ECOWAS - Economic Commission of West African States

History and Background

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was formally established in May 1975 by the ECOWAS Treaty. In 1993, the ECOWAS Treaty was revised to accelerate the process of integration and establish an economic and monetary union to stimulate economic growth and development in West Africa with the following objectives: (i) the removal of customs duties for intra-ECOWAS trade and taxes having equivalent effect, (ii) the establishment of a common external tariff; (iii) the harmonization of economic and financial policies; and (iv) the creation of a single monetary zone. As Mauritania decided to withdraw in 1999, ECOWAS is now a regional grouping of fifteen countries (including the eight WAEMU country members): Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

The headquarters and secretariat offices of ECOWAS are located in Abuja, Nigeria.

ECOWAS' institutional design is loosely patterned after the European Union. Besides the Executive Secretariat, ECOWAS institutions include: The Authority of Heads of State and Government, a Council of Ministers, a Fund for Cooperation, Compensation and Development. Institutions also include a Parliament, an Economic and Social Council and a Court of Justice.