government with the Federal Republic of Nigeria has continued to post Specialized Aid Corps Volunteers (TAC) to The Gambia (Cham, 2013). Nigerias support for The Gambia, according to Adu, is knowledgeable by the conviction and belief in the development of The Gambia and the well-being of its persons (Cham, 2013). By assisting to develop Gambia, Nigeria aims to stabilize the complete of Western world Africa. However , security issues exist, this is why Nigeria has recently been deeply involved in managing The Gambias military businesses.
In 2017, the armoury of The Gambian Armed Forces was completely absorbed by troops of the Nigerian Army pertaining to security causes (Kilete, 2017). The heads of ECOWAS used the Army to aid stabilize The Gambia pursuing Barrows political election. The security challenges that remain in The Gambia have to do with ensuring that the state does not attempt a hen house to oust the selected Barrow. While Dwyer (2017) notes, the military with the Gambia has already established different tasks depending on the head in charge of the state of hawaii. Dwyer (2017) states that there were greatly different tasks the army played in the state beneath President Jawara (196594) and President Jammeh (19942017) (p. 362). To assure a smooth changeover in governance, therefore , it is very important that the Nigerian military work with The Gambian state to ensure no traumatisme are carried out that would probably upset the ECOWAS. Because Jammeh required power in The Gambia following a military vicissitude in 1994, the presence of the Nigerian armed service in The Gambia today comes after the saying, an oz of avoidance equals a pound of curei. elizabeth., it is better harmless than apologies. With the complete of Western Africa tied up via the ECOWAS in The Gambias future, Nigerian cooperation, militarily speaking, can be considered a must between ECOWAS states to ensure The Gambias development (Hartmann, 2017).
three or more. Evaluation of Military Co-operation between Nigeria and Gambia Analyzing the Military, Economic and Political Relations
As Hartmann (2017) points out, armed forces, economic and political relations are intimately united inside the Gambia, specifically because of its function in ECOWAS. Since 2016, The Gambia has received much more attention: Following disputed Dec 2016 presidential elections in The Gambia, ECOWAS managed to reestablish democracy in the area by using the danger of force, but without any use of immediate physical violence (Hartmann, 2017, g. 85). The regime working under Jammeh refused handy over expert to the recently elected Barrow. Only because the threat of force started to be real did Barrow finally get to presume control of the state.
Hartmann (2017) describes the achievements of this tightening of army, economic and political associations between The Gambia and Nigeria (which symbolized the bulk of the military push aimed at Jammeh) in terms of four conditions:
1) ECOWAS had a clear legal mandate to threaten the use of force in order to protect democracy in one of its member states;
2) there was opinion that ECOWAS forces could have coped while using relatively little Gambian military services;
3) the Gambian leader could not rely on friends among his local peers or some powerful friend from outdoors Africa;
4) and local leaders including Nigeria and Senegal built a credible commitment to the regional intervention (Hartmann, 2017, s. 85).
These kinds of factors assistance to explain how military, economic climate and governmental policies intertwine inside the relationship among Gambia and Nigeria. The higher West Africa peace required that Gambia be stabilizedand only Nigeria could present that stability with virtually any degree of conviction.
It was likewise crucial to the ECOWAS a peaceful changeover of electrical power be affected in The Gambia. It at first looked like this would be the case when ever Jammeh congratulated Barrow about winning the election, demonstrating that he would quietly step besides and return to his farm. However , once Jammeh moved up rhetoric about the election becoming fraudulent and a new being needed, the ECOWAS claims began coming together to address the problem and ensure that no negative economic or perhaps political end result impacted these people by way of turmoil in Gambia. As Hartmann (2017) remarks, ECOWAS chiefs gathered on 14 January in Abuja to discuss the preparations for the business of the ECOWAS Military Treatment in The Gambia (ECOMIG). About 18 January, troops (most from Senegal, with casuel from Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, and Togo) started to move towards the border with The Gambia (which can be surrounded by Senegalese territory), and together with Nigerian forces as well implemented a naval blockade (p. 89). The ensuing relaxing handover from the state to Barrow was largely as a result of this speedy military action on the areas of the ECOWAS, with Nigeria playing a commanding role in making sure The Gambia was entirely isolated by any allies that Jammeh might want to call upon to aid him in his illegal usurpation of the business office of Leader.
4. Evaluation of the Effects for Nigeria
Thanks to the constant presence with the Nigerian army in The Gambia, the region has been somewhat even more stabilized. Vanguard (2018) reports that the NAF was the initially to deploy to The Gambia in January 2017 within the standby force tasked by simply ECOWAS Minds of Point out to enforce the January 1, 2016 election require, which renewed Adama Barrow as Director. The NAF currently is usually rotating its forces in a continued hard work to provide stableness to the state in cooperation with The Gambian leaders. The effect of this extended military support and collaboration between The Gambia and the NAF is that economic peace and prosperity are becoming more likely to be achieved. This means that one of the main implications for Nigeria is the fact it and ECOWAS can benefit from the support shown to The Gambia also to Barrow as well as the democratic method in especially.
Omosebi (2018) notes that the continued army support has been instrumental in facilitating the strengthening of political and economic ties between the two nations, jewelry that have triggered a Memorando of Understanding to inspire, promote and facilitate trade cooperation among the business neighborhoods of the two countries. Nigeria, through the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) signed the MoU to facilitate and deepen monetary ties in both countries.
The ACCI agreement will probably be good for The Gambia and with Nigeria. The Independent (2018) finds that under the arrangement, it is anticipated that the two countries could coordinate their activities in order to:
· establish and increase a transact network
· facilitate business opportunities
· collaborate in strategies matters
· assist one another in getting or participating in trade festivals, exhibitions, meetings, seminars and also other similar activities in specifically in areas like travel and leisure
Army Cooperation among Nigeria and The Gambia: Ideal Factor intended for Regional Reliability
1 . Geo-strategic importance of The Gambia
Gambia represents a region of geo-strategic importance for Nigeria in the fight resistant to the Boko Haram (Touray, 2015) as well as in preserving influence in West The african continent. Nigerians at the moment represent the largest population of foreign excellent in Gambia (Punch, 2018) and to continue to keep political serenity in the region (Blomfield, 2017). The hesitation of Yahya Jammeh to hand above power to the duly chosen Adama Barrow was a sign to the other West African states that Gambian national politics might weaken the ECOWAS and create problems for them. Nigeria quickly pledged to deliver military pushes to ensure that the democratically chosen Barrow was inaugurated.
The Gambia is viewed as rich in vitamin resources and as an important water, and Nigeria would like to strengthen trade relations with The Gambia for this reason. Since The Standard (2018) points out: The Abuja Chamber of Business and Sector (ACCI) and The Gambia Holding chamber of Business and Sector (GCCI) possess signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to facilitate and expand economic connections in equally countries. This kind of MOU is supposed to serve as the ground floors of a romantic relationship that will encourage, promote and facilitate operate cooperation among the business residential areas of the two countries (The Standard, 2018).
However , The Gambia is likewise 90% Islamic, and with the major Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram presently considered an initial threat between West Photography equipment states, associated with a nesting of Islamic terrorism strong in The Gambia is a evidente one that states like Nigeria want to cope with. That is a single reason Nigeria was adamant regarding seeing Barrow assume his position because Gambias rightful leader. To be able to face the Islamic risk represented by simply Boko Haram, Nigeria has to know that the threat can be contained and that a faucet of terrorism is not really opened in Gambia, which is supported fiscally by a lot of Islamic states in the Middle East (Hadebe, 2017), so as to flow over the complete of West Africa.
installment payments on your Overview of the Military Cooperation Between Nigeria and The Gambia in Managing Security Challenges
The Nigerian High Commissioner to The Gambia, Esther John Adu, stated that in support of the Gambia governments expansion efforts, the government of the National Republic of Nigeria features continued to publish Technical Help Corps Volunteers (TAC) to The Gambia (Cham, 2013). Nigerias support pertaining to The Gambia, according to Adu, is usually informed by simply our conviction and idea in the progress The Gambia and the wellbeing of the people (Cham, 2013). By simply helping to develop Gambia, Nigeria aims to stabilize the whole of West The african continent. However , security challenges are present, which is why Nigeria has recently been deeply linked to overseeing The Gambias military operations.
In 2017, the armoury from the Gambian Military was completely taken over by troops in the Nigerian Military services for security reasons (Kilete, 2017). The heads of ECOWAS employed the Army to help strengthen The Gambia following Barrows election. The safety challenges that remain in The Gambia must do with making sure the state would not attempt a coup to oust the elected Barrow. As Dwyer (2017) remarks, the military of The Gambia has had different roles depending on the leader in charge of the state. Dwyer (2017) claims that there were vastly distinct roles the military enjoyed in the point out under Chief executive Jawara (196594) and Leader Jammeh (19942017) (p. 362). To ensure an easy transition in governance, therefore , it is necessary the Nigerian military work with The Gambian condition to ensure that no coups will be conducted that would potentially upset the ECOWAS. As Jammeh took electric power in The Gambia following a army coup in 1994, arsenic intoxication the Nigerian military in The Gambia today follows the maxim, a great ounce of prevention equates to a pound of curei. e., it is better to be safe than sorry. While using whole of West Africa tied up via the ECOWAS inside the Gambias upcoming, Nigerian cooperation, militarily speaking, is viewed as a must among ECOWAS states in order that the Gambias creation (Hartmann, 2017).
3. Evaluation of Military Cooperation between Nigeria and Gambia Examining the Army, Economic and Political Associations
As Hartmann (2017) points out, military, economic and political relations will be intimately united in The Gambia, particularly due to its role in ECOWAS. Since 2016, The Gambia has brought even more interest: Following the debated December 2016 presidential elections in The Gambia, ECOWAS managed to restore democracy in the country by using the threat of force, yet without any use of direct assault (Hartmann, 2017, p. 85). The regime operating below Jammeh rejected to hand over authority to the newly elected Barrow. Only because the menace of pressure became genuine did Barrow finally get to assume control of the state.
Hartmann (2017) details the success of this kind of tightening of military, financial and politics relations between The Gambia and Nigeria (which represented the majority of the armed service force geared towards Jammeh) with regards to four conditions:
1) ECOWAS had a crystal clear legal mandate to endanger the use of force in order to guard democracy in one of the member says;
2) there were consensus that ECOWAS makes could have coped with the relatively small Gambian army;
3) the Gambian president could not rely on good friends among his regional peers or some strong ally via outside Africa;
4) and regional commanders such as Nigeria and Senegal made a credible commitment to the regional input (Hartmann, 2017, p. 85).
These elements help to make clear how armed forces, economy and politics connect in the romance between Gambia and Nigeria. The greater Western world African serenity demanded that Gambia end up being stabilizedand only Nigeria could provide that stability with any level of certainty.
It had been also critical to the ECOWAS that a tranquil transition of power become effected in The Gambia. It initially seemed like this would be the truth when Jammeh congratulated Barrow on successful the political election, indicating that he would peacefully stage aside and return to his farm. Yet , when Jammeh stepped up rhetoric about the election being fraudulent and a new being needed, the ECOWAS states commenced working together to address the issue and ensure that zero adverse economic or political outcome impacted them by using turmoil in Gambia. Because Hartmann (2017) notes, ECOWAS chiefs collected on 18 January in Abuja to discuss the plans for the establishment with the ECOWAS Armed forces Intervention inside the Gambia (ECOMIG). On 18 January, troops (most via Senegal, with contingents from Nigeria, Bekwai, ghana, Mali, and Togo) began to move towards border with The Gambia (which is between Senegalese territory), and together with Nigerian pushes also applied a naval blockade (p. 89). The following peaceful handover of the express to Barrow was typically thanks to this kind of swift armed service action on the parts of the ECOWAS, with Nigeria playing a powerful role in ensuring that The Gambia was completely remote from any kind of allies that Jammeh may well like to call upon to assist him in his illegitimate usurpation in the office of President.
4. Evaluation in the Implications to get Nigeria
Thanks to the continuous presence of the Nigerian military in The Gambia, the region has been to some degree more stabilized. Vanguard (2018) reports that the NAF was the first to deploy to The Gambia in January 2017 as part of the life force requested by ECOWAS Heads of State to enforce the December one particular, 2016 selection mandate, which restored Adama Barrow while President. The NAF at the moment is spinning its makes in a continuing effort to supply stability for the state in cooperation while using Gambian commanders. The effect with this continued army support and collaboration between Gambia plus the NAF is that economic peacefulness and abundance have become very likely to be achieved. This means that one of the major ramifications for Nigeria is that that and ECOWAS will gain benefit support shown to The Gambia and to Barrow and the democratic process in particularly.
Omosebi (2018) records that this continuing military support has been a key component in assisting the fortifying of political and economical ties between your two nations around the world, ties that contain resulted in a Memorandum of Understanding to encourage, promote and aid trade assistance among the organization communities of both countries. Nigeria, throughout the Abuja Holding chamber of Business and Market (ACCI) and The Gambia Holding chamber of Business and Sector (GCCI) agreed upon the Moelleux to facilitate and expand economic connections in equally countries.
The ACCI arrangement will be good for The Gambia as well as for Nigeria. The Independent (2018) discovers that underneath the agreement, it truly is expected that both countries would coordinate their actions in order to:
· establish and expand a trade network
· help business opportunities
· collaborate in logistics issues
· help each other in organising or perhaps participating in control fairs, exhibitions, conferences, seminars and other related activities in particularly in areas just like tourism
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