Following the coup that overthrew the Nigerien President, Mohamed Bazoum, on July 26, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) attracted the limelight, especially after it threatened military intervention in Niger to restore the legitimate government to power.
So what do we know about ECOWAS?
The group was established in 1975 with the aim of promoting economic development among its 15 members. Since its inception, it has intervened in a number of conflicts on the African continent.
ECOWAS, headquartered in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, includes: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo, all of which speak French, in addition to English-speaking Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and two members. Portuguese-speaking, Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau.
Mauritania was the only Arab country in the group, but it withdrew from it in 2001.
dominant Nigeria
While Nigeria dominates ECOWAS politically and economically, it represents half of the bloc’s territory and 60% of its gross domestic product, according to BBC Arabic. The Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is the current chair of the group.
The total population of the group is about 350 million people, according to the 2021 statistics, and its total area is 5 million square kilometers, or 17% of the total area of the continent of Africa.
ECOWAS aims to remove economic, political and linguistic barriers to trade between its members in order to achieve economic integration among them, enhance trade exchange between the countries of the region, and achieve integration in the fields of industry, transport, communications, energy, agriculture and natural resources.
From the ECOWAS forces (archived from Reuters)
its institutions
The Council of Heads of State and Government: It is the highest political body and major decisions refer to it.
The Ministerial Council: It usually undertakes the task of preparing for summits and discussing political decisions before they are approved by the Council of Presidents.
Group Parliament: It has the authority to approve texts issued by the executive institutions.
Economic and Social Council: It submits proposals related to joint development projects among the countries of the group.
Group Court: Considers war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the conflicts in the region.
Group Committee: It was established in 2006 and consists of 8 commissioners who carry out the administrative work of the group.
And ECOWAS imposed sanctions on 4 of these countries in the wake of military coups, namely: Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger in the recent period.
Its political influence is growing
The group’s political influence has grown over time, as it has been directly involved in settling disputes throughout the region.
In 1993, it adopted a new law that formally gives it responsibility for preventing and settling territorial disputes.
And formed in June 2004 a military force of 6,500 soldiers, including a unit for rapid intervention in the event of any conflict.
From the ECOWAS forces (archived from Reuters)
ECOWAS also played a major political role during the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
It also intervened in Guinea-Bissau during the armed rebellion in 1998-1999 and after the coup in 2012.
At the request of the Guinean authorities, the group mediated to resolve the crisis the country was going through in 2007, which ended with the selection of President Lansana Monta as head of state and government, in mediation led by former Nigerian President Babangida and then President of ECOWAS, Mohamed Chambas.
Togo, Ivory Coast and others
In 2005, the group intervened in Togo when President Singbe died, and his son seized power unconstitutionally. The group forced the son to resign, and launched a presidential election process within 60 days in accordance with the country’s constitution.
It also had a tangible role in Ivory Coast in 2003 after a rebellion there, and then in Mali a decade later to help the government regain control of the north, which fell into the hands of extremists.
It also intervened in The Gambia in 2017 when outgoing President Yahya Jammeh, who lost the elections, refused to hand over power to the winner.
