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TEMPERED LIKE STEEL the Economic Community of West African States Celebrated Its 30Th Anniversary in May, 2005

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TEMPERED LIKE STEEL the Economic Community of West African States Celebrated Its 30Th Anniversary in May, 2005 ECOWAS 30th anniversary and roughly for the same reasons: economic cooperation among of the 15 members have met the economic convergence criteria. member states and collective bargaining strength on a global level. However, it is an instrument whose time has come and it seems cer- Ecowas was an acknowledgement that despite all their differ- tain that the Eco will make its appearance in the near future. ences, the member states were essentially the same in terms of needs, One of Ecowas’ successes has been in allowing relatively free resources and aspirations. It was also an acknowledgement that the movement of people across borders. Passports or national identity integration of their relative small markets into a large regional one documents are still required but not visas. Senegal and Benin issue was essential to accelerate economic activity and therefore growth. Ecowas passports to their citizens. The founders of the organisation were just as convinced that artifi- The Ecowas Secretariat in Abuja is working on modalities to allow cial national barriers, created on old colonial maps, were cutting across document-free movement of people and goods. This might take time, ancient trade routes and patterns and that these barriers had to go. as other regulations, such as residence and establishment rights have However, this came about at a time when sub-regional organisa- to be put in place first. tions were looked on with a degree of suspicion and African coun- One of the organisation's most vital arms is Ecomog, its peace- tries, encouraged by Cold War politics, had become inward-looking keeping force. Ecomog was deeply involved in restoring peace in and nationalistic. Liberia and Sierra Leone. West African leaders have used the office In addition, the East African Federation, comprising Kenya, of Ecowas to mediate between warring nations and factions and were Uganda and Tanzania on the other side of the continent, had col- instrumental in ensuring that proper democratic elections were car- lapsed amid great acrimony as each former member determinedly set ried out in Togo following the death of Gnassingbe Eyadema. off on its own individual path. Ecowas’ day-to-day activities are dominated by its work in eco- Nevertheless, Ecowas managed to survive and mature. This was nomic harmonisation and in simplifying trade and investment rules. mainly because it remained loose, allowing great flexibility of move- Ecowas is working hand-in-glove with Nepad to create intra-regional ment for its members, even when some of those members became synergies and with international institutions on large-scale, multina- locked in internal conflicts. tional projects. There are a number of sub-regional private/public Even today, 30 years after its establishment, Ecowas takes a partnerships such as Ecobank, Ecomarine and Ecoair. The most spec- softly-softly approach in its dealings with member states. An Ecowas tacular sub-regional development is the West African Gas Pipeline. common currency, the Eco, which would have led naturally and Over the 30 years of its history, Ecowas has been a raft tossed about inevitably to a free-trade zone for the whole sub-region, should have on stormy seas but it did not go under; it is now sailing on far smoother begun rolling out this month (June) but hasn’t done so because none waters and its ultimate destination is not too far over the horizon. TEMPERED LIKE STEEL The Economic Community of West African States celebrated its 30th anniversary in May, 2005. One of the oldest sub-regional organisations, it has survived a turbulent period and come out stronger at the end. Anver Versi profiles the organisation in this special tribute feature. he Economic Community of West African States, (Ecowas), trary forces, Ecowas has continued to roll on, year after year. grouping all 15 West African countries, celebrated 30 years In this, its 30th year, it appears stronger than ever, tempered of existence in May this year. The celebrations are well in the fire of adversity. It has learnt valuable lessons, adapted and deserved as the last 30 years have been, to say the least, tur- changed its tactics and strategy but kept its vision unclouded. Tbulent in this African sub-region. Ecowas came about largely following the realisation by some of There have been civil wars, coups and attempted coups. There Africa’s most farsighted leaders, in particular Nigeria’s Gen. Yakubu are language problems as the member countries are divided between Gowan and Togo’s late president, Gnassingbe Eyadema. Gowan French and English speaking nations. Some of the states belong to had begun the massive healing and rebuilding process needed in his the CFA currency zone; others have their own sovereign currencies. country after the trauma of the Biafran civil war (1967-1970) and Nigeria has the largest population in sub-Saharan Africa; Guinea was convinced that the forces of disintegration then stalking the sub- Bissau one of the smallest. There are similar wide disparities in the region could only be kept at bay by a determined push towards unity. relative sizes of their economies with Nigeria once again the giant and Eyadema was also aware of the vulnerability of his relatively small Burkina Faso and Mali bringing up the rear. state. The two leaders began the processes which led to the formation Given such wide differences, it would seem that any attempt to of Ecowas in 1975. create, let alone sustain an economic community, was bound to fail. Interestingly, another organisation, the African, Caribbean and Yet, despite all the trials and tribulations, the pull and push of con- Pacific (ACP) group of countries was also formed at the same time Delegates at the last Ecowas summit held in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, January 2005 ECOWAS 30th anniversary people to undertake their economic activities wherever they are in the are more stable and moving further ahead than those either lagging region, we are in fact only acknowledging what has been a reality for behind or that have continued to resist change so far. a long time. For Ecowas as an organisation, our commitment remains ECOWAS HAS LIVED UP TO But of great importance to Ecowas is the promotion of increased unshaken and this is to facilitate transition to democracy, knowing trade among countries within this region, as it benefits the average fully well that this is the only way to go. This is a painful process which citizen. Ecowas believes that increased intra-regional trade would can often lead to conflicts. But the transition can be managed, for EXPECTATIONS, SAYS CHAMBAS enhance production within the region and this means more jobs. This it is clear that a well-managed transition provides many democratic is precisely why we must work for increased trade among countries dividends. “The tribute for what Ecowas is today goes to all the leaders of the member states for collectively within the region. BA: The sub-region has historically been plagued with suspicions providing leadership, and for the sacrifices they continue to make. We also salute the community BA: The economies of most member countries rely on agriculture. along linguistic and former colonial ties. Has Ecowas managed to citizens for embracing the Ecowas agenda for a borderless West Africa of one people with a great Why did it take until December last year for Ecowas to adopt a com- move away from some of these impediments? mon agricultural policy? Chambas: Yes, we have moved away from this divide. Events in common destiny,” says Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the executive secretary of Ecowas in this 30th Chambas: Because we are all agricultural producers, the sector was Europe, with the coming together of the many countries, some of anniversary interview with Ben Asante. neglected on the assumption that there was not much that could be which had territories here, have proved that the linguistic barrier is exchanged among us. But nothing can be further from the truth. If a phantom. With so many countries with different languages coming you take the various zones within the region – from the savanna to together in Europe, why should West Africa with only three official Ben Asante: How far has Ecowas succeeded in meeting the original the Sahel, to the forest and the coastal areas – different produce from languages allow itself any longer to be divided? We have not objectives of its founding fathers as you celebrate your 30th year these areas can be exchanged and traded. allowed the linguistic barrier to stand in the way of harmonisation anniversary? The reality in the agricultural sector is that there is tremendous and integration. Chambas: It is appropriate we pay tribute to the founding fathers for scope for trade among the countries, and now that a common agri- their foresight in recognising the importance of integration, which in cultural policy has been put in place, we have to forge ahead in BA: Can you list some of the concrete achievements of Ecowas? essence, is the coming together of the economies and the people of improving the agricultural infrastructure, providing water resources, Chambas: Of the many concrete things in place is a protocol on free the whole of the West African region. We need to commend in par- technology and education credit, and the special needs of women in movement. Our citizens do not require a visa to enter member coun- ticular Gen. Yakubu Gowon, the former Nigerian head of state, and agriculture. We must also create easy access to facilities for greater tries and perhaps we are the only region within Africa where this is the late president of Togo, Gnnassingbe Eyadema. These two leaders production and markets. As a region, we need to combine our efforts applicable.
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