Regional integration in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) : effects on regional conflict transformation

Abstract

This study explores the link between regional cooperation and integration and the root causes of conflict in Africa. Specifically, it focuses on the experience of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which is arguably one of the most developed regional cooperation and integration experiments on the African continent. In particular, the study assesses the extent to which, and the conditions under which, the promotion of regional cooperation and integration in ECOWAS (in its multi-dimensional and multi-sectoral characters) contributes to tackling the root causes of conflict in West Africa. In doing so, it first evaluates the extent to which there has been regional cooperation/integration within ECOWAS, and then reviews whether this has had any detectable effect on the root causes of conflict. ECOWAS is home to many cooperation/integration initiatives, including intra-regional trade; migration and the free movement of people; monetary integration and macroeconomic convergence; regional norm diffusion; and conflict management and resolution initiatives. To an extent, such a level of sophistication explains why the organisation is often portrayed as one of the most advanced regionalisation processes in Africa, if not the most advanced. Yet the research argues that while the region appears advanced in its approach to regional cooperation, especially when compared to other African regional organisations, this does not necessarily result in actual integration (e.g. shared sovereignty), let alone a successful effect on conflict transformation. In reviewing the extent to which each of these sectors is factually integrated, the study argues that there is a gap between existing policies and their implementation. Of all sectors mentioned above, only two (regional norm diffusion and conflict management/resolution) can be considered as highly integrated, because of their ability to translate into practice some of the elements for which they have been designed. The remaining sectors either have low or medium levels of integration, mainly due to challenges of regulation and implementation along with the absence of political will and real commitment from most member states. In assessing the security situation in West Africa, this dissertation argues that ECOWAS can be credited for reducing the level of violence in the region, which although still plagued by political and security tensions, appears less violent than it was just a decade ago. As regards the issue of whether ECOWAS has had any effect on tackling the root causes of conflict in the region, the analysis reveals that the organisation has been quite successful at diffusing regional norms of good governance and democracy, also thanks to the commitment and political will of member states. On the other hand, it does not appear as if intra-regional trade as well as monetary and macroeconomic convergence have exerted any tangible effects on conflict transformation, mainly due to the reluctance to share sovereignty, the lack of political will and poor implementation. Moreover, this study contends that ECOWAS’ effect on the root causes of conflict through its conflict management and resolution initiatives has been minimal, because initiatives within this domain focus mainly on containing existing tensions, with their capacity at preventing conflicts being hindered by a variety of factors, including inefficiencies and frictions, the ad-hoc modus operandi, the lack of capacity and financial means, and the reluctance by member states to adopt a coherent regional framework based on shared sovereignty. Finally, the study argues that migration and the free movement of people in ECOWAS may have a double-effect on conflicts in West Africa. On the one hand, it fosters a greater sense of common purpose and cultural sharing. On the other hand, the poor institutionalisation of this area of integration may actually contribute to triggering tensions (for instance, due to corruption and harassment at the borders), while the persistence of porous borders allows armed groups to move across the region. The dissertation ends by raising questions as to whether regional cooperation and integration in Africa should be seen as a promising avenue to address the root causes of conflict, due to the mixed results of a rather ‘good’ case such as ECOWAS; and alternative approaches are contemplated.