49 Years of ECOWAS: Overcoming Emerging Challenges for Regional Integration

Opinion by Kingsley Ighobor (United Nations)Tuesday, August 06, 2024Inter Press Service

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was established in 1975 to foster economic integration in the region. With nearly five decades under its belt, the regional bloc has made significant strides in integration, peace and security, and good governance. However, it also grapples with some challenges.

ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, recently attended a high-level event at the UN headquarters in New York in June 2024, focusing on regional unity, peace, and security in West Africa.

In a discussion with Kingsley Ighobor after the event, Ambassador Musah, representing ECOWAS, outlined the organization’s accomplishments, hurdles, and ongoing initiatives to fortify integration. Here are excerpts from the conversation.

The key achievement of ECOWAS over the past 49 years can be summarized in one point: we have shifted from establishing an organization to constructing a community.

ECOWAS came into being during the peak of the Cold War. The sole realm for individuals to come together and find common ground was economic integration, rather than political or ideological alignment.

The protocol on the free movement of people, goods, and services (1976) allows citizens the right to reside in any member state and has been a hallmark of ECOWAS throughout the years. It is a significant accomplishment that individuals in West Africa do not have to worry about visas when crossing borders within the region.

There was a great deal of turmoil in Africa post-Cold War; without ECOWAS, the entire region could have plunged into fratricidal conflicts. Recall that a war erupted in Liberia towards the end of 1989, persisted throughout the 1990s, spilled over to Sierra Leone, and impacted Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire.

The region has many reasons to be proud—ECOWAS is now a recognized symbol, a trailblazer in regional integration on the continent.

A: ECOWAS intervened through its multinational armed forces, the Economic Community of West African States Ceasefire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), which stabilized the situation and eventually paved the way for the United Nations peacekeepers who subsequently arrived.

_on economic integration?_

When it comes to economic integration, we can cite numerous successes. It’s not just about the free movement of people; it also entails establishing a common market for the region. It involves aiding countries in developing infrastructure—energy, internet connectivity, and constructing road networks throughout the region.

This work is ongoing. However, reflecting on the tragic events of the 1990s marked by civil wars and State implosions, ECOWAS had no option but to shift its focus to security matters and good governance.

Today, the values of democracy and human rights are deeply rooted in West African culture, and ECOWAS plays a vital role in that process. West Africa is the sole region in Africa that is free of open, high-intensity conflict, notwithstanding the presence of Violent Extremist Groups.

There is much to celebrate in the region—the fact that ECOWAS has become a trademark, a pioneer in regional integration on the continent. It laid much of the groundwork for the African Union frameworks.

Has ECOWAS evolved from an economic bloc into both an economic and political union?

Yes, indeed.

Some ECOWAS members have expressed a desire to withdraw from the organization. Are there ongoing efforts to persuade them to remain?

ECOWAS is a community. We have solidarity. Despite facing challenges or differences, severing ties is not the solution. The nations contemplating withdrawal talk about their Pan-African aspirations and other factors, but the foundation of Pan-Africanism is integration. Since disintegration will not foster Pan-Africanism, we are taking every possible step to retain them within the fold.

That being said, it’s essential to understand that a country cannot simply decide one day to exit ECOWAS. There are established procedures to follow, as outlined in Article 91 of the ECOWAS Treaty.

Various diplomatic dialogues are underway behind the scenes to reunite the ECOWAS bloc.

What makes you optimistic about the success of these endeavors?

Our optimism stems from the fact that ECOWAS convened its extraordinary summit in February 2024, lifted stringent sanctions against Niger, and encouraged them to return to the Community. We are hopeful that they recognize the benefits of standing together far outweigh any disadvantages.

Speaking of benefits, what additional incentives are offered to these countries to encourage them to maintain their membership?

I mentioned earlier the free movement of people, goods, and services in ECOWAS. Roughly 10 million citizens of these countries are dispersed across the region. Currently, 4.5 million Burkinabe citizens reside in Côte d’Ivoire alone. Should they disassociate from ECOWAS, the status of their citizens would undergo a remarkable change. They would need to regularize their stay, and those unable to do so would have to return to their home countries.

We also underscore trade liberalization. Intra-African trade stands at a mere 15 percent. Exports from these three nations to other parts of West Africa do not surpass 17 percent. These countries primarily export meat products, vegetables, and similar items to the region, while receiving energy and various manufactured goods from other nations with virtually no tariffs attached.

The three countries are landlocked. They require access to sea routes, currently provided under highly favorable conditions within the framework of regional integration. Should they exit, they would need to find alternative routes or pay increased freight charges and tariffs. This would demand significant time and resources.

Additionally, we emphasize community solidarity, a factor often taken for granted. Collectively, the three countries consume more than 52 percent of the ECOWAS strategic food reserves, totaling about 15,000 tonnes of food. Landlocked nations or those affected by recurring droughts rely on such support.

Lastly, the most effective way to combat violent extremism is through intelligence sharing and cross-border military collaboration. Without their presence, how would they effectively combat violent extremists? We urge them to rejoin the fold, and I am optimistic they will reverse their decision.

Could their withdrawal have reputational repercussions for ECOWAS?

A withdrawal would be detrimental to both parties—neither advantageous for them nor for ECOWAS. In contemporary international diplomacy, strength lies in numbers. With 15 member states, our influence in international diplomacy is magnified. Should they depart, ECOWAS would be in a weakened state. This is a point we must take into consideration.

Remember, ECOWAS is a solidarity-based organization. When vying for positions in international bodies such as the UN, ECOWAS unites and supports a candidate. For the sake of solidarity, we endorse those within the community.

From a diplomatic, security, and political perspective, it is disadvantageous for both sides. Nonetheless, on balance, it strongly favors them.

Source: Africa Renewal, a United Nations digital magazine covering Africa’s economic, social, and political advancements, alongside the challenges faced by the continent and the solutions devised by Africans themselves, with the backing of the United Nations and the international community.

IPS UN Bureau

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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

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