ECOWAS and Sahel Alliance in West Africa

An Insight

Abstract

Mali, Bukina Faso and Niger shocked the continent and the world after the formation and pledge of allegiance to a parallel sub-regional platform in West Africa, “the Sahel Alliance”. The novelty has in the recent time engaged interests of scholars and practitioners in attempt to explore “the cause and effects” from the perspective lens of reactionary events from a sub-regional body, ECOWAS. From the internal dynamics, this study examined ECOWAS crisis management processes in the emergence of Sahel Alliance in West Africa. The methodology of the study is qualitative exploratory design in Dependency theoretical framework that argued that ECOWAS crisis management problem and emergence of Sahel Alliance was a function of intersection between western and non-western interests reflecting in imperialist syndrome which bedeviled the sub region. The study further revealed failure of crisis management processes and deliberate implementation of punitive measures in deference to western pressure which consequently triggered resentment and exit with multifaceted implications. From these findings, the study recommend that ECOWAS’ crisis management mechanisms should be strengthened as the new realignment is managed in diplomacy among other fundamentals for stability and development of West Africa.