Examine the reasons for the successes and failures of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The question requires that candidates consider the interrelationship between the reasons for failure and the reasons for success of ECOWAS. Candidates may offer equal coverage of reasons for success and failure, or they may prioritize their examination of either. However, both aspects will be a feature of the response. They may refer to the need for economic growth through regional cooperation as a factor in the success of ECOWAS. The West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), a customs union and single currency, was created by francophone countries in 1994. Similarly, the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) was a monetary zone founded by other members with the aim of achieving fiscal integration in ECOWAS. The desire to preserve security led to the creation of the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), a body that intervened with some success in the civil war in Liberia. Candidates may refer to political rivalries and linguistic divisions as a major obstacle to success. They may also point to political instability and the frequent coups in the region, something that ECOWAS has been powerless to prevent. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.