A Shift Of The Collective Security Architecture In West Africa

Abstract

In response to the balkanisation of Africa due to colonisation, which resulted in fragmented micro-nations marked by economic fragility, the heads of state of 16 West African countries established the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1975. This community aimed to foster economic integration and solidarity, bridging the divide between English- and French-speaking countries. Following civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, ECOWAS evolved into a peace and security organisation focused on democracy, good governance, and human rights, with a zero-tolerance policy for military coups. However, recent developments, including the fifth coup recorded in the region from 2020 onwards, and the subsequent formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) by Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, countered the effectiveness of ECOWAS in maintaining peace and democratic norms in the region, raising significant geopolitical consequences.