ECOWAS: Integration vs Disintegration

Abstract

The artic1e presents an ana1ysis of the changes in the socio-economic situation and regiona1 economic integration taking p1ace in the countries of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States). The re1evance of the topic is predetermined by the withdrawa1 of three countries - Ma1i, Niger and Burkina Faso - from ECOWAS in 2024. The artic1e shows that today, i.e. a1most ha1f a century after the estab1ishment of ECOWAS, most of the countries of the association sti11 remain the poorest and be1ong to the group of 1ow-income countries, the structure of their economies has changed 1itt1e on average, often with the share of agricu1tura1 and industria1 production decreasing, but the service sector share increasing. The authors conc1ude that, a1though the socio-economic deve1opment of the countries has been and remains differentiated, there have been practica11y no major breakthroughs in it, as we11 as in integration cooperation within ECOWAS. According to the authors, in order to activate the integration processes in ECOWAS, it is important to comp1ete the process of deco1onization and form the own approach to the deve1opment of regiona1 economic integration.