ECOWAS RESPONSE TO COUP SURGE IN AFRICA AND ITS IMPLICATION ON ECOWAS’S FUTURE

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), originally conceived as a regional economic integration body, has increasingly evolved into a multifaceted political actor, particularly in the realm of peace and security. In light of the recent surge in military coups across West Africa including those in Mali (2020, 2021), Guinea (2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and Niger (2023). ECOWAS’s role has expanded and come under greater scrutiny. This new reality demands a conceptual redefinition of ECOWAS: not only as a vehicle for economic cooperation, but as a regional guardian of democracy, constitutional governance, and political stability¹. ECOWAS’s response mechanisms are rooted in several key legal instruments. Notably, the Protocol Relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security (1999) and the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance (2001) provide the foundation for its stance against unconstitutional changes of government². These frameworks authorize ECOWAS to take collective action against member states where constitutional order is disrupted ranging from diplomatic sanctions and economic embargoes, to suspension of membership and military intervention threats³