The Significance of International Organizations Cooperation in the Efficient Resolution of Global Conflict

Conceptual Analysis

Like many other concepts, conflict resolution is open to various meaning and interpretations which is due to the academic background and experience of scholars. Conflict resolution is considered as any method of resolving or ending conflict by any means such as violence or welfare. Otherwise, it can also be defined as peaceable process of managing conflict through assistance of third party [6]. For the sake of this paper, we will align with the latter view.

A stable resolution that addresses the underlying causes of conflict is ideal for ending a protracted conflict.

Peter W [7] defined conflict resolution as the process of resolving fundamental incompatibilities between disputing parties, stopping any hostile acts against one another, and re-establishing their previous amicable relationship. Also, according to Miller CA [8], conflict resolution is a range of strategies meant to put an end to conflict by finding positive solutions to the issues that led to them.

Conflict resolution entails minimizing, removing, or ending conflict [9]. It means finding the underlying causes of the conflict and means to resolve them through meeting the needs of all parties and simultaneously respecting their values and identities. Conflict resolution can mean constructive procedure adopted for solving problems which are aimed at terminating conflicts. Its approach includes negotiation, diplomacy, mediation, arbitration, facilitation, conciliation, restorative justice and peace operation.

Conflict resolution is more challenging than simple dispute settlement as it necessitates a more systematic approach than dispute settlement. It is therefore feasible to resolve a disagreement that arises within a broader conflict without settling the conflict as a whole. According to Best SG [10], conflict resolution is the final step and the result of all the approaches. In agreement with Laue JH [11], a conflict can only be deemed resolved if the following criteria are satisfied: The outcome gratifies the interests and needs of all the parties through mutual agreement; The resolution does not violate any party’s values; None of the parties reject the solution, even when they have the power to do so; and The outcome is impartial and becomes self-supporting and self-enforcing.

International organisations are entities established by treaties to promote international cooperation and maintaining international peace and security, and promotion of economic development among member states [1]. International organisations are known with range of approaches to conflict resolution such as mediation, negotiation, arbitration, economic sanctions, peacekeeping, peace enforcement and peace building. The foremost and all-inclusive international organisation is United Nations Organisation (UNO) which is in charge of the maintenance of international peace and security among other tasks.

Other important international organisations are the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the European Union (EU), the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Organisation of American States (OAS), the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Southern

African Development Community (SADC). They are as well responsible for promoting peace and security in their particular continents and sub-regions [3].

Theoretical Framework

A neoliberal institutionalism theory was used as the theoretical approach for the study. The concept of neoliberalism became popularize with the post-war development which resulted in growing dependency on international institution in the 1980s [12]. The theory has since become one of the most dominant ideologies in international relations.

The theory emphasis on the considerable role of international organisations on facilitating, promoting and developing cooperation among United Nations, regional organisations and sub-regional organisations, while at the same time reducing competition and rivalries [13]. The theory emphasis that the broader the cooperation the slimmer the competition among institutions The theory argued that UN and regional organisations should engage in absolute advantage as against relative gains. Global conflict should be resolved by employing comparative advantages of both UN and regional organisations through common negotiations and coordination [14]. Through this, manpower, financial power, legal power, and administrative power are comparatively contributed and used to solve common problem in organized way, hence international organisation idea comes to play.

Deutsch cited in Hengrui [12] argued that the entrenchment of cooperation will lead to increase interconnectivity which will help to push for common interests and goals, and thereby promote peace and international harmony. Cooperation between UN and regional and sub-regional organisations become sacrosanct and obligatory in the global politics and the management of global peace and security.

The theory is germane to the study as it deals with the notion of interdependence which entails a ‘relationship of mutual dependence’ of actors in international arena. The theory also aids in conceptualise the relationship between the UN and the regional and sub-regional organisations. It also reveals the ability of cooperative and competitive relationship to resolve and escalate global conflict respectively. The choice becomes that of UN and regional and sub-regional organisations.

United Nations, Regional Organisations and Sub-Regional Organisations’ Cooperation in Conflict Resolution

United Nations, the major international organisation, is obviously in charge of maintaining world peace and security, with the Security Council bearing primary responsibility for this duty (Article 24, Chapter V of UN Charter). The Charter provides a task for regional organisations in the maintenance of peace and security in their distinct regions. According to Article 33(1) of Chapter VI of the Charter, parties to any conflict that jeopardizes global peace and security must first attempt to resolve it through regional agreements or other peaceful ways of their own choice.

Furthermore, Chapter VIII, Article 52(1) states that nothing in the Charter precludes the existence of regional agencies to handle issues pertaining to the preservation of global peace and security due to its suitableness for regional action. The Charter urges member states that have ratified such regional agreements to do everything in their power to resolve their region’s conflict amicably through such regional organisation before bringing local conflict before the Security Council [15]. Chapter VIII, Article 53 (1) also stipulates that the Security Council shall, where appropriate, use regional arrangements for enforcement action under its jurisdiction.

To preserve peace and security, the former UN General Secretary advocated for the United Nations and regional organisations to play complementary responsibilities [16]. Since the Security Council is primarily in charge of preserving world peace and security, regional initiatives pertaining to decentralization, delegation, and collaboration with the United Nations could alleviate the Council’s challenge while also fostering a greater sense of involvement, agreement, and democracy in global affairs. In order to prevent and address regional threats, Thakur R [17] urged Security Council to utilise the provisions of Chapter VIII of the UN Charter by utilising regional organisations.

In dealing with conflict and post-conflict peace building, regional and sub-regional organisations frequently do better than international initiatives. Additionally, their security undertakings are frequently quicker and more pertinent when handling conflict in their respective regions due to the fact that they must deal with the fallout from unsolved conflicts. The UN and regional organisations depend on one another, and shared accountability is essential. Hence, integrating regional organisations into global arrangement of conflict resolution will authenticate UN the legitimacy of the regional endeavour. The UN and regional organisations are intended to cooperate in a number of ways, as outlined by Boutrous-Ghali [4].

First among the forms of cooperation is consultation, the motive of which is to exchange views on diverse approaches of resolving conflicts by UN and regional and sub-regional organisations. The consultation could either be formal or less formal. For synergy, there is need for UN to maintain collaboration with the relevant regional or sub-regional organisations. Diplomatic support is another form which is expected from regional or sub-regional bodies to UN peace- making efforts through peacekeeping operations. According to Murithia [18], AU and ECOWAS complemented UN efforts in Liberia and Sierra Leone through diplomatic initiative.

Alternative area of cooperation is operational support. It is to establish a secure environment in the conflict zone for negotiation, implementation of agreement and post-conflict administration. Supports provided to the United Nations by NATO; NATO-led; and Commonwealth of Independent States in the former Yugoslavia; Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium; and Tajikistan respectively are few of the examples [19]. Through joint operation, UN and regional bodies have also jointly launched the International Civilian Mission by jointly share the staffing, direction and financing. This was done in Haiti (MICIVIH) by the UN and the OAS [19].

Co-deployment can also be classified as cooperation between UN and regional bodies. The collective purpose is bringing peace and stability to the post-conflict region [20]. UN field missions in partnership with the peacekeeping forces of ECOWAS were deployed to Liberia and Sierra Leone [21]. The UN and regional organisations have often deployed International Police Task Force (IPTF), multinational peacekeeping force, elections umpires, refugees care groups, development assistance and human rights monitor groups to post-conflict country [19].

The Benefit of Cooperation between UN and Regional and Sub-Regional Organisation

Cooperation between regional organisations and the United Nations in peace initiatives has numerous benefits. The study highlights a few of the advantages:

Through this kind of collaboration, multinational organisations may develop effective crisis prevention plans and, in the event that a crisis does arise, they work together to provide humanitarian aid, peacekeeping, and peace building. Through collaboration between the UN and regional agreements, duties can be shared according to each organisation’s unique strengths, enhancing one another and preventing competition.

Collaboration of UN and regional organisations aid UN stay updated on the actions that regional and sub-regional organisations are taking or considering. Constant update makes it possible for UN to legitimize operations that regional and sub-regional bodies have established. In addition, UN operation has a stronger political foundation through support received from a regional or sub-regional entity.

Additionally, collaboration supports diplomatic initiatives that establish peacekeeping missions and peace structures. In some cases, the UN may be preferred by some conflicting parties, while a regional organisation may be preferred by others. As a result, the cooperation of international organisations offers ways to reach a compromise that can end a deadlock and can also encourage cooperation amongst the parties involved [22].

It is a fact that regional or sub-regional organisations are knowledgeable about the underlying causes of a particular conflict from their region, the parties and the personalities involved. Regional and sub-regional organisations can therefore provide a wealth of information that would improve the efficacy of UN efforts to manage that regional conflict.

When it comes to allocating resources as they become available, certain regional and sub-regional institutions might have more latitude than the UN. As a result, they may deploy resources, such as troops, within their own regions more quickly than the UN. Furthermore, regional organisations with abundant resources can adequately provide and suitably fund their own operations [23].

Regional agreements can also be highly helpful in starting peace-building initiatives to support UN peacekeeping operations, much as UN engagement in a crisis serves as a direction to international support. Therefore, collaboration makes post-conflict reconstruction easier. Additionally, the agreement can give both sides an exit strategy that enables them to establish and oversee successor arrangements that can carry on the work that the peacekeeping operation started [22].

Additionally, it may result in significant progress being made by regional and sub-regional organisations in creating efficient conflict resolution procedures such as mediation, negotiation, peacekeeping operations, etc., either on their own or in collaboration with the UN, or at the directive of the UN. This will enhance regional and sub-regional organisation to be more efficient, better informed, boost interoperability, and sustainability of the mission.

Factors Hindering Actualisation of International Organisations’ Cooperation

There have been noticeable factors defy the actualisation of cooperation between UN and regional and sub-regional organisations over the resolution of global conflict, thus posing a challenge to the entire peace efforts. Few of these factors are highlighted beneath.

International politics has been one of the major setbacks to cooperation between UN and regional and sub-regional bodies in resolution of conflict. International politics is common among the super power. These countries always like showing-off. US were reportedly blocked initiative of French within UN Security Council in Liberia conflict while ECOWAS has fulfilled her own part [24].

Disparities of interest is also an obstruction to UN and regional and sub-regional bodies’ cooperation in the resolution of conflict. When there is clash of interest in intervening a particular conflict, cooperation becomes an illusion, while competition becomes a reality. Interest plays key roles in defining cooperation among the intervenors in global conflict resolution.

Similarly, a divergent strategy to issues of intervention often poses a threat to cooperation between UN and regional and sub-regional organisations instead of unifying them. In a situation where UN and regional bodies respectively has clear different approach preferred by each body as a method of intervention in a specific conflict without analysing them objectively to select the best approach. This usually widens the gap, and cooperation becomes unattainable.

Lack of adequate and appropriate information from sides of UN and regional organisations has the ability to worsen the relationship between UN and regional and sub-regional bodies. On many occasions, information has either been delayed or misinterpreted, and hence strain the relationship and negate its purpose.

Competing authority structures is another major obstacle to the actualisation of cooperation between UN and regional and sub-regional organisations. Insistence of rigid UN-led approach which automatically makes regional bodies subordinate will only strengthen competition instead of complimentary each other. Also, an ideological regionalism that ignores multilateralism will also lead to competition between UN and regional and sub-regional bodies which will give birth to sharp division [20].

Favouritism has also contributed to the wide division instead of cooperation between UN and regional bodies. UN don’t usually want to cooperate with regional bodies in a situation prejudice is noticed among the contributing nation under regional bodies, as seen in the case of Nigeria in ECOMOG in Liberia [25]. Favouritism has seriously hindered the progress of regional bodies and subsequent lukewarm attitude of UN.

In addition, challenge of overconfidence from the side of United Nations has also found limiting the actualisation of cooperation between UN and regional and sub-regional bodies [24]. This has led UN to believe she can do it alone, and hence not given due recognition to the regional and sub-regional organisations. Sadly, UN solely engaging in numerous complex peacekeeping operations in the early 1990s resulted into counterattack, and hence her operational capacity was severally challenged.

Added to the above is what is referred to as ‘poor man’s war syndrome’ in terms of international financial resources committed to peace operations. Resource constraint has hindered cooperation between UN and regional and sub- regional bodies in no small measure. The UN has often been careful in releasing funds for peace efforts due to lack of interest. Regional bodies most especially Africa in most cases are financially constraint. Such scenarios were witnessed by AU in Darfur and SADC in Democratic Republic of Congo and the result was strained relationship.

Hypothesis 1: Based on Statement 2

Ho: Interest did not play a major role in determining international organisations’ cooperation in the resolution of global conflict. Hi: Interest plays a major role in determining international organisations’ cooperation in the resolution of global conflict.

Analysis of chi-square (X2) Formula for degree of freedom = r-1= 5 – 1 = 4:

Since chi-square calculated X2 is 44.72 which is greater than critical (X2 of 9.448), alternative hypothesis which state that ‘interest plays a major role in determining international organisations’ cooperation in the resolution of global conflict’ is accepted.

Hypothesis II Based on Research Statement 5

Ho: Cooperation among international organisations did not ensure speed resolution of global conflict. Hi: Cooperation among international organisations ensures speed resolution of global conflict.

Alternative hypothesis which state that ‘cooperation among international organisations ensures speed resolution of global conflict is accepted since the calculated value (55.78) is greater than table value (X2 of 9.448).