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Côte d'Ivoire
Guinea
Liberia
Sierra Leone

West Africa project

The events of recent months have raised confidence in the international community that Sierra Leone has finally emerged from its decade-long civil war, but there is still a risk of renewed conflict as a result of the instability in neighbouring Liberia. The project has now been expanded to include Guinea and Liberia as well as continuing to monitor Sierra Leone’s efforts to break out of the cycle of violence that has killed at least 50,000 people and destabilised a considerable portion of West Africa.

It is far too early to declare the danger over. While the international community has made great strides in improving the security situation in Sierra Leone, Liberia remains a wellspring for continued conflict stretching across Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Liberia's internal situation has been the dynamic that has provided fuel for the broader war, and no peace in the region will be viable until it is dealt with more forcefully.

Having published a series of reports on Sierra Leone from 1996 onwards, ICG established a field office in Freetown in July 2001. ICG published its first report on Liberia in April 2002.

Articles, op-eds, speeches and media releases can be found under the media section.

Recent reports & briefings  
Liberia: Security Challenges, report, 03 November 2003
Sierra Leone: The State of Security and Governance, report, 02 September 2003
The Special Court for Sierra Leone: Promises and Pitfalls of a “New Model”, briefing, 04 August 2003
Tackling Liberia: The Eye of the Regional Storm, report, 30 April 2003
Sierra Leone’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission: A Fresh Start?, briefing, 20 December 2002
Liberia: Unravelling, briefing, 19 August 2002
Sierra Leone After Elections: Politics as Usual?, report, 15 July 2002
Liberia: The Key to Ending Regional Instability, report, 24 April 2002
Sierra Leone: Ripe for Elections?, briefing, 19 December 2001
Sierra Leone: Managing Uncertainty, report, 24 October 2001
Sierra Leone: Time for a New Military and Political Strategy, report, 11 April 2001

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