{"id":88779,"date":"2025-10-27T08:56:29","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T08:56:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/uncategorized\/half-a-century-later-is-ecowas-falling-apart"},"modified":"2025-10-27T09:11:59","modified_gmt":"2025-10-27T09:11:59","slug":"half-a-century-later-is-ecowas-falling-apart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/half-a-century-later-is-ecowas-falling-apart","title":{"rendered":"Half a Century Later, is Ecowas Falling Apart?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Re\u0301daction Africanews with Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi
\n<\/b><\/p>\n

Africa-Press – Gambia. <\/strong><\/span>As the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) marks its 50th anniversary, the regional bloc finds itself at a historic crossroads. Founded on May 28, 1975, by 15 West African nations through the Lagos Treaty, was established to foster economic integration and enable the free movement of people and goods across borders.<\/b><\/p>\n

Over the decades, it has stood as a symbol of regional cooperation, even serving as a model for other African blocs. However, its unity and relevance are under intense scrutiny.<\/p>\n

The latest episode of Africanews Debates delved deep into Ecowas\u2019s legacy, current crisis, and uncertain future.<\/p>\n

A troubled milestone<\/b><\/p>\n

A stark reality overshadowed the golden jubilee celebrations: Ecowas is facing one of its toughest periods since its inception. In the past year, three member states Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger officially exited the bloc, forming the Alliance of Sahel States and cutting military ties with traditional Western allies like France and the U.S. In a dramatic pivot, they turned to Russia for military support, highlighting the region\u2019s growing geopolitical shifts.<\/p>\n

Despite these high-profile departures, Ecowas leaders maintain that the bloc remains resilient.<\/p>\n

Leadership crisis and economic stagnation<\/b><\/p>\n

Executive Director at Africa Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies, Emmanuel Kotin said one of Ecowas\u2019s deepest flaws is not structural but human, a crisis of leadership. He pointed out that the absence of \u201cgenerational leaders\u201d is capable of inspiring long-term development and regional cohesion.<\/p>\n

Dr Amaka Anku , Africa Director at Eurasia Group stressed on economic underperformance, arguing that West Africa remains trapped in a cycle of exporting raw commodities rather than value-added products. This not only limits job creation but also undermines economic transformation. Insecurity, social unrest, and widespread poverty are seen as downstream effects of this stagnation.<\/p>\n

Eroding trust in Ecowas<\/b><\/p>\n

Perhaps the most damning criticism came in the form of declining public trust. Once seen as a guarantor of rights and regional progress, Ecowas is now viewed by many as an elitist club, dominated by heads of state with little accountability to citizens or regional parliaments.<\/p>\n

Citizens, particularly young people and civil society actors, question the bloc\u2019s legitimacy. Panelists noted several contributing factors:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Short-termism among leaders focused on re-election.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Inconsistent enforcement of democratic norms and term limits.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sanctions seen as punishing civilians rather than offending regimes.<\/p>\n

\u2022 A growing sense that Ecowas defends the powerful while ignoring the people.<\/p>\n

One of the panelisis Marie Josiane Ngah, the project Coordinator at WADEMOS commented that Ecowas risks becoming \u201ca diplomatic fossil disconnected from African realities.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Nigeria factor: leadership or hegemony?<\/b><\/p>\n

Nigeria\u2019s role, both past and present, was a focal point of the debate. With its massive population, oil wealth, and regional clout, Nigeria has long been the \u201cengine\u201d of Ecowas. From peacekeeping efforts in Liberia and Sierra Leone to its decisive role in the 2017 removal of The Gambia\u2019s Yahya Jammeh, Nigeria has often defined the bloc\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n

However, today, Nigeria\u2019s influence appears diminished. Domestic economic woes, political instability, and controversial foreign policy moves such as President Bola Tinubu\u2019s threatened military intervention in Niger have eroded its credibility.<\/p>\n

Smaller member states, meanwhile, have grown wary of Nigerian dominance, fueling internal friction and undermining regional consensus. Critics argue that without calibrated, inclusive leadership from Nigeria, Ecowas cannot fulfil its promise.<\/p>\n

Rebuilding trust and relevance<\/b><\/p>\n

Despite the gloom, panellists also charted possible pathways to recovery:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Institutional reform that enforces consistent democratic standards.<\/p>\n

\u2022 More citizen engagement, particularly in communicating Ecowas\u2019s benefits (such as free trade and travel).<\/p>\n

\u2022 Investments in development, especially infrastructure and industry.<\/p>\n

\u2022 A recalibrated Nigeria, acting less as a hegemon and more as a unifying force, supporting regional institutions and civil society.<\/p>\n

One hopeful view emerged: that West Africa remains united in its struggles, if not yet in its governance. Shared challenges poverty, insecurity, and youth unemployment, could serve as a foundation for collective action, if political will aligns.<\/p>\n

Citizen Voices: cynicism and frustration<\/b><\/p>\n

Viewer reactions to the debate highlighted a deep reservoir of cynicism. Some called Ecowas a \u201cuseless organisation\u201d beholden to Western interests. Others urged its complete dismantling, seeing it as a \u201cpuppet club\u201d for corrupt leaders. Many expressed scepticism about the idea of African unity itself, citing deep-seated divisions and widespread corruption.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, there were also voices calling for renewed leadership, one that prioritises the continent\u2019s sovereignty, addresses economic inequality, and replaces \u201ccolonial-era structures\u201d with institutions truly rooted in African values.<\/p>\n

Conclusion: a region at a turning point<\/b><\/p>\n

As Ecowas enters its sixth decade, the stakes have never been higher. Once hailed as a beacon of African integration, it now stands at risk of irrelevance unless it can rebuild citizen trust, restore institutional integrity, and redefine its purpose for a changing continent.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Gambia<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Re\u0301daction Africanews with Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi Africa-Press – Gambia. As the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) marks its 50th anniversary, the regional bloc finds itself at a historic crossroads. Founded on May 28, 1975, by 15 West African nations through the Lagos Treaty, was established to foster economic integration and enable the free […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":88778,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,6],"tags":[260],"class_list":["post-88779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-files","tag-gambia"],"yoast_head":"\nHalf a Century Later, is Ecowas Falling Apart? - Gambia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) marks its 50th anniversary, the regional bloc finds itself ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/half-a-century-later-is-ecowas-falling-apart\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Half a Century Later, is Ecowas Falling Apart?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) marks its 50th anniversary, the regional bloc finds itself ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/half-a-century-later-is-ecowas-falling-apart\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gambia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-27T08:56:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-27T09:11:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2025\/10\/sm_1761543690.538791.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"795\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"422\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/half-a-century-later-is-ecowas-falling-apart#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/half-a-century-later-is-ecowas-falling-apart\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Half a Century Later, is Ecowas Falling Apart?\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-27T08:56:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-27T09:11:59+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/half-a-century-later-is-ecowas-falling-apart\"},\"wordCount\":810,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/half-a-century-later-is-ecowas-falling-apart#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2025\/10\/sm_1761543690.538791.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Gambia\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"files\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/half-a-century-later-is-ecowas-falling-apart#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/half-a-century-later-is-ecowas-falling-apart\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/half-a-century-later-is-ecowas-falling-apart\",\"name\":\"Half a Century Later, is Ecowas Falling Apart? 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