Curbing Election-Related Conflict A Comparative Study of ECOWAS-led Intervention in The Election Crises in Côte d'Ivoire (2010-2011) and The Gambia (2016)

Abstract

By drawing parallels between the failure of preventive diplomacy in the 2010/2011 election crisis in Côte d'Ivoire and its success in the 2016 election crisis in The Gambia, this comparative study examines how international actors can prevent election-related conflict when dealing with an election crisis. The article identifies conflicting interests, support for military intervention and historical context as explanatory factors in understanding the success of preventive diplomacy in The Gambia and its failure in Côte d'Ivoire. It demonstrates the importance of coordination among international actors and concludes by advocating for a subsidiarity-based framework in implementing preventive diplomacy by international actors.