![Sample our Area Studies journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5922/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Area-Studies.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was founded exclusively to focus on economic integration. However, in 1976, the Nigerian government proposed the adoption of a non-aggression protocol to regulate issues of regional collective security. The proposal was accepted in principle and the secretariat was tasked to formulate policy prescriptions for adoption of the decision organs. Using historical techniques, this article peruses existing literature, official reports and minutes of meetings of the ECOWAS authority and Council of Ministers to highlight the successes of the executive secretariat and reflect on the political, structural and security challenges that it encountered in facilitating the implementation of inter-organisational cooperation in the Liberian crisis.
Notes
1 The ECOWAS member states were: Benin (formerly Dahomey), Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta), Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. (Cape Verde later joined ECOWAS in 1977 and Mauritania withdrew its membership in 2000).
2 ECOWAS, Economic Community of West African States Treaty, Article 2 (1), And 2 (2) A – J, 7–8.
3 Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) MULTILATERAL No. 14843. 1976. United Nation Series. https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%201010/v1010.pdf
4 Crossley, ‘The African Union and Human Protection,’ 147–70.
5 Michalopoulos and Papaioannou, ‘The Scramble for Africa and its Legacy’, 1–-11.
6 Ibid.
7 Christensen and Laitin. African States since Independence.
8 Ibid.
9 Rosecrance, ‘Regionalism and the Post—Cold War Era’, 373–93.
10 Alagappa, ‘Regionalism and Conflict Management’,359–87.
11 Arthur, ‘Promoting Security in Africa’, 1–21.
12 Baldaro, ‘Rashomon in the Sahel’, 266–83.
13 Bryden and Chappuis, Learning from West African Experiences.
14 Ogbonnaya, Ogujiuba and Stiegler, ‘Terrorism in Nigeria’, 145–60.
15 Eke and Ani, ‘Africa and the Challenges of Regional Integration’, 63–80.
16 Ibid.
17 Oloruntoba and Muchie, Innovation, Regional Integration, and Development in Africa, 1–11.
18 Akanji, ‘Sub-regional Security Challenge’, 94–112.
19 Igwe et al., ‘The Global Order, Regional Integration and Multiculturally Diverse Stakeholders’, 119–35.
20 Ibid.
21 Crossley, ‘The African Union and Human Protection’, 147–70.
22 Osadolor, ‘The Evolution of Policy’, 87–103.
23 Yoroms, ‘Approaches and Challenges in ECOWAS’, 30–54.
24 Ogbonnaya, ‘Regional Integration, Political Crisis’.
25 Thies, ‘A Pragmatic Guide to Qualitative Historical Analysis’, 351–72.
26 Yetiv, ‘History, International Relations, and Integrated Approaches’, 94–118.
27 Cello, ‘Taking History Seriously in IR’, 236–51.
28 Ibid.
29 Hall, ‘The History of International Thought and International Relations Theory’, 241–60.
30 Anievas, ‘History, Theory, and Contingency in the Study of Modern International Relations’, 468–80.
31 Buzan and Lawson, The Global Transformation.
32 Ogbonnaya, ‘Regional Integration’.
33 Oral interview with Dr. Shakdan Wapmuk, Director African Politics and Integration, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos, 19th November 2018.
34 Schmidt, ‘Anticolonial Nationalism’, 1–34.
35 Ackerman, ‘Rebuilding Liberia, One Brick at a Time’, 83–92.
36 Adebajo, Liberia's Civil War.
37 Executive Secretary’s Report, ECOWAS Council of Ministers Meeting, ECW/CM/ (2)/1, 18 - 19 November 1977, p. 7.
38 Article 2, ECOWAS Protocol on Non-Aggression, Lagos, 22nd April 1978, Reprinted in The West African Bulletins, No.3, June 1995, p. 23.
39 Franke, ‘A Pan-African army’, 1–16.
40 Article 2, ECOWAS Non-Aggression Treaty, Lagos: ECOWAS Secretariat, 1978.
41 Akindele, ‘The ECOWAS 1981 Protocol Relating to Mutual Assistance in Defense Revisited’, 4.
42 M. S. Alhaji Bah, ‘ECOWAS and the Dynamics of Constructing a Security Regime in West Africa.’ Ph.D. diss., Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, April 2004.
43 Obi, ‘Economic Community of West African States on the Ground’, 119–35.
44 Ajulo, ‘The Revised ECOWAS Treaty (1993)’, 122.
45 Hon. Mrs Bintou Sanogoh was the then chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers. She made the remarks while delivering her opening address at the 27th session of the Council on 22 May 1990 at Banjul, Gambia.
46 Thirteen out of the then sixteen member states of ECOWAS signed the Mutual Aid in Defense Agreement on 29th May 1981, in Freetown Sierra Leone. Article 4 (B) of the pact commits member states to setting aside a standby military force tagged ‘The Allied Armed Forces of the Community’ to act in the event of any armed conflict caused and actively supported from outside the region which endangers the peace and security of other member states.
47 Bah, ‘West Africa’, 77–83.
48 I. Riadds Sidi Mahmoud, “An Assessment of the Peace and Security Initiatives of the ECOWAS,” In Hamalai Ladi and Mike Obadan Eds, 40 Years of ECOWAS 1975 – 2015, National Institute for Legislative Studies, Abuja, 2015, p. 336.
49 United Nation Charter, Yearbook of the United Nations. No. 39. 1985-1989, p. 1383.
50 Akabogu, ‘ECOWAS Takes the Initiative,’ 79.
51 Ibid.
52 Article 4, Decision A/Dec 9/5/90. Relating to the Establishment of the Standing Mediation Committee.
53 Aboagye, ECOMOG A Sub-Regional Experience in Conflict Resolution Management and Peace Keeping, Sedco Publishing Ltd, Accra, 1999, p. 117.
54 ECOWAS Decision A Dec. 9/5/90 Relating to the establishment of ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in Liberia.
55 Ibid.
56 Ibid.
57 Ibid.
58 Headquarters Nigerian Contingent, "Draft Paper on Participation of Nigerian Contingent in ECOMOG Operations in Sierra Leone," March 2000, p. 2.
59 Ibid.
60 Article 58, Paragraph 2, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Revised Treaty, Abuja, 2010, p. 36
61 See Article 58 (1) (2) F And G, In ECOWAS: “The Revised Treaty,” p. 36.
62 Vines, ‘Combating Light Weapons Proliferation in West Africa’, 341–60.
63 Ibid.
64 Ibid.
65 Ibid.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Ahmad Dahiru Aminu
Ahmad Dahiru Aminu received both B.A and M.A degrees in history from the University of Abuja Nigeria. He is currently pursuing a PhD degree in history from the University of Malaya, Malaysia. His research interests include diplomatic history, history of ECOWAS integration, border studies, peace and conflict resolutions.
Sivachandralingam Sundara Raja
Sivachandralingam Sundara Raja received B.A., M.A., and PhD degrees in history from the University of Malaya, Malaysia. He is an Associate Professor and the immediate past H.O.D, Department of History University Malaya. His research interest includes history of past and contemporary Malaysian Indians, economic and commercial history of Malaysia, historiography and methods in history and Malaysian history.