Abuja: The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was established by its founding fathers on May 28, 1975, with the aim of fostering regional economic integration, mutual cooperation, and political stability among its member states. The creation of the subregional bloc was driven by the collective desire of member states to address their common challenges and harness shared opportunities.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, ECOWAS has not only emerged as West Africa’s most formidable powerhouse but also Africa’s most successful subregional economic community over the past 50 years. ECOWAS has transitioned from being a mere international organisation to becoming a community of people, gradually emerging as the ‘ECOWAS of Peoples’, as encapsulated in its Vision 2020. The subregional institution has also evolved from being solely an economic bloc into both an economic and political union, achieving significant successes in subregional integration, peace, and security.
ECOWAS is regarded as a paces
etter in subregional integration in Africa, entrenching the values and culture of democracy and human rights in West Africa. It provided the basis for the African Union’s frameworks and has been described by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) as a ”model of advanced integration”. UNECA noted that ECOWAS has built a solid institutional architecture and has strived to adopt protocols and define policies covering almost all areas of integration identified in its initial treaty.
One of ECOWAS’ key achievements is the implementation of its 1976 Protocol on Free Movement of persons, goods, and services, creating a formidable common market of nearly 400 million people. Gen. Yakubu Gowon, a founding father of ECOWAS, emphasized the bloc’s major accomplishments, including trade liberalisation and successful peacekeeping operations. He urged member states to ensure a united ECOWAS and called for Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to reconsider their decision to exit the bloc.
Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musa
h, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, highlighted ECOWAS’ achievements in peace and security, noting that it remains the only African subregional economic community without open, high-intensity conflict. He attributed this success to ECOWAS’ experience in stabilizing situations through multilateral armed forces like ECOMOG.
ECOWAS has made strides in developing physical infrastructure, such as the Abidjan-Lagos Highway Corridor and Railway initiative, designed to connect five West African countries and advance subregional trade and development. The West African Power Pool (WAPP), established in 2006, integrates national power systems into a unified electricity market, providing stable and reliable electricity supply.
ECOWAS has also promoted economic cooperation and subregional trade through initiatives like the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and the Common External Tariff (CET). These initiatives have reduced trade barriers, expanded intra-regional trade, and fostere
d economic growth. Dr. Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, affirmed the bloc’s commitment to fulfilling the dreams of its founding fathers.
Despite its achievements, ECOWAS faces challenges such as violent extremism, political instability, and economic disparities among member states. Dr. Mohamed Chambas, former President of the ECOWAS Commission, advocates for renewed political commitment to regional integration and enhancing cross-border trade.
As ECOWAS celebrates its Golden Jubilee, the event marks a momentous occasion in regional economic integration, reflecting on both its achievements and the challenges that lie ahead.