“The question addressed in this paper is how the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has attempted to address crises in Niger and Cote d’Ivoire. How has it sought to implement the norms, activate mechanisms and establish structures to advance good governance, democracy and peace? This paper argues that while ECOWAS policies on issues of peace and security are works in progress, the fact remains that there is a gap between the policies and their implementation by member states. This can be attributed to both an absence of political will by some leaders and the weak enforcement capability of ECOWAS. The paper will also examine why, despite the prevention and reaction capacities of ECOWAS,
military coups and other violations of governance norms still occur in the region, with Niger and Côte d’Ivoire as case studies.”
