West African Crises: Why is ECOWAS Successful in Imposing Democratic Norms in Some West African Countries and Fail in Others?

Abstract:

This research examines the successes of ECOWAS in some West African countries after its adoption of the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance in countries where there has been unconstitutional change of government such as Guinea Bissau in 2012, Gambia in 2017, Mali in 2013 and Cote d’ Ivoire in 2003. Also, it explores countries such as Mali in 2020, Guinea in 2021, Burkina Faso 2022, and Niger in 2023 where ECOWAS has failed in upholding and restoring democratic ideals. The study adopts qualitative data with both primary materials such as official ECOWAS documents, reports, and communiqués and secondary sources such as academic literature, media reports, and scholarly assessments. The main argument of the study is that despite ECOWAS successes in upholding democratic norms in some Western African countries after its adoption of the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, internal dynamics, western influences, failure to introduce term-limits, ineffective and inconsistent sanctions account for its drawbacks.