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West Africa can best be described as a piece of gold, as the region can compete with any other in the world in natural resources such as oil, diamonds, gold, bauxite and even uranium. West Africa, with over 220 million inhabitations, has a huge economic potential if it is able to create a common market and deepen its regional integration. But it is still one of the poorest regions in the world: poverty, illiteracy and social discord remain the regions greatest challenges for the 21st century.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was founded in 1975 to promote cooperation and integration in West Africa and thus to raise the living standards of its people by fostering good relations among member states, consorting trade liberalization schemes and enhancing development in all sectors of society. It is the aim of ECOWAS to achieve an economic and monetary union – consisting of a common market, common currency and harmonized trade schemes-, to encourage good governance and democracy, fight the instability of the region and to ensure sustainable development in West Africa.

But after 31 years of existence ECOWAS has not been able to fulfill its main goal, the creation of a common market. In 1993, its treaty had to be revised and adapted to the political reality. Today, after Mauritania left ECOWAS in 2002, it includes the following 15 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra-Leone and Togo.

The most important institutions of ECOWAS are the Authority of Heads of State and Government, the Council of Ministers, the Executive Secretariat, the Community Parliament and the Community Council. There are also the Economic and Social Council, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), ECOWAS Regional Development Fund (ERDF), ECOWAS Regional Investment Bank (ERIB) , West African Monetary Agency (WAMA), West African Health Organization (WAHO) and other specialized technical commissions.

The Authority is the supreme institution of ECOWAS and is composed of the Heads of States and Government of Member States. The Authority is responsible for the general policy and major guideline of ECOWAS, oversees the Community Institutions, appoints the Executive Secretary and can appeal to the Court of Justice when necessary. It meets at least once a year and is chaired by a member state elected by the Authority. Decisions are made either by unanimity, consensus or by two-thirds majority and are binding on member states and institutions of ECOWAS.

The Council of ministers consists of two Ministers of each member state. It is responsible for the development of the community and supervises it. The Council prepares the summit of the Heads of States and Governments and approves work programs and the budget of the community and its institutions. It meets twice a year and is headed by the minister of ECOWAS Affairs of the member state elected as Chairman of the Authority.

The Executive Secretariat is the executive organ of ECOWAS. It is responsible for the execution of protocols adopted by the Authority and the Council of Ministers and has to overview the budget of the community, although admonitions of the Executive Secretary. He is appointed by the Authority and his deputy Executive Secretaries by the Council of Ministers. They are elected for a 4-year term renewable once. Only the Authority can remove the Executive Secretary from office either on its own initiative or by recommendation of the Council of Minister. Being the representative of the Community, the Executive Secretary has to be neutral and loyal only to the Community.

The Community Parliament was established March 2002 and represents all the people of the Community. It has two ordinary sessions a year, which may not exceed three months. It is mainly concerned with media, telecommunition, energy, health and educational policy, but it also considers human rights issues and questions concerning security and integration policy. For now, the Parliament only plays an advisory role. Thus it can make recommendations on its own initiative and also can be consulted on issues mentioned above.

Each member state has a minimum of five seats and the remaining seats are shared on the basis of population. Therefore, Nigeria has 35, Ghana eight, Cote d’Ivoire seven, while Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Senegal have six seats each. Benin, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Togo – have five seats each. The Parliamentarians are members of the National Assemblies or equivalent institutions who stay in office for 5 years. During that time, they are not allowed to be active in a government or any other community institution.

The court of Justice came into being in 2002. The Court is responsible for the observance of the law and interpretation and application of the provisions of the Treaty. It also decides when disputes arise between Member States and the institutions of the Community on the interpretation of the provisions of the Treaty or when disputes between two Member States or institutions of the Community relating to the interpretation of the provisions of the Treaty can not be settled amicably. These decisions – justified and read in open court – shall be final and immediately enforceable. Deliberations are secret and decisions taken by a majority of its members.

There are 7 judges at the court, who are appointed by the member states for a period of five years renewable once. As members of the Court of Justice, judges are immune and can not to be prosecuted for acts carried out or statements during their term of office.