ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY AND THE QUESTION OF DEVELOPMENT IN WEST AFRICA

1
ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY AND THE QUESTION OF
DEVELOPMENT IN WEST AFRICA

• C. Nna-Emeka Okereke Ph.D
• emekaokereke_at_gmail.com emekaokereke_at_ndc.gov.ng
  
• African Centre for Strategic Research and Studies
• National Defence College
• NIGERIA
• Mobile [phone]

2
BACKGROUND

• The year 2010 has recorded several environmental
  disasters. Checklist of such disasters include
• Earthquake in Haiti, Japan and China
• Flooding in Portugal, Pakistan and China,
• The eruption of volcanic ash from
  Eyjafjallajokull on 16 March 2010 which compelled
  the European Union states to cancel flights
  operations in Europe for about a week. This had
  tremendous impact of global trade and travels.

3
Background contd

• Other severe environmental disasters experienced
  on the wider global scale within the first decade
  of the 21st Century include
• Tsunami tidal surge of December 2004 which
  wrecked havoc to parts of Indonesia, India and
  Sri Lanka
• Hurricane Katrina of August 2005 which caused
  serious destruction in parts of Alabama, Florida
  and Georgia in United States
• Earthquake in India (January 2001) Japan in 2004

4
Background contd

• The continent of Africa is also not immune from
  the scourge of environmental disasters. Countries
  like Uganda, Cameroon, Ethiopia and Sudan have
  experienced varying dimensions of environmental
  disasters such as earth quakes, volcanic
  eruption, desertification and drought.
• The impacts of these disasters have been enormous
  in terms of loss of several lives and property.
  Consequently, issues of environmental security
  have emerged a critical security concern at both
  national and global theatres.

5
Background contd

• This sensitivity is as a result of the
  implications of environmental issues such as
  climate change and global warming on human
  security and pursuit of development.
• This is more so relevant in view of the recurrent
  incidences of environmental disasters such as
  flooding, earth quake/tremor, drought,
  desertification, ocean surge and volcanic
  eruptions among others.

6
Background contd

• As a response measure, some global initiatives at
  tackling the challenges posed by the environment
  have been taken at various fora including the
  Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro (1997), Durban
  Earth Summit (2000) and the Copenhagen Conference
  on Climate Change held in 2009.
• Issues of environmental security are also of
  relevance to West Africa. This is as a result of
  the myriads of ecological hazards experienced in
  the sub-region.
• The fact that these hazards exert direct bearing
  on the pursuit of security and development in
  West Africa and yet lack adequate policy response
  constitute the basic concern of this paper.

7
CONTEXT OF THE PAPER

• SECURITY
• In its simplest meaning, security implies
  freedom or absence of threat, fear or danger. It
  is an essential condition necessary for human
  fulfillment.
• DEVELOPMENT
• Development implies general improvement in human
  condition. It is an attack on the chief evils
  that confront the humanity.

8
Context contd

• The notion of security has however evolved from
  over emphasis on the physical security of the
  state to the focus on human security which
  buttress freedom from both violent and non
  violent threats or danger such as diseases and
  environmental degradation and disasters.
• A couple of reasons have been adduced for the
  redefinition of the focus of security. First, the
  end of the Cold War stimulated a re-focus of
  attention from physical to human security
  concerns.

9
Context contd

• Secondly, it has become obvious that insecurities
  arising from diseases, ecological degradation and
  natural disasters wreck severe devastation on
  human development.
• This realization has stimulated commitments to
  addressing the scourge of HIV/AIDS,
  Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis (CSM), tuberculosis,
  Avian Flu, Cholera and several other pandemic
  diseases which have adversely affected human
  security and development.
• It is within this purview that the implications
  of environmental security to the question of
  development become significant.

10
FUNDAMENTAL ASSUMPTIONS

• The basic assumption here is that environmental
  security refers to the safety of our environment
  from natural disasters and human activities that
  jeopardize the quality of life, it then follows
  that environmental security constitute an
  important dimension to the pursuit of peace and
  development.
• By implication, securing the integrity of our
  environment is fundamental to the pursuit of
  security and development at individual, national
  and sub-regional level in West Africa.

11
OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY IN WEST AFRICA

• In West Africa, the scourge of environmental
  hazards constitute a major threat to human
  security and development.
• This is demonstrated by the continued havocs
  arising from environmental degradation and
  accompanying ecological disasters across the
  sub-region.
• Prominent of these are the series of flooding as
  experienced in the Republic of Niger, Burkina
  Faso, Nigeria and most recently in Ghana
  (September 2010).

12
Nature of Environmental Hazards contd

• i. Dumping of hazardous wastes as experienced in
  Nigeria and Cote dIvoire- Probo Koala
  (Transfigura) Koko Nigeria
• ii. The scourge of desertification which exert
  pressure on the local population along the
  frontline and buffer regions in Niger, Nigeria,
  Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana etc
• iii. Intermittent ocean surge along the Atlantic
  coast especially Lagos
• iv. Oil Spillage and Gas flaring in the Niger
  Delta

13
THREATS

• The vulnerability of the sub-region has also
  facilitated transnational organised crimes and
  financing of terrorism. Consequently, the region
  has become increasingly attractive for drug
  traffickers from South America and Asia, and
  illicit trade in diamond and SALWs.
• 1. Drug Trafficking - FARC
• 2. Protection Racket -AQLIM
• 3. Money Laundering -Lebanese
• 4. Diamond Smuggling -AQN Hezbollah

14
Threats contd

• Al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)
• 1. Pushed down from Algeria towards West
  Africas poorly patrolled border frontiers.
• 2. Underground economy including smuggling,
  protection rackets
• 3. Engage in kidnapping of tourists in Mali and
  Niger
• 4. Direct combat with armed forces of Mali,
  Niger Chad

15
CAUSES

1. Poor orientation and commitment to Environmental
   Governance at individual and institutional levels
2. Negative Socio-cultural practices such as bush
   burning
3. Environmental Degradation arising from unethical
   activities of Multinational Oil Corporations
   NIGER DELTA

16
Causes contd

• iv. Epidemic of armed conflicts Liberia, Sierra
  Leone, Cote dIvoire, Niger Delta
• v. Natural Disasters arising partly from Climate
  Change and Global warming
• vi. Vulnerable and under-governed borders Land
  and Sea
• vii. Others emanate from the activities of man
  construction, industry, mining

17
IMPACTS

• i. Loss of Lives and Property
• ii. Destruction of Critical Infrastructures
• -Dams, Bridges, Hospitals in Burkina Faso
• iii. Spread of Diseases like cholera, CSM and
  Respiratory track infections
• iv. Results in violent conflicts at national
  levels
• v. Loss of livestock, crops and arable land

18
Impacts contd

• vi. Destruction of natural habitat, gully erosion
  (Angulu Nanka- Nigeria)
• vii. Internal Displacement of people
• - Niger flood, July 2007 - 50,000 displaced
• - Burkina Flood, September 2009 - 150,000
  displaced
• viii. Refugee Movements leading to international
  hostilities
• ix. Legitimacy crisis for the government
• x. Loss of revenue at micro and macro levels
• xi. Threats of terrorism and TOCs

19
What Should be Done

• Public Enlightenment on Environmental Protection
• Enactment of relevant legislative instruments at
  various national levels
• Institution Building establishment and
  strengthening relevant public institutions
  responsible for environmental protection
• Capacity Building for judicial and law
  enforcement officials engaged in environmental
  protection including sanctions

20
What should be done contd

• Strengthening Civil Society Organizations engaged
  in Environmental Protection
• International Cooperation to combat
  desertification, drought, Climate Change and
  Global Warming
• ECOWAS should evolve requisite Protocols on
  Environmental Protection with corresponding
  sanction regimes especially for erring
  governments and corporations
• ECOWAS Early Warning Mechanism should enhance
  investments on environmental sensitivity

21
Else
22
THANK YOUand