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ECOWAS

First: Definition and origins

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is one of the most prominent regional organizations on the African continent. Formally established by the Treaty of Lagos, signed on May 28, 1975, its primary objective is to promote economic and political integration among West African countries. ECOWAS currently comprises 15 member states, following Mauritania’s withdrawal in 2000. Its headquarters are located in Abuja, Nigeria, with subsidiary offices in several other capital cities, such as Accra (Ghana) and Abidjan (Ivory Coast).

Second: Member States

The organization is composed of the following countries:

  • Benin
  • Burkina Faso
  • Cape Verde
  • Ivory Coast
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Liberia
  • Mali
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • Togo

Thirdly: Objectives and tasks

Economic objectives:

  • Establish a common regional market to promote intra-regional trade.
  • Coordinate monetary and fiscal policies, including the “ECO” single currency project.
  • Promote investment and joint infrastructure projects (energy, transport, telecommunications).

Political and security objectives:

  • Preventing and resolving conflicts through mediation.
  • Maintaining constitutional stability and preventing coups.
  • Promoting democracy and human rights.
  • Deploying joint military missions to intervene in crisis situations.

Fourth: Organizational structure

  • Conference of Heads of State and Government: the highest authority.
  • Council of Ministers: coordinates policies and programs.
  • ECOWAS Parliament: has an advisory and limited legislative role.
  • Court of Justice: resolves legal disputes between member states.
  • Commission: the main executive body, headquartered in Abuja.

Fifth: Outstanding achievements

  1. Economic integration: Reducing tariffs and facilitating the movement of goods and people.
  2. Freedom of movement: The ECOWAS regional passport, which allows citizens of member states to travel freely.
  3. Security and peace: Establishing a regional military intervention mechanism, such as ECOMOG, which intervened in Liberia and Sierra Leone in the 1990s.
  4. Political mediation: An active role in resolving crises, such as the Gambian crisis of 2017 following Yahya Jammeh’s refusal to relinquish power, and the Malian crisis of 2020.
  5. Cooperation with the African Union and the United Nations in peacekeeping operations.

Sixth: Current challenges

Despite its achievements, ECOWAS faces serious challenges:

  • Military coups:
  • Mali (2020, 2021)
  • Guinea (2021)
  • Burkina Faso (2022)
  • Niger (2023)
    These coups have undermined the organization’s credibility and led to direct confrontations between the coup leaders and ECOWAS institutions.
  • Internal divisions:
  • In January 2024, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS and the formation of a trilateral security and economic alliance among themselves.
  • This decision represents the most serious crisis of division since the organization’s founding and weakens the regional integration project.
  • Security and terrorism:
  • The growing influence of armed groups such as ISIS-West Africa and the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims.
  • Weak security coordination has reduced the effectiveness of military interventions.
  • Economic challenges:
  • The ECO (Economic Community of West African States) currency project has been delayed.
  • There is a huge disparity between the economies of member states (Nigeria being the largest economy, while other countries are small and weak).
  • Most countries depend on primary exports (oil, minerals, agriculture), making them vulnerable to global fluctuations.
  • Dependence on external support:
  • Despite its ambition for independence, peacekeeping operations often rely on funding and support from the European Union and the United Nations.

Seventh: Recent developments (2023-2024)

  • The crisis in Niger: Following the July 2023 coup, ECOWAS imposed harsh sanctions and threatened military intervention to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum, but these measures faced widespread public opposition within Niger and support for the military junta from Mali and Burkina Faso.
  • The three-nation withdrawal (Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso): This represents the biggest challenge in ECOWAS’s history, as it undermines the organization’s ability to enforce its decisions.
  • A new mediation effort: In early 2024, Nigeria and Senegal are seeking to reintegrate these countries into ECOWAS through dialogue.

Eighth: Evaluation and conclusion

ECOWAS remains one of the most important and influential African regional organizations in both political and security matters. However, its credibility is threatened by coups and internal divisions, raising a fundamental question about its future: will it remain an organization capable of upholding democracy and promoting integration, or will it transform into a weak entity unable to address the crises facing its member states?

Restoring its effectiveness requires:

  • Reforming its mechanisms for military and political intervention;
  • Strengthening genuine economic integration by accelerating the implementation of a single currency;
  • Reducing its dependence on external funding
  • Building renewed trust among member states through transparency and balanced decision-making.

Official references (selected)

  1. Official ECOWAS website: www.ecowas.int
  2. African Union – Peace and Security Council statements.
  3. UN Security Council reports on West Africa and the Sahel region (2021–2024).
  4. Statements by the Presidents of Nigeria and Ghana on crises in West Africa.
  5. Statements from recent ECOWAS summits (2022–2024).
  6. United Nations Economic Commission for Africa – Reports on regional integration.