Democracy, Development, and Disintegration: A Case of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

This study seeks to explore the relationship between democracy and development and disintegration in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This idea is borne out of the recent withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from ECOWAS. The three countries were suspended by the organization for their failure to uphold the tenets of democracy as entrenched in Article 1(a) of the ECOWAS Protocol. There now exists a schism in the organization. The study argues that mandating the practice of democracy as suggested by the foreign powers is not enough. Why force democracy on member states and ignore the fact that these same countries are in fact part of the least developed among the countries of the world? The study is guided by the democratic peace theory. Secondary sources such as books, journals, policy guidelines and internet materials are employed. The study finds out that the sub-region has been fraught with political instability, and the lack of socio-economic integration and development even as members of a common sub-regional arrangement. The study therefore recommends that, rather than outright sanctions that may further result in disintegration, alternative diplomatic measures be enforced to ensure a synchronization of democracy, development and cooperation in ECOWAS.