It had its roots in earlier attempts at a west african economic community in the 1960s and was spearheaded by yakuba gowon of. The legal and institutional framework the 1975 ecowas treaty lagos 28 may 1975 the revised ecowas treaty 1993 cotonou 24 july 1993 decision adec. Economic integration through ecowas was heavily pushed for by nigeria, which aimed to promote its own development and industrialisation. Ecowas therefore exhausted the regional geographical contours, so that the phrase and such other west african states as may accede to it was not included in the revised treaty of 1993. A revised treaty was later signed on july 24, 1993. The 1975 ecowas treaty the 1975 treaty is the primary legal document that established and regulates the community. West africa trade hub business environment etls gap analysis background the ecowas treaty of 1975, revised in 1993, established a regional free trade area known as the ecowas trade liberalization scheme etls. Economic community of west african states wikipedia. Collectively, these countries comprise an area of 5,114,162 km 2 1,974,589 sq mi, and in 2015 had an estimated population of over 349 million. Community of west african states ecowas with a long list of laudable economic goals for the region. This treaty which had been updated twice in 1993 and 2007. Considering the principles and objectives embodied in the revised ecowas treaty, the charter of the organisation of african unity, and the. In this paper, i will briefly describe this economic regional organization and the main.
The treaty revised the treaty of the economic community of west african states of 28 may 1975. Ecowas is meant to foster interstate economic and political cooperation. Collectively, these countries comprise an area of 5,114,162 km 2 1,974,589 sq mi, and in 2015 had an estimated population of over 349 million the union was established on 28 may 1975, with the signing of the treaty of lagos, with its. Set out the main aims of the community as promotion of. Besides strengthening economic and fiscal ties to face the challenges of globalisation, the treaty addressed issues pertaining to. Mar 16, 2017 the ecowas treaty also known as the treaty of lagos established the community when it was signed in lagos, nigeria, on may 28, 1975. Protocol means the protocol relating to the mechanism for conflict prevention, management, resolution, peacekeeping and security, signed in lome on 10th december 1999. Home economic community of west african states treaties and protocols ecowas.
Mindful of the treaty establishing the african economic community signed in. Exposition of the principle of collective security under the ecowas treaty of 1993 john, d. Ecowas counterterrorism strategy economic community of. Article 2, paragraph 2, and article 27 on free movement of persons, right of residence and establishment. The economic community of west african statesecowas maritime domain emd comprises the adjacent atlantic ocean, islands, estuaries, lagoons, archipelagos, deltas, wetlands, creeks, coral reefs, mangrove forests, sandy. In july, 1993, a revised ecowas treaty designed to accelerate economic integration.
Furthermore in article 63 of the ecowas treaty on women and development member states undertake to formulate, harmonize, coordinate and establish appropriate policies and mechanisms, for the enhancement of the economic. Treaty means the revised treaty of the economic community of west african states ecowas signed in cotonou on 24 july 1993. The ecowas treaty also known as the treaty of lagos established the community when it was signed in lagos, nigeria, on may 28, 1975. Publisher, economic community of west african states ecowas. Mauritania was a founding member, but withdrew officially from the trade bloc in 1999. Introduction west african countries are currently engaged in trade and investment negotiations with the european union eu to make their economic cooperation of over three decades reciprocal. Ecowas integrated maritime strategy ecowas integrated maritime strategy eims background. Ecowas therefore exhausted the regional geographical contours, so that the phrase and such other west african states as may accede to it.
The fifteen member states then decided to revise the treaty of 28 may, 1975 establishing the economic community of west african states ecowas and have accordingly agreed to a revised treaty of 24 th july, 1993. The revised ecowas treaty 1993 and especially the protocol on the mechanism for conflict prevention 1999 and the protocol on democracy and good governance 2001 formally enshrined the commitment of the organisation to promote democracy and good governance and to adopt what was later to be called the responsibility to protect r2p. A historical and bibliographic account of ecowas and cemac by victor essien victor essien holds ll. The economic community of west african states ecowas is a regional grouping of sixteen west african countries founded on may 28, 1975, to promote cooperation and integration through the establishment of an economic union in west africa in order to raise the living standards of its peoples, foster relations among member. Considering that the aims and objectives of the community are to achieve the integration of its members.
Treaty economic community of west african statesecowas. The research focused on the ecowas treaties, conventions and protocols. The economic community of west african states ecowas treaty is a. This was established under article 15 of the ecowas r evised treaty in 1993 and became operational in 1996. It has been replaced in 1993 by the revised treaty signed in cotonou. We, the heads of state and government of the member states of the economic community of west african states ecowas. The terms of the agreement were formalized through various protocols and. The economic community of west african states ecowas was founded on may 28th 1975 by the treaty of lagos ademola, 1995. The treaty of lagos was originally touted as an economic initiative, but emerging political events led to its revision and therewith the expansion of scope and powers in 1993. This study examined the role of the ecowas community court of justice eccj in the protection of human rights in the west african subregion specifically, under the ecowas treaties of 1975 and the revised treaty of 1993. Treaty of ecowas preamble we, the heads of state and government of the member states of the economic community of west african states ecowas. Mindful of the protocol relating tothe mechanism for conflict prevention, management. The economic community of west african states ecowas is a regional grouping of sixteen west african countries founded on may 28, 1975, to promote. The high contracting parties, by this treaty, hereby reaffirm the establishment of the economic community of west african states ecowas.
In july, 1993, a revised ecowas treaty designed to. The revised 1993 treaty of ecowas signed 24 july 1993 in cotonou, benin reconfirmed at article 59 the right of community citizens to enter, reside and establish in member states and enjoined member states to adopt all appropriate measures to implement and ensure such right. Ecowas convention on small arms and light weapons, their ammunition and other related materials preamble we, the heads of state and government of the member states of the economic community of west african states ecowas. An appraisal of the role of ecowas court of justice in the. Annex to the directive adopting the ecowas taxtransition programme background the revised treaty of the economic community of west african states signed on 24 july 1993 in cotonou restated the communitys objectives, including the harmonization and coordination of. Fore more informations click on the link revised treaty. Title revised treaty of the economic community of west african states ecowas. The protocols launching ecowas were signed in lome, togo on 5th november, 1976.
The idea was to use ecowas to facilitate its access to a. Economic community of west african states ecowas revised treaty published by the ecowas executive secretariat, abuja, nigeria revised trea ty of the economic communi ty of west afr ican states ecowas we, the heads of state and go vernment of the member states of the economic community of west african states ecowas. A new vehicle for human rights realisation in west africa. The institutional framework for ecowas monetary union. Understanding ecowas trade policy and trade facilitation. Ecowas revised treaty revised treaty of the economic community of west african states ecowas preamble we, the heads of state and government of the member states of the economic. It had its roots in earlier attempts at a west african economic community in the 1960s and was spearheaded by yakuba gowon of nigeria and gnassigbe eyadema of togo. Thelma ekiyor, ecowas conflict prevention framework. The president of the republic of benin the president of burkina faso the prime minister of the republic of cape verde the president of the republic of cote divoire. Citizens of the community shall have the right of entry, residence and. Department of commercial law ahmadu bello university, zaria, nigeria. Exposition of the principle of collective security under the. Protocol means the protocol relating to the mechanism for conflict prevention, management, resolution, peacekeeping and security, signed in. The accession of the kingdom of morocco to the economic.
Ecowas revised treaty revised treaty of the economic community of west african states ecowas preamble we, the heads of state and. Revisedtreaty economic community of west african states. History economic community of west african statesecowas. In contrast to the picture painted above, the 1993 revised ecowas treaty could be said to. The revised cotonou treaty included a number of peace and security standards along with norms on governance. All references to the articles of the treaty of 28th may 1975 in the protocol relating to the community court of justice are hereby deleted and replaced by references to the revised ecowas treaty adopted on 24th july 1993 as follows. Ecowas and its influence on democratising the foreign. Is discussion of the united states of africa premature. All references to the articles of the treaty of 28 may 1975 in the protocol relating to the community court of justice are hereby deleted and replaced by references to the revised ecowas treaty adopted on 24 july 1993 as follows. Mindful of the provisions of article 5 of the revised treaty calling on member states to. Mindful of the ecowas treaty signed in cotonou on 24 july 1993, notably its article 58. The economic community of west african statesecowas maritime domain emd comprises the adjacent atlantic ocean, islands, estuaries, lagoons, archipelagos, deltas, wetlands, creeks, coral reefs, mangrove forests, sandy beaches and dunes, as well. Revised treaty of 1993 article 59 of the revised treaty of 1993. Article 6 and of the revised ecowas treaty 1993 introduced the establishment of a regional parliament for its member states.
French an assessment of progress towards regional integration in the economic community of west african states since its inception may 2015 economic community of west african states subregional office. Article 4 of the treaty states that ecowas can intervene in internal armed. Ecowas and the restoration of democracy in the gambia. Article 59 of the revised treaty of 1993 makes provisions for.
The economic community of west african states, also known as ecowas, is a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in west africa. He is international law librarian and adjunct associate professor of law at fordham law school, where he teaches international investment law, multinational corporations law and international. The economic community of west african states ecowas was created by the treaty of lagos in lagos, nigeria, on may, 28, 1975. While the intervening role of ecowas through the economic community of west african states monitoring group ecomog in liberia and sierra leone pointed to the willingness of. Exposition of the principle of collective security under. A revised treaty was endorsed and adopted by the authority in cotonou, benin, in july 1993. Finally, 15 west african countries signed the treaty for an economic community of west african states treaty of lagos on 28th may, 1975. Reaffirming our commitment to the revised ecowas treaty signed at cotonou, benin, on 24 july 1993, in particular, article 58 of the treaty, which enjoins member states to work to safeguard and consolidate relations conducive to the maintenance of.
Based on this treaty, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, member states introduced. Ecowas political declaration and common position against terrorism ecowas political declaration and common position against terrorism we, the heads of state and government of the economic community of west african states ecowas. Mindful of articles 7, 8, and 9 of ecowas revised treaty relating to the. We, the heads of state and government of the economic community of west african states ecowas. Reaffirming our commitment to the revised ecowas treaty signed at cotonou, benin, on 24 july 1993. Understanding ecowas efforts in promoting a governance agenda. The high contracting parties, by this treaty, hereby reaffirm the establishment of the economic community of west african states ecowas and decide that it shall ultimately be the sole economic community in the region for the purpose of economic integration and the realization of the objectives of the african economic community. Refworld revised treaty of the economic community of west. Understanding ecowas efforts in promoting a governance. The revised ecowas treaty of 1993 represents the first serious attempt to establish such a permanent mechanism. The withdrawal of mauritania in 2000 revived the issue of ecowas enlargement to a west african state. Ecawa 2015 an assessment of progress towards regional integration in the ecowas 1 for west africa ecawanrec201503 original text. The treaty did not specifically call for a monetary union, but it laid the ground for the monetary union project that was to come by.
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