Decision A/DEC.4/8/90 on the establishment of an ECOWAS Observer Group for Presidential and General Elections in the Republic of Liberia (Ecowas Peace Plan)

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Country/entity: Liberia
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Decision A/DEC.4/8/90 on the establishment of an ECOWAS Observer Group for Presidential and General Elections in the Republic of Liberia (Ecowas Peace Plan)
Date: 7 Aug 1990
Agreement status: Unilateral document
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Interstate/intrastate conflict(s)
Liberian Civil Wars (1989 - 1997) (1999 - 2005)
In 1989, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) attacked border posts as part of a campaign to oust the dictatorship of Samuel Doe. This triggered a violent civil war that by 1995 had killed around 150,000 and displaced an estimated 850,000 people. The outbreak of war is attributed to the domestic socio-economic and political environment in the country of the 1980s, such as poverty, discrimination and repression. However, its sustenance is also related to past discrimination against indigenous Liberians by ‘Americo-Liberians’, and deep ethnic divisions that resulted.

Peace negotiations began in 1992 and completed by 1997. However, the peace lasted only a short period and in 1999 there was renewed fighting against the elected president, Charles Taylor. The Guinea-backed organisation, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), together with the armed Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) controlled two thirds of the country by 2003 and besieged the capital Monrovia, forcing Charles Taylor into exile in Nigeria. In August that same year, the conflict parties signed the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement and in 2005 new general elections were held.
Stage: Implementation/renegotiation
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Liberia peace process
Parties: DONE AT BANJUL, THIS 7TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1990.
H. E. DAWDA KAIRABA JAWARA
CHAIRMAN
ECOWAS STANDING MEDIATION COMMITTEE
FOR THE AUTHORITY
Third parties: -
Description: This short agreement from the ECOWAS Standing Mediation Committee establishes an ECOWAS Observer Group to observe the Liberian presidential and general elections.

Agreement document: LR_900807_ECOWAS Decision 4-8-90.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): Governance→Political institutions (new or reformed)→General references
Page 1, Untitled Preamble, para 3: MINDFUL also of the civil war in Liberia and the need for the people of Liberia to establish a democratically elected government as a means of restoring lasting peace and security among the citizens of Liberia;
Elections: Page 1, Untitled Preamble, para 4: CONSIDERING the need to constitute an ECOWAS Observer Group for the Liberian Elections to ensure that the presidential and general elections are free and fair;

Page 1, ARTICLE 1: 1. An ECOWAS Observer Group for the Liberian Elections to observe the presidential and general elections in the Republic of Liberia shall be established at the appropriate time.
2. The ECOWAS Observer Group for the Liberian Elections shall be responsible for monitoring the elections in the Republic of Liberia to ensure that they are free and fair.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: Page 1, Untitled Preamble, para 1: MINDFUL of Article 5 of the ECOWAS Treaty establishing the Authority of Heath of State and Government and defining its composition and functions;
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: Rights related issues→Citizenship→Citizen, general
Page 1, Untitled Preamble, para 3: MINDFUL also of the civil war in Liberia and the need for the people of Liberia to establish a democratically elected government as a means of restoring lasting peace and security among the citizens of Liberia;
Democracy: Page 1, Untitled Preamble, para 3: MINDFUL also of the civil war in Liberia and the need for the people of Liberia to establish a democratically elected government as a means of restoring lasting peace and security among the citizens of Liberia;
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: Page 1, ARTICLE 2: The expenses of the ECOWAS Observer Group for the Liberian Elections shall be borne out of the Special Fund for the ECOWAS Operations in Liberia.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: Page 1, Untitled Preamble, para 3: MINDFUL also of the civil war in Liberia and the need for the people of Liberia to establish a democratically elected government as a means of restoring lasting peace and security among the citizens of Liberia;
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: DONE AT BANJUL, THIS 7TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1990.
H. E. DAWDA KAIRABA JAWARA
CHAIRMAN
ECOWAS STANDING MEDIATION COMMITTEE
FOR THE AUTHORITY
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: Page 1, Untitled Preamble, para 4: CONSIDERING the need to constitute an ECOWAS Observer Group for the Liberian Elections to ensure that the presidential and general elections are free and fair;

Page 1, ARTICLE 1: 1. An ECOWAS Observer Group for the Liberian Elections to observe the presidential and general elections in the Republic of Liberia shall be established at the appropriate time.
2. The ECOWAS Observer Group for the Liberian Elections shall be responsible for monitoring the elections in the Republic of Liberia to ensure that they are free and fair.

Page 1, ARTICLE 2: The expenses of the ECOWAS Observer Group for the Liberian Elections shall be borne out of the Special Fund for the ECOWAS Operations in Liberia.
Enforcement mechanism: Page 1, ARTICLE 3: The ECOWAS Executive Secretary shall take all necessary measures to ensure the implementation of the present decision which shall come into effect upon signature and shall be published in the Official Journal of the Community and in the National Gazette of Each Member State.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: The Official Journal of ECOWAS, Vol 21, Nov. 1991.

DECISION A/DEC.4/8/90 ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ECOWAS OBSERVER GROUP FOR PRESIDENTIAL AND GENERAL ELECTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

COMMUNITY STANDING MEDIATION COMMITTEE

MINDFUL of Article 5 of the ECOWAS Treaty establishing the Authority of Heath of State and Government and defining its composition and functions;

MINDFUL of Decision A/DEC.9/5/90 of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government dated 30 May 1990 relating to the creation of a Community Standing Mediation Committee;

MINDFUL also of the civil war in Liberia and the need for the people of Liberia to establish a democratically elected government as a means of restoring lasting peace and security among the citizens of Liberia;

CONSIDERING the need to constitute an ECOWAS Observer Group for the Liberian Elections to ensure that the presidential and general elections are free and fair;

DECIDES

ARTICLE 1

1. An ECOWAS Observer Group for the Liberian Elections to observe the presidential and general elections in the Republic of Liberia shall be established at the appropriate time.

2. The ECOWAS Observer Group for the Liberian Elections shall be responsible for monitoring the elections in the Republic of Liberia to ensure that they are free and fair.

ARTICLE 2

The expenses of the ECOWAS Observer Group for the Liberian Elections shall be borne out of the Special Fund for the ECOWAS Operations in Liberia.

ARTICLE 3

The ECOWAS Executive Secretary shall take all necessary measures to ensure the implementation of the present decision which shall come into effect upon signature and shall be published in the Official Journal of the Community and in the National Gazette of Each Member State.

DONE AT BANJUL, THIS 7TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1990.

H. E. DAWDA KAIRABA JAWARA

CHAIRMAN

ECOWAS STANDING MEDIATION COMMITTEE

FOR THE AUTHORITY