Western African States

Economic Community of West African States

• Recently, the military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced their immediate withdrawal from the West African bloc Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

What is ECOWAS?

• About: ECOWAS is a regional grouping aimed to promote economic integration and shared development of the West African sub-region. It was established in May 1975 by 15 West African countries in Lagos, Nigeria.
• Founding members: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sénégal, and Togo.
• Headquarters: Abuja, Nigeria.
• Major Initiatives: ECOWAS established its free trade area in 1990 and adopted a common external tariff in January 2015.
• It has also worked to address some security issues by developing a peacekeeping force for conflicts in the region.
• Troops were initially sent to Liberia in 1990 during its civil war and to Sierra Leone in 1997 following the overthrow of a democratically elected government.
  India-ECOWAS Relation:

• India has a long-standing relationship with ECOWAS and was given the status of observer to the body in 2004.
• In 2006, India gave the grouping a line of credit (LoC) worth USD 250 million.
• ECOWAS has also supported India’s bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council.

Practice Questions for Prelims

Choose the correct statement(s):
1. ECOWAS was established in May 1975 by 15 West African countries.
2. It has Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.
3. ECOWAS established its free trade area in 1990.

a) Only 1 and 2
b) Only 2 and 3
c) Only 1 and 3
d) All of the above

Ans. d)

Mains Practice Question

Examine the evolution, objectives, and institutional framework of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and assess its role in fostering regional integration, political stability, and socio-economic development in West Africa.

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