Assessing the Responses of The Economic Community of West African States to the Recurring and Emerging Security Threats in West Africa

Abstract

Since its formation in 1975, The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has attained a mixed-bag of accomplishments in the area of peace and security. Despite its modest gains in this area, the capacity of the organization has been constantly challenged by emerging and recurring security threats in the West African region. These include jihadist terrorism, drug trafficking and the unconstitutional changes of government. Informed by a brief analysis on the theory of security regionalization, this paper assesses the progress of ECOWAS in resolving the aforementioned security challenges, and then determines how the organization could become more meaningful to regional and global security. The data acquired for the paper was gleaned through scholarly deductions and a vigorous review of ECOWAS' security mechanisms.

Socio-Economic Implications of Boko Haram Operations in Nigeria

“…Without proper policing, and public and private stakeholders' involvement in the fight against BH, the terrorist organization were able to successfully assault and abduct 276 students in a female school [27,28]. Millions of people worldwide launched a campaign in response to this incident, pleading with the authorities to assist in the girls' return.…”

The Impact of the Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria: A Multi Sectoral Analy

“…This is because it raises the discourse and narrative on the ability of the state to carry out its responsibility of not only protecting the lives and properties of its citizens, but also measures her wherewithal in response to threats on both her internal, external, and territorial sovereignty (Stone, 2009). Scholars such as Brenya and Kuffuor (2015), Bappah (2016), Maiangwa (2017), Ogunnubi (2017), andHaruna (2018) assert that Nigeria's military was hitherto seen as one of the most powerful defense forces in Africa based on its antecedents and successes in the various peacekeeping engagements in wartorn countries across the continent in the 1990s and early 2000s. The emergence of this dreaded organization now puts to test that assertion.…”

West Africa: From Peacekeeping to Peace Enforcement. ECOWAS and the Regulations of Regional Security

“…The big states in ECOWAS helped, by using the supranational institution to regulate security challenges in small states considered to have a negative impact in the subregion. There is no doubt that ECOWAS security architecture has been commendable at more than one point -putting warring groups to a cease-ire, ensuring that parties in con lict do not negate the principles governing war and the protection of non-combatants and the supervision of transitions to democracy in the subregion (Obi, 2009;Maiangwa, 2015;Okere, 2015).…”

“…The support otherwise provided by the United Nations and France has had serious implications on the legitimacy of ECOWAS peacekeeping mission in the recent Cote d'Ivoire crisis (Obi, 2009;Maiangwa, 2015). Nevertheless, ECOWAS also depend on the willingness of regional hegemonic countries like Nigeria to take the burden of the political, military and inancial costs of peacekeeping or peace-enforcing in the subregion (Iwilade & Agbo, 2012).…”

“…It also follows that Nigeria is confronted with the Boko Haram insurgency, which constrains its support for ECOWAS in responding to the West African security complexes (Maiangwa, 2015). Furthermore, one of the most silent but potent challenges of ECOWAS are institutional and democratic de icits.…”