Reforming ECOWAS 2025 Policy Brief

The document analyzes the crisis facing ECOWAS in 2025, characterized by the exit of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, and a decline in the organization's normative authority regarding democratic governance. It identifies a structural power imbalance where the executive Authority dominates, leading to inconsistent applications of 'zero-tolerance' policies toward unconstitutional changes of government (UCGs). The authors propose a three-phase reform strategy: first, restoring political authority through the operationalization of ECOSOC and revised sanctions; second, rebalancing power by making Court rulings binding and introducing parliamentary confirmation for Commission leadership; and third, transitioning to a supranational model with direct elections for the Parliament and primacy of Community law. The brief emphasizes the need for a coalition of 'reform champions'—including Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal, and Ghana—and strategic financial support from Germany and the EU to ensure regional stability.

• ECOWAS is experiencing a profound crisis and political fragmentation following the simultaneous withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in January 2025, which has split the region into two competing organizations: ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
• The organization's political and normative authority has eroded since 2020 due to perceived double standards in its 'zero-tolerance' approach to unconstitutional changes of government (UCGs), where it reacts decisively to military coups but fails to address 'constitutional coups' involving legal manipulation to extend presidential terms.
• A structural power imbalance exists within ECOWAS, where the Authority of Heads of State and Government dominates decision-making, limiting the autonomy of the Commission and other institutions and creating conflicts of interest when leaders undermine the very democratic safeguards they are tasked to protect.
• The effectiveness of the ECOWAS Court of Justice is severely limited by a lack of enforcement, with only 22 percent of its rulings having been enforced by member states since 2001, particularly in cases involving democracy and human rights.
• The ECOWAS Parliament lacks genuine democratic legitimacy and operational capacity because its members are appointed indirectly by national legislatures and it lacks financial autonomy, with its 2025 budget allocation being cut by 19.5 percent.
• The rise of alternative global powers, specifically China and Russia, has weakened ECOWAS's leverage by providing military juntas in West Africa with political recognition and financial support without democratic conditions.
• The authors propose a phased reform approach: Phase 1 focuses on restoring authority via ECOSOC and revised protocols; Phase 2 initiates institutional rebalancing through binding Court rulings and parliamentary oversight of the Commission; and Phase 3 advances a supranational model with direct elections and the primacy of Community law.
• Successful reform depends on a core group of 'champions'—specifically Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal, and Ghana, and potentially Côte d’Ivoire—to drive the agenda forward.

APA

Sow, D., & Li, M. (2025). Reforming ECOWAS 2025 Policy Brief. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1761285118795-Ad-hoc-ECOWAS-rv.pdf

Chicago

Sow, Djiby, and Melissa Li. Reforming ECOWAS 2025 Policy Brief. Institute for Security Studies, 2025. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1761285118795-Ad-hoc-ECOWAS-rv.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sow |first1=Djiby |last2=Li |first2=Melissa |title=Reforming ECOWAS 2025 Policy Brief |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=2025 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1761285118795-Ad-hoc-ECOWAS-rv.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sow2025reforming, author = {Sow, Djiby and Li, Melissa}, title = {{Reforming ECOWAS 2025 Policy Brief}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2025}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1761285118795-Ad-hoc-ECOWAS-rv.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }