Role of ECOWAS union in the socio-economic development of West Africa Essay

Role of ECOWAS union in the socio-economic breeding of wolfram Africa - Essay Examplef the Economic Community of western United States African States (ECOWAS) has helped or hindered the economic progress of the countries in West Africa, with particular focus on the socio-economic conditions of the populations in those countries. In West Africa, ECOWAS has the following member countries Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote dIvoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. This structure was set up to promote cooperation and integrating leading to an economic union in West Africa in order to raise the living standards of its peoples (ECOWAS website, 2011). A Pan-African slant is also evident in that the intention to promote progress and development on the unhurt continent is explicitly stated. For a common market to occur areaal economic reform would progress to to take place integration particularly in food, agricultu re and natural resources was seen as vital. Furthermore the memorial tablet of a common market through liberalization of make do among West African States was envisioned. An important scene of the ECOWAS initiative is also to ensure a common away tariff and trade policy with control to third countries, outside this initiative. Additionally, a stated intention in the ECOWAS revised treaty is to promote equilibrize development and a focus on the special problems of each Member State particularly those of land-locked and short island Member States (ECOWAS website, 2011).Thus the intention is to reform standards of living, improve Gross Domestic Product (GDP), improve Per-Capita Income (PCI) and generally improve West Africas trading position in a global economy for the citizens of this entire region (ECOWAS website, 2011). This has not happened. The elites both within... This essay presents a modern thorough analysis of the state of economies of West Africa countries, that ins cribe in the ECOWAS union, their political stances, and their trade policies. The world economy and West Africas part in it volition be examined in this paper.In West Africa, ECOWAS has the following member countries Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cte dIvoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. This structure was set up to promote cooperation and integration leading to an economic union in West Africa . A Pan-African slant is also evident in that the intention to promote progress and development on the whole continent is stated. The establishment of a common market through liberalization of trade among West African States was envisioned. An important aspect of the ECOWAS initiative is also to ensure a common external tariff and trade policy with regard to third countries, outside this initiative Economic and political position on a global stage continues to be centered in Europe and North America. in that locatio n has been no real change in the international economic power relations after the colonial Era, despite the growth of Asian economies. The relationship between West Africa and the central economic powers is highly influenced by history, and also by current political conditions in the countries of the region. Despite free trade agreements between the countries of West Africa, prosperity is not immediately, or perhaps even in the long term achievable.