Regional Integration And Conflict Management In Africa: Ecowas In Perspective

• Regional Integration And Conflict Management In Africa: Ecowas In Perspective

  

The Establishment of ECOWAS

It is a truism that man is a social animal and no country irrespective of its resources can address all its needs. After independence regional integration became a pillar of Africa’s developmental strategy. Pan-Africanism, an ideology which emphasizes continental unity and strong identification with ongoing anti-colonial struggles, was the leitmotif of Africa’s developmental framework. This perspective sought to externalize West Africa’s problems, with much of the blame laid at the door of former colonial powers, with little responsibility and accountability demanded of the postcolonial African elite. Politically this was the safest position to be in as economic failures could always be ascribed to the legacy of imperialism and colonialism. The initial attempt at integration can be traced to 1975 when the CFA franc was created as the sole currency for francophone countries in the region. It was Liberian President, William Tubman in 1964 that proposed the establishment of an economic union for West Africa. A treaty was contracted in 1965 by just four states (Guinea, Cote d’ Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Liberia). In 1972, a proposal was made to establish a unification of states in West Africa. General Yakubu Gowon the then head of state of Nigeria and the head of state of Togo, Gnassingbe Eyadema were instrumental in the spread of the idea of integration (Rasheed, 2020). Mauritania extracted its affiliation from ECOWAS in 2000. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was established in 1975 to promote the economic and social growth of its member states in order to raise people’s living standards (Matthew, Osabohien, Ogunlusi, & Edafe, 2019; Apwenum, Onor, & Duruji, 2020). It was originally conceived with the objective of promoting and enhancing economic cooperation amongst the sixteen member countries in the West African sub-region (Chidozie & Abiudun-Eniayekan, 2017

Also, ECOWAS is directed by principles that reflect the values of ECOWAS.

• Recognition, protection, and promotion of human rights in harmony with the requirements of the African Charter on Human Rights. 
• The principle of non-aggression between member states. Another principle is the preservation of regional peace, security, and stability through the promotion of good neighborliness. 
• Equality and independence of member states.
• The peaceful resolution of disagreements among member states, vigorous collaboration between bordering countries, and the advancement of a peaceable atmosphere as a precondition for economic development. 
• Accountability, social justice, economic and popular participation is another fundamental principle.
• The elevation and consolidation of a democratic system of governance in each member state as envisaged by the declaration of political principles adopted in Abuja on 6th July 1991.
• All member states are expected to recognize and abide by all these fundamental principles.

ECOWAS and Regional Cooperation in West Africa

There is no gainsaying the fact that ECOWAS has totally failed in its aim and objectives for the West African sub-region. Although, it is quite true that the evidence of the organisation’s achievements in terms of attaining a comprehensive level of integration for the sub-region is not tangible, but the fact remains that the organisation, since its formation in 1975, has continued to create various cooperative mechanisms and strategies that could help it achieve its aim even in the midst of impeding socio-economic and political challenges that have been confronting it (Ogbonna, Aluko, & Awuah, 2013). From all indications, it is obvious that ECOWAS member states have come to a clear agreement and understanding of the measures that could lead them to a sustainable regional cooperation and development. This is evident as can be seen through the organisation’s treaty of 1975, the revised treaty of 1993, and a number of many other protocols, conventions and official agreements (Ogbonna, Aluko, & Awuah, 2013). While this shows that the organisation has been able to come up with a roadmap or framework for the cooperation of its community, it also explains that its member states are still committed directly or indirectly, to making the organisation’s aim achievable. 

Just like it has been mentioned earlier that ECOWAS, since its establishment, has continued to create integrative mechanisms and strategies that could help unite its member-states together by promoting cooperation and development socio-culturally, politically, and econo0mically, here are a few evidence of such actions. When one carries out a survey on the role of ECOWAS in the maintenance of cooperation among its member-states, he or she would vividly recognise the role of trade relations, public and private sector participation in developmental projects, inputs by self-governed and International Governmental Organisations, free movement of people, goods and services within the sub-region and many others (Opanike, Aduloju, & Adenipekun, 2015). In addition to the aforementioned, the member-states of the region are linked by a West African Highway; the region has a West African Gas Plant (WAGP) for member-states; and there is a trade liberalisation programme which is under the control of ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and was planned to commence in phases. In a bid to advance further integrative strategies among member-states of the region, ECOWAS came up with an elaborate effort to create a borderless West Africa by initiating a passport scheme. This is meant to allow one who is in its possession about ninety days of stay within any country that is in the ECOWAS community without visa. Again, through the establishment of ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre (ECOWAS/YSDC), ECOWAS parliament (ECOWAS, 2016), and ECOWAS tribunal, together with the formation of other autonomous groups like the Wet African Road Transport Union (WARTU), West African Manufacturers’ Association (WAMA), it is crystal clear that ECOWAS has tremendously contributed towards the building of an integrative community (Akinbobola, 2000).  By and large, it should also be noted that a good number of these schemes have not been efficient consequent upon the implementation challenges that have consistently rendered ECOWAS ineffective Ogbonna, Aluko, & Awuah, 2013).

Interestingly, of all the ECOWAS efforts towards the advancement of an integrated West Africa, its protocol on free movement has however, been considered relevant and in tandem with its main aim. This is because there can never be a complete unification of the peoples of the sub-region if they are not allowed to move freely across the community. It is worthy of mention that the protocol was borne out of the need to liberalise trans-border communication with the main aim of promoting regional trade (Opanike, Aduloju, & Adenipekun, 2015). The protocol sought to remove all limitations to the trade movement of ECOWAS citizens. It was projected to allow free movement of people, their goods and services and it granted the community citizens the right to migrate and live within the territory of any member state, as long as they have in their custody, legal travel documents and international health certificate. By and large, the protocol also granted member states the authority to deny admission to any citizen of the community who cannot be admitted consequent upon the member state’s national law (Opanike, Aduloju, & Adenipekun, 2015). 

ECOWAS and the challenges of regional cooperation

Several challenges have continued to render ECOWAS incapacitated for nearly five decades even though it has continued to struggle for its survival – a condition that made Ogbonna, Aluko, & Awuah, 2013) describe the organisation as a talk-shop whose data and files have been condemned to only a collection of finesse intellectual rhetoric and policy option devoid of political will to set conventions. The economy of ECOWAS member states poses serious challenges to the advancement of integration in West Africa. Member states of the organisation accounts for a greater percentage of poverty and underdevelopment in all aspects while the volume of trade that takes place within the community is not encouraging. And this is partly because of the unindustrialised nature of member states (Gbadebo, 2004). In fact, it has been recorded that there has been a slight increase in export revenues of member states like Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Niger, Mali, Togo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Gambia Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria and this is usually from a very few primary commodities (Imohe, 2007). In the same vein, a study, in 2010, placed eleven out of fifteen ECOWAS member states as less developed in accordance with wealth estimate while in 2012, the ECA report confirms that development in Africa drastically reduced by half in 2011.

There has also been the challenge of poor payment system and finance sector difference among members states of the sub-region. For instance, imagining a situation where a country like Nigeria is equipped with string capital investment earnings while its sister member states like Guinea or Burkin Faso, do not in any way measure up to its standard. What is lacking in this situation is the lack of a uniform financial regulation and effective money transfer and payment system and with this, there would be no sustainable integration in the sub-region. Howbeit, Ogbonna, Aluko, & Awuah (2013) highlighted that although with the spread of Nigerian banks across West Africa, the limitation of interbank incompatibility as well as various inconsistent payment regulations has gradually been curbed, but the output has been very low. In addition, the West African sub-region has continued to suffer the problems of infrastructure and regime changes, lack of political will to advance the cause of the attainment of a common market and integration in all other aspects, political instability and corruption, duplicity of member states like Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissu, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire, among others in many other regional economic groups apart from ECOWAS (Ogbonna, Aluko, & Awuah (2013), and many others. 

References

Akinbobola, A. (2001). Regionalism and Regional Influentials: The Post Cold WarRole of Nigerian African Affairs, Concept Publications. 

ECOWAS (2016). ECOWAS Youth & Sports Development Centre (EYSDC). Available at: https://ecowas.int. (Accessed 15 June 2022).

Gbadebo, D. (2004). ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme: Policy Options for Members within its Bloc. Nigerian Forum, May – June. 

Imohe, E., E. (2007). Economic Development Crisis in Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): Challenges and Controversy, City College.

Ogbonna, E., C. & Aluko, B., & Awuah, K. (2013). The ECOWAS Platform and the persisting challenges of integrating the West African Region: A Discourse. Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development, 4(1), pp. 104-114.

Opanike, A., Aduloju, A., A. & Adenipekun, L., O. (2015). ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement and Trans-border Security in West Africa. Covenant University Journal of Politics and International Affairs, 3(1). pp. 41-47.