Accra Unveils Book on The Gambia’s Post-Electoral Dispute

A new book exploring ECOWAS’ intervention in The Gambia’s 2016 post-electoral dispute has been launched in Accra. The 459-page book examines the dispute’s impact on regional peace and security, focusing on ECOWAS and AU’s legal responses to conflicts in Africa to promote stability and development. Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Budu, Dean of GIMPA’s Faculty of Law, highlighted ECOWAS’ transformation into a promoter of democratic norms and the rule of law. The launch featured Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs Kwaku Ampratum-Sarpong and Mavis Nkansah Boadu, and Professor Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua of the University of Ghana, who virtually reviewed the book.

The book provides insights into pro-democracy interventions and the UN Charter’s prohibition of force, reconciling legal principles with the evolving norm of Responsibility to Protect (R2P). It draws parallels with the EU’s compliance with community laws and jurisprudence. Identifying ECOWAS’ governance weaknesses, it offers lessons from The Gambia’s dispute resolution and recommendations for future actions. The work aims to fill knowledge gaps on regional peace and security, serving as a reference for policymakers, academics, and students interested in public international law in the ECOWAS sub-region.