ECOWAS

De **Economic Community of West African States** (**ECOWAS**; dem san know am as **CEDEAO** insyd French den Portuguese) ebe regional political den economic union for fifteen countries wey dey insyd West Africa. Collectively, dese countries dey comprise area of 5,114,162 km2 (1,974,589 sq mi) wey e get estimated population of ova 424.34 million.

Dem dey consider am as ebe one of de pillar regional blocs for de continent-wide African Economic Community (AEC), dem state de goal of ECOWAS be say dem go achieve "collective self-sufficiency" for ein member states as dem dey create single large trade bloc by building a full economic den trading union. Additionally, ECOWAS dey aim make e raise living standards den promote economic development. Na dem establish de union for 28 May 1975, plus de signing of de Treaty of Lagos, plus ein mission dem state make e promote economic integration across de region. Na dem gree version dem revise of de treaty wey dem sign am for 24 July 1993 insyd Cotonou, de largest city for Benin insyd.

ECOWAS ein fundamental principles dey rely for equity, inter-dependence, solidarity, co-operation, nonaggression, regional peace, promotion of human rights, den economic and social justice top.

Notably among ECOWAS ein protocols den plans be de ECOWAS Free Movement of Persons, Residences and Establishment Protocol den de Ecotour Action Plan 2019–2029. De Free Movement of Persons Protocol dey permit citizens de right make dem enter den reside for any member state ein territory insyd, den de Ecotour Action Plan dey aim make e develop den integrate de tourist industry of each member state.

De ECOWAS san dey serve as peacekeeping force insyd de region, plus member states wey occasionally dem dey send joint military forces go intervene de bloc ein member countries if dem dey political instability den unrest insyd.

## Member states
As of February 2017, ECOWAS get 15 member states; eight of dem be French-speaking, five be English-speaking, den two Portuguese-speaking. All current members dey join de community as ein founding members insyd May 1975, ebe only Cape Verde wey join insyd 1977.

De only former member of ECOWAS be Arabic-speaking Mauritania, wey dem san be one of de founding members insyd 1975 den decide say ego withdraw insyd December 2000. Mauritania recently cam sign new associate-membership agreement insyd August 2017.

Morocco officially request say ewan join ECOWAS insyd February 2017. Dema application be endorse in principle at de summit of heads of state insyd June 2017, buh Morocco ein bid for membership dem stall am.

ECOWAS suspend Mali on 30 May 2021, as edey follow ein second military coup within nine months. Guinea too dem suspend am on 8 September 2021, shortly after military coup take place insyd de country. Sanctions wey dem place for both countries top for 16 September. For 10 January 2022, Mali cam announce ein decision say ego close ein borders den recall ein several ambassadors plus dem go give ECOWAS response sake of dema sanctions wey dem put for dema top sake of dem defer dema elections for four years. On 28 January 2022, Burkina Faso dem suspend am from ECOWAS secof military coup.

Statistics for dema population, nominal GDP den purchasing power parity GDP we list dem for de below down dare. We carry all dese from World Bank ein estimates for 2015, as dem publish insyd December 2016. Area data too dem take from a 2012 report as dem compile am by de United Nations Statistics Division.

## Structure

### Executive secretaries den presidos of de commission

### Chairpersons

### Community Parliament
De Community Parliament dey consist of 115 members, dem distribute based on de population of each member state. De Speaker of de Parliament dey head dis body, wey be above de Secretary General.

## References