Economic Community of West African States facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Economic Community of West African States Communauté économique des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (French) Comunidade Económica dos Estados da África Ocidental (Portuguese)
Emblem
Member states Suspended states
Headquarters	Abuja, Nigeria 9°2′35″N 7°31′32″E / 9.04306°N 7.52556°E / 9.04306; 7.52556
Official languages	English French Portuguese
Member states	15 members Benin Burkina Faso (suspended) Cape Verde Gambia Ghana Guinea (suspended) Guinea-Bissau Côte d'Ivoire Liberia Mali (suspended) Niger Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Togo
Leaders

• Chairman	Bola Ahmed Tinubu
• President of the Commission	Omar Touray
• Speaker of the Parliament	Moustapha Cissé Lô

Establishment	28 May 1975

• Treaty of Lagos	28 May 1975
• Treaty Revision	24 July 1993

Area
• Total	5,114,162 km² (1,974,589 sq mi) (7th)
Population
• 2019 estimate	387 million (3rd)
• Density	68.3/km² (176.9/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2015 estimate
• Total	US$1.483 trillion (18th)
• Per capita	US$4,247
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	$816.4 billion 2019 (21st)
• Per capita	$2,089
Currency	Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) Ghanaian cedi (GHS) Gambian dalasi (GMD) Guinean franc (GNF) Liberian dollar (LRD) Nigerian naira (NGN) Sierra Leonean leone (SLL) West African CFA franc (XOF) West African Unit of Account (WAUA)
Time zone	UTC+0 to +1
If considered as a single entity. To be replaced by the eco. Liberia and Sierra Leone have expressed an interest in joining the eco.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a group of fifteen countries in West Africa. It is also known as CEDEAO in French and Portuguese. ECOWAS is a political and economic union. This means its member countries work together on shared goals.

The main goal of ECOWAS is to help its members become "self-sufficient." They want to create a large trade area. This helps their economies grow stronger together. The union was started on May 28, 1975. This happened when the Treaty of Lagos was signed. A new version of this treaty was signed in 1993.

ECOWAS also acts as a peacekeeping group. Member countries sometimes send their military forces to help. This happens when there is political trouble or unrest in other member countries.

ECOWAS Member Countries
How ECOWAS Was Formed
How ECOWAS Works
Working Together Economically
- West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA)
  - UEMOA Members
- West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ)
  - WAMZ Members
Travel and Tourism
See also

ECOWAS Member Countries

ECOWAS has 15 member states. Eight of these countries speak French. Five speak English, and two speak Portuguese. Most members joined when ECOWAS started in 1975. Cape Verde joined a bit later, in 1977.

Mauritania was a founding member but left in 2000. However, it signed a new agreement in 2017. Morocco asked to join in 2017, but its request is still being reviewed.

Sometimes, countries are suspended from ECOWAS. This happens if there are big political changes, like a military takeover. For example, Mali was suspended in 2021. Guinea and Burkina Faso were also suspended after military takeovers.

Here are the member states, grouped by their economic zones:

ECOWAS Zone A member states
Country	Area (km²)	Population (thousands)	GDP (nominal) (millions USD)	GDP (PPP) (millions intl.$)	Currency	Official language
Cape Verde	&&&&&&&&&&&04033.&&&&&04,033	&&&&&&&&&&&&0521.&&&&&0521	&&&&&&&&&&&01603.&&&&&01,603	&&&&&&&&&&&03413.&&&&&03,413	escudo	Portuguese
Gambia	&&&&&&&&&&011295.&&&&&011,295	&&&&&&&&&&&01991.&&&&&01,991	&&&&&&&&&&&&0939.&&&&&0939	&&&&&&&&&&&03344.&&&&&03,344	dalasi	English
Guinea	&&&&&&&&&0245857.&&&&&0245,857	&&&&&&&&&&012609.&&&&&012,609	&&&&&&&&&&&06699.&&&&&06,699	&&&&&&&&&&015244.&&&&&015,244	franc	French
Guinea-Bissau	&&&&&&&&&&036125.&&&&&036,125	&&&&&&&&&&&01844.&&&&&01,844	&&&&&&&&&&&01057.&&&&&01,057	&&&&&&&&&&&02685.&&&&&02,685	CFA franc	Portuguese
Liberia	&&&&&&&&&0111369.&&&&&0111,369	&&&&&&&&&&&04503.&&&&&04,503	&&&&&&&&&&&02053.&&&&&02,053	&&&&&&&&&&&03762.&&&&&03,762	dollar	English
Mali	&&&&&&&&01240192.&&&&&01,240,192	&&&&&&&&&&017600.&&&&&017,600	&&&&&&&&&&012747.&&&&&012,747	&&&&&&&&&&035695.&&&&&035,695	CFA franc	French
Senegal	&&&&&&&&&0196712.&&&&&0196,712	&&&&&&&&&&015129.&&&&&015,129	&&&&&&&&&&013610.&&&&&013,610	&&&&&&&&&&036625.&&&&&036,625	CFA franc	French
Sierra Leone	&&&&&&&&&&072300.&&&&&072,300	&&&&&&&&&&&06453.&&&&&06,453	&&&&&&&&&&&04215.&&&&&04,215	&&&&&&&&&&010127.&&&&&010,127	leone	English
ECOWAS Zone A total	&&&&&&&&01917883.&&&&&01,917,883	&&&&&&&&&&060550.&&&&&060,550	&&&&&&&&&&042923.&&&&&042,923	&&&&&&&&&0110895.&&&&&0110,895	—

ECOWAS Zone B member states
Country	Area (km²)	Population (thousands)	GDP (nominal) (millions USD)	GDP (PPP) (millions intl.$)	Currency	Official language
Benin	&&&&&&&&&0114763.&&&&&0114,763	&&&&&&&&&&010880.&&&&&010,880	&&&&&&&&&&&08291.&&&&&08,291	&&&&&&&&&&022377.&&&&&022,377	CFA franc	French
Burkina Faso	&&&&&&&&&0272967.&&&&&0272,967	&&&&&&&&&&018106.&&&&&018,106	&&&&&&&&&&010678.&&&&&010,678	&&&&&&&&&&030708.&&&&&030,708	CFA franc	French
Ghana	&&&&&&&&&0238533.&&&&&0238,533	&&&&&&&&&&027410.&&&&&027,410	&&&&&&&&&&037543.&&&&&037,543	&&&&&&&&&0115409.&&&&&0115,409	cedi	English
Ivory Coast	&&&&&&&&&0322463.&&&&&0322,463	&&&&&&&&&&022702.&&&&&022,702	&&&&&&&&&&031759.&&&&&031,759	&&&&&&&&&&079766.&&&&&079,766	CFA franc	French
Niger	&&&&&&&&01267000.&&&&&01,267,000	&&&&&&&&&&019899.&&&&&019,899	&&&&&&&&&&&07143.&&&&&07,143	&&&&&&&&&&019013.&&&&&019,013	CFA franc	French
Nigeria	&&&&&&&&&0923768.&&&&&0923,768	&&&&&&&&&0211400.&&&&&0211,400	&&&&&&&&&0481066.&&&&&0481,066	&&&&&&&&01093921.&&&&&01,093,921	Naira	English
Togo	&&&&&&&&&&056785.&&&&&056,785	&&&&&&&&&&&07305.&&&&&07,305	&&&&&&&&&&&04088.&&&&&04,088	&&&&&&&&&&010667.&&&&&010,667	CFA franc	French
ECOWAS Zone B total	&&&&&&&&03196279.&&&&&03,196,279	&&&&&&&&&0277502.&&&&&0277,502	&&&&&&&&&0580568.&&&&&0580,568	&&&&&&&&01371861.&&&&&01,371,861	—

How ECOWAS Was Formed

Flag of ECOWAS.

ECOWAS was created from countries that used to be colonies. These were mainly French, British, and Portuguese colonies. They became independent in the 1960s and 1970s. ECOWAS was first set up to help countries work together on their economies. Over time, it also started to include political and military cooperation.

The union was officially started on May 28, 1975. This was when the Treaty of Lagos was signed. Its main goal was to help countries in the region work together economically. A new version of the treaty was signed in 1993. ECOWAS aims for "collective self-sufficiency" for its members. This means they want to be strong and independent together. They do this by creating a large trade area.

ECOWAS also acts as a peacekeeping force. Member countries sometimes send their military to help. This happens when there is political trouble in other member countries. For example, they helped in Ivory Coast in 2003 and Liberia in 2003. They also intervened in Guinea-Bissau in 2012 and The Gambia in 2017.

The region where ECOWAS operates is sometimes called a "coup belt." This means there have been many military takeovers. Since the 1990s, ECOWAS has tried to protect democracy. In recent years, ECOWAS has been working to respond to these situations. For example, after a military takeover in Niger in 2023, ECOWAS spoke out strongly.

How ECOWAS Works

ECOWAS has two main parts that help it carry out its plans. These are the ECOWAS Commission and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID). The EBID used to be called the Fund for Cooperation.

Other important parts of ECOWAS include:

The Community Court of Justice
The Community Parliament
The West African Health Organisation (WAHO)
The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing in West Africa (GIABA)

ECOWAS uses three official languages: French, English, and Portuguese.

Regional Security Efforts

ECOWAS countries have agreements to prevent fighting among themselves. They signed a non-aggression agreement in 1990. They also have an agreement to help each other if one country is attacked. This agreement was signed in 1981. It led to the creation of an Allied Armed Force of the Community.

Community Parliament

The ECOWAS Parliament has 115 members. The number of members from each country depends on its population. The Speaker of the Parliament leads this group.

Country	Parliament Seats
Benin	5
Burkina Faso	6
Cape Verde	5
Gambia	5
Ghana	8
Guinea	6
Guinea-Bissau	5
Côte d'Ivoire	7
Liberia	5
Mali	6
Niger	6
Nigeria	35
Senegal	6
Sierra Leone	5
Togo	5

Community Court of Justice

The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice was created in 1991. It started working in 1996. This court settles disagreements between member states. It also gives advice on legal questions. The court can also rule on cases where basic human rights have been violated.

Sports and Culture

ECOWAS countries hold many cultural and sports events. These include the CEDEAO Cup in football. There are also the 2012 ECOWAS Games and the Miss CEDEAO beauty pageant.

ECOWAS also supports traditional African wrestling. They organize yearly tournaments. They have also held international cycling tours. These tours help show how people and goods can move freely between ECOWAS countries. In 2019, the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon was started.

Working Together Economically

ECOWAS aims to bring its members closer economically. This includes creating common markets and currencies.

West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA)

UEMOA WAMZ ECOWAS only (Cape Verde)

The West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) is a group of eight countries within ECOWAS. Most of these countries speak French. They used to be French colonies. UEMOA helps these countries work together economically. They all use the CFA franc as their common currency. This currency is linked to the euro.

UEMOA was created in 1994. Its goals include:

Making their economies more competitive.
Creating a common market where goods can move freely.
Working together on economic policies.

UEMOA has been successful in many areas. It has helped countries work towards common economic goals. It has also set up common rules for trade and taxes.

UEMOA Members

West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ)

The West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) was formed in 2000. It is a group of six ECOWAS countries. These countries plan to create their own common currency called the Eco. Most WAMZ countries speak English.

The goal of WAMZ is to have a strong, stable currency. This currency would be a rival to the CFA franc. Eventually, the plan is for the CFA franc and the Eco to merge. This would give all of West and Central Africa one stable currency.

WAMZ Members

Travel and Tourism

ECOWAS is working to improve travel within the region. A project called Trans-ECOWAS, started in 2007, aims to upgrade railways.

In 2019, ECOWAS launched a plan for tourism called Ecotour Action Plan 2019 – 2029. This plan focuses on protecting and developing tourist sites. It also aims to create rules for tourism. The plan includes programs to help ecotourism projects. These projects focus on helping local communities, protecting nature, and boosting local economies.