Tough legacy

This kind of response is slowly becoming the trademark of the West African alliance. When a group of soldiers in Mali unseated a democratic government in that country, less than two months before the end of its tenure, ECOWAS did the same.

The organization condemned the junta, suspended Mali as a member and imposed sanctions. Quickly, a transitional civil government was formed while elections are organized within the next year. For an organization formed 37 years ago, it has seen such incidents almost every year within the region.

Only Senegal among ECOWAS members has not had a military coup since independence. Guinea-Bissau has had at least six coups since independence in 1974. The recent one followed inconclusive elections to replace President Bacai Sanha, who died in January.

Just two years ago, a defeated president in Cote d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo refused to concede to the winner, Alassane Ouattara, causing a standoff that lasted for over a year, derailing the country's economy.

The elections were a culmination of a decade-long strife in a country once seen as Africa's example of stability. ECOWAS had been involved in the peace process including sending mediators.

And during the 1990s, the Liberian and Sierra Leone conflicts saw much of ECOWAS involvement. During that time, member states such as Guinea-Bissau, Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone had to shoulder the burden of refugees. Recent interventions in Niger and Guinea-Bissau have also been witnessed.

Regional resolve

Originally, ECOWAS was formed to help integrate economic policies of the region and avoid the effects of the cold war. So why has it taken a firm stand on the way transitions occur within its jurisdiction?

"The regionalized 'internal' conflicts threatened to derail the original economic agenda of ECOWAS," observes Abdelfatau Musah in his essay, ECOWAS and the Regional Responses to Conflict. Musah is also the political director of ECOWAS. ECOWAS sees peace as an incentive to investments, especially from foreigners.

A report published last year by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, a German organization, showed that ECOWAS member states now see it as a "common task" to avoid re-emergence of conflicts in the region.

"The unanimity and resoluteness with which ECOWAS has condemned and applied sanctions for the most recent violations of the regional protocols is remarkable," it said, commending the suspensions of rogue members.

"Member states have taken a clear stance against the military juntas and have insisted that power be handed over to a democratically legitimated government."

Some analysts argue that the recent success rate of ECOWAS to quell possible strife within its borders provides a good hand for the African Union to help the continent deal with its own problems without external interference.

"The reality of contemporary international politics is that regional and sub-regional organizations are much better placed and suited to intervene to resolve crisis in their neighborhoods," Professor Alade Fawole of International Relations at the Obafemi Owolowo University (Nigeria) told ChinAfrica.

"Apart from familiarity with the political terrain, sub-regional organizations may also command greater respect and acceptability than say the UN. ECOWAS is doing fine, promptly responding to serial crises and taking effective political and diplomatic measures, even military actions in a few cases."

The current ECOWAS involvement in West Africa and its successes provide a yardstick with which to measure the organization's prowess. Should the protagonists persist with the conflict, the West African alliance said it would instruct its commission to seek assistance from the AU or even the UN to handle the matter.

(Reporting from Kenya)