By Angela Atabo
50 years ago, in May 1975, 15 West African countries came together and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was birthed with the Treaty of Lagos.
The vision was bold–to create a strong, integrated regional bloc that would promote economic development, political cooperation, social solidarity, and peace across the subcontinent.
Half a century later, ECOWAS stands as both a testament to regional solidarity and a mirror reflecting the complexities of postcolonial Africa.
As ECOWAS marks its 50th anniversary, observers say it is time to assess its journey, celebrating achievements, confronting challenges, and mapping a future that serves the people of West Africa.
They say the regional bloc has achieved some feats in terms of peace and security using ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), for peacekeeping in stabilising conflict zones.
According to them, ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons has enabled millions of West Africans to travel, trade, and seek work across borders without visas.
More so, stakeholders highlight ECOWAS’ strides toward economic integration through initiatives like the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and efforts to create a common currency, external tariff among other achievements.
Regrettably, analysts say the sub-region has also experienced some road blocks to unity and political stability amid the rise of terrorism and armed insurgency in the Sahel.
In recent years, a resurgence of military coups in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Niger has challenged ECOWAS’s democratic credentials.
As ECOWAS clocks 50, the need for reforms and renewal is urgent. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently highlighted several challenges facing ECOWAS to include political instability, economic disparities, and the need for stronger regional integration.
Specifically, Tinubu emphasised the threats of unconstitutional rule, violent extremism, and the ongoing struggle to address poverty, lack of access to quality education, and unemployment and noted the need for ECOWAS to refocus on its people, invest in education and innovation, and strengthen its commitment to democracy and good governance.
As part of effort to address these challenges; Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) who have continued to contribute significantly to conflict prevention, peace building, and the overall development agenda of ECOWAS are speaking up.
They are of the opinion that the regional bloc was in need of reforms among other things to strengthen the region in all spheres.
CSOs like the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Ghana and Nigeria, as well as other stakeholders who have been playing vital roles in ECOWAS, have lent their voices.
CDD Senior Fellow, Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, said that recent developments, including military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea, posed significant challenges to the bloc’s unity.
Ibrahim said that although ECOWAS had been instrumental in deepening democracy in the region; yet, the emergence of unconstitutional regimes threatened the unity and progress it had achieved.
“We are facing a major crisis, especially following the emergence of coup d’etat in the region, specifically in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea.
“This is a huge challenge which eventually led to the emergence of a different organisation for the Sahelian countries.
“We feel that we must take the long view and that long view means, first and foremost to remain on the path of democratic consolidation for West Africa.”
Ibrahim said there was need to continue to talk to the Sahelians countries that left democracy to see the value of democracy in the medium term and on the basis of that rescinded their decision.
He explained that one of ECOWAS’s core reasons for existence was promoting regional integration and the Sahelian countries that opted out have no access to the sea.
He said that the inability of many ECO- WAS member states to generate sustainable employment, particularly for the youths was fuelling disillusionment and instability.
Ibrahim said there was need to deepen the democracy of the region through various reforms.
“ECOWAS has been good for West Africa and West Africa has been good for ECOWAS.
“It has been a very positive force for West Africa and we do not want ECOWAS to disintegrate; we feel that we must remain on the path of democratic consolidation for West Africa,’’ he said.
In his opinion, the Director of CDD West Africa, Dr Dauda Garuba, said ECOWAS was still serving the needs of West Africa in spite of the challenges although more needs to be done.
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