ECOWAS By Sheetal Swaminathan Hargun Kalsi What is

ECOWAS By: Sheetal Swaminathan & Hargun Kalsi

What is it? • • A regional group of 15 countries Founded in 1975 Its mission is to promote economic integration in "all fields of economic activity, particularly industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, natural resources, commerce, monetary and financial questions, social and cultural matters. . ” Create a single large trading bloc through an economic and trading union

Important Documents o Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) o Treaty of ECOWAS - encourage, foster and accelerate the economic and social developments of their States and improve their peoples standard of living o ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF) - strengthen humanity security in West Africa, create cooperative interaction between Member States, push for conflict prevention and peacebuilding within the region o Telecoms Supplementary Acts - rules and regulations on various telecommunications o Trade Supplementary Acts - trade laws o Regional Integration for Growth and Poverty Reduction in West Africa: Strategies and Plans of Action § Regional Strategy Plan § Created by WAEMU Commision and ECOWAS Executive Secretariat

How old? • • Established on May 28 th 1975 Changed any way from the original? o Countries have been constantly leaving and entering over time § Mauritania left in 2000

Members • Fifteen West African States that are a part of ECOWAS: o The Republic of Benin o Burkina Faso o The Republic of Cabo Verde o The Republic of Cote D’ivoire o The Republic of Gambia o The Republic of Ghana o The Republic of Guinea Bissau o The Republic of Liberia o The Republic of Mali o The Republic of Niger o The Federal Republic of Nigeria o The Republic of Senegal

Leadership • • Chairman - Alassane Ouattara (picture) President of Commission - Kadre Desire Ouedraogo Speaker of Parliament - Ike Ekweremadu Two institutions to implement policy: o ECOWAS Secretariat o ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development

Purpose • • Promote trade, self-reliance, and cooperation in Africa (among the 15 states involved. ) Strives to enhance fields and solve issues in these areas: o Agriculture o Civil Society o Culture o Drugs o Economic and Monetary Affairs o Education o Health, Political, and Social Issues o Environment o Industry o External Trade o Food Security o Defense o Gender issues

Advantages of Membership • • • Job opportunities A step towards the freedom of expression. o Supplementary Act on a Uniform Legal Framework on Freedom of Expression and the Right to Information in West Africa § ARTICLE 19 Regional Representative for West Africa Decrease of barriers amongst member countries. Another source to enhance strong implementation of policy. Can be considered a peacekeeping force in the region.

Disadvantages of Membership • • • Decrease in trade policy sovereignty. Lack of/ slow rate of domestic economic growth and prosperity. Dependency from members on foreign aid and investors.

International Impact • • • Major impact on global development. Greater economic freedom to the region involved. Effect of Nigeria's implementation of ECOWAS CET (Common External Tariff) o Enlarging a country's market to become the whole of the ECOWAS economic market. § Business stakeholders benefit from these tariffs. § Strives to smooth out trade, plus easy common market access. > Shows that it focuses more on domestic development. Increasing trade flows among members. The EU keeps in constant contact with ECOWAS o Collected efforts to attack drugs, migration issues,

International Impact • • • Most ECOWAS countries have committed to a low CET in order to make imports easier. Imports for these countries are important because they lack resources, viable markets, and cannot hold production bases with enough support. CET is used to negotiate with the EU. Foreign aid has ranged from $33 to #66 per capita up to 2008. Dependency on foreign aid keeps ECOWAS from implementing strong trade policies. Mentality: Foreign competition for resources > success in domestic businesses.

Works Cited • • Economic Community of West African States. Community Computer Centre, 25 Oct. 2012. Web. 01 Apr. 2013. <http: //www. comm. ecowas. int/sec/index. php? id=about_a>. "Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). " Enotes. com, n. d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013. <http: //www. enotes. com/economiccommunity-west-african-states-ecowas-reference/economic-community-westafrican-states-ecowas>. Wang, Daniel Xiao. "The Impact of Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) on Global Development. " Helium, 13 Aug. 2010. Web. 01 Apr. 2013. <http: //www. helium. com/items/1921394 -the-impact-of-economiccommunity-of-west-african-states-ecowas-on-global-development>. "ECOWAS: Positive Steps towards a Legal Framework on Freedom of Expression but More Work Is Needed. " ECOWAS: Positive Steps towards a Legal Framework on Freedom Of… · Article 19. N. p. , n. d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013. <http: //www. article 19. org/resources. php/resource/3551/en/ecowas: -positive-stepstowards-a-legal-framework-on-freedom-of-expression-but-more-work-is-needed>.

Works Cited • • • http: //itmakessenseblog. com/files/2012/05/World-2. jpg http: //news. bbcimg. co. uk/media/images/51962000/jpg/_51962445_ouattar aafp. jpg Momoh, Siaka. "Latest News, Breaking News, Business, Finance Analysis, Comments and Views from Nigeria : : Business. Day. " How ECOWAS External Tariff Will Impact on Business. Day, n. d. Web. 02 Apr. 2013. <http: //www. businessdayonline. com/NG/index. php/entrepreneurnews/29160 -how-ecowas-external-tariff-will-impact-on-business>. "ECOWAS CET: The Imperatives of Nigeria's Fifth band. " ICTSD RSS. International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, n. d. Web. 02 Apr. 2013. <http: //ictsd. org/i/news/10674/>. "Investigating the Impacts of Intraregional Trade and Aid on Per Capita Income in Africa: Case Study of the ECOWAS. " Investigating the Impacts of Intraregional Trade and Aid on Per Capita Income in Africa: Case Study of the ECOWAS. Hindawi Publishing Corporation, n. d. Web. 02 Apr. 2013. <http: //www. hindawi. com/journals/econ/2012/297658/>.