At 50, West African Bloc Teeters Amid Shifting Alliances, Security Woes
Leaders of ECOWAS are gathering on Wednesday to celebrate 50 years since its formation and are expected to address regional security challenges as the continent also seeks answers in the face of US trade tariffs and aid cuts.
The anniversary could not have come at the worst of moments for the Economic Community of West African States -- once internationally respected as a force for stability.
ECOWAS is now fractured following the departure of junta-led countries Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger earlier this year.
It is also grappling with its security challenges with jihadists exploiting strained relationships between members and gaining ground in the Sahel and Lake Chad region. Benin and Nigeria have experienced a wave of attacks in recent months.
And the Sahel region was in 2024 ranked the epicentre of global "terrorism" for the second straight year, accounting for more than half of deaths put down to terror attacks worldwide, according to the Global Terrorism Index published in March.
Coups and attempted putsches - driven by widespread public discontent and distrust in political elites - have rocked nearly half of original ECOWAS countries in the last decade, putting democracy on the ropes and straining relations among neighbours.
The departure of the three countries from ECOWAS dealt a blow to the bloc's credibility and regional influence, experts say.
The exit "is a major dent on this organisation's capacity to harness the optimism and hopes of its birth", said Kwesi Aning, an expert in international cooperation at the Accra-based Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre.
"It reflects a disastrous level of leadership amongst ECOWAS leaders," he added.
Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the current head of the rotating ECOWAS presidency, and the 89-year-old ECOWAS co-founder and former Nigerian military leader, General Yakubu Gowon, are due to address the gathering at a hotel in Lagos.
As the region's largest economy and most populous nation, Nigeria was expected to be ECOWAS's "stabilising force", but it is "faltering", said SBM Intelligence in a report released Wednesday.
"Its internal crises -- including economic mismanagement, political instability, the Boko Haram insurgency, and governance failures -- have significantly diminished its ability to lead", said the report.
Overall, ECOWAS "finds itself at a critical juncture between its foundational aspirations of economic integration and peace and the stark realities of regional insecurity, democratic backsliding, and internal fragmentation," said SBM Intelligence.
The impact of the turmoil on trade among countries is stark.
Before relations between neighbours Nigeria and Niger soured following a coup in Niamey in July 2023, Nigerian traders shipped out several truckloads of edible grains from the bustling Dawanau market in the northwestern state of Kano daily.
While the volume of grains supplied from the Kano market into Niger has not changed much, it is the cost of doing so that is now biting.
Multiple traders and truckers told AFP in Kano that taxes paid on Nigerian goods imported into Niger have increased fivefold, fuelling a spike in smuggling activities across porous borders.
"We were paying an equivalent of 100,000 naira (about $64) as import duty on each truck before they left ECOWAS, but we now pay around 500,000 naira," said 40-year-old trucker Aliyu Abubakar.
"Smuggling is thriving," said Mustapha Buhari, 47, a resident of Nigeria's Mai-Adua, a border town.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Business Times
4 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Turning 80, UN Faces Fresh Storm Of Doubts
With its influence discredited and its budget in tatters, the United Nations is weathering a firestorm of criticism as it celebrates its 80th anniversary -- and tries to convince a polarized and conflict-wracked world it is more vital than ever. The UN's 193 member states will mark Thursday the signing of the organization's foundational treaty, the UN Charter, on June 26, 1945 in San Francisco. After ratification, the United Nations came into being on October 24. The anniversary comes as the world body faces a multi-faceted crisis that has raised questions about its future. "Since the end of the Cold War, we have seen the organization struggle in cases from the Rwandan genocide to the Iraq war," Richard Gowan, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, told AFP. "When each big crisis comes, commentators announce that the UN is finished. And yet it still survives," he added. "That said, this is an especially bad moment," Gowan acknowledged, pointing to numerous countries that are "deeply frustrated" by the UN Security Council's failure to act on major conflicts like those in Ukraine and Gaza. That inaction is largely due to the veto power of the council's five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- which have competing interests. "The UN system as a whole has a credibility crisis, and it is not clear that the organization's members have the resources or political energy to rescue it," Gowan told AFP. For Romuald Sciora, a research fellow at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs, the credibility issue can only result in the virtual disappearance of an organization that is already a political "dwarf" on the world stage. "I'm not sure the UN will cease to exist, even by its 100th anniversary," Sciora told AFP. "I see a slow vanishing, and the UN becoming a bit of a ghost," like "these old organizations whose names we have forgotten." But experts say while the UN desperately needs to enact tough reforms, not all of its problems come from within, and it has become an easy scapegoat for its divided membership. Gissou Nia of the Washington-based Atlantic Council think tank says she fears that "the approach of might is right... is what is taking hold, and it brings us further and further away from the ideals" that led to the UN's founding as World War II ended. Nia, a human rights lawyer, says she hopes enough people will remain committed to the set of ideals and values "that will keep the UN alive," but still worries about the constant questioning of those values, notably from US ally Israel. "The constant berating from some very loud voices about the UN either being anti-Semitic, or the UN being a waste of funding, or the UN propping up dictators, actually has an impact," Nia told AFP. In a world devastated by the largest number of ongoing conflicts since 1945, and ravaged by major humanitarian crises, "the United Nations has never been more needed," Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said recently. "Our values have never been more relevant. And the needs have never been greater." Funding has nevertheless grown scarce as donors -- especially the United States under President Donald Trump -- pull back. Given the financial constraints, Guterres launched the UN80 initiative in a bid to streamline operations. Those changes could include thousands of positions being cut. For Gowan, "the UN is a very big organization, and of course it suffers from a variety of bureaucratic problems, just as almost all big organizations do. (...) So of course it deserves scrutiny and criticism." But, he added, "I think we have gotten a bit too accustomed to having this system at our service, and tend to spend too much time grumbling about its flaws and not enough time acknowledging its successes." The United Nations remains a place where arch-rivals and enemies still sit at the same table to air grievances, and where the smallest member state can have its voice heard. The UN also does important work on the ground, from the World Food Programme bringing needed supplies to more than 100 million people in 120 countries last year, to the thousands of peacekeepers protecting civilians in conflict zones. "The UN was a magnificent tool," Sciora said. "Obviously, it would be worse if it were to disappear from one day to the next." The UN Charter is displayed at an exhibition marking the 80th anniversary of its signing AFP
DW
a day ago
- DW
Germany: Why are so many Turks applying for citizenship? – DW – 06/22/2025
The number of Turkish people becoming German citizens doubled in 2024. Why is that? Germany has become increasingly attractive for Turks — whether for life, work or study. Immigration statistics show that a total of 22,525 Turkish citizens received German passports in 2024 — a 110% increase over 2023. Turkey is now second only to Syria when it comes to the number of its citizens receiving German passports. Alaz Sumer is one of those who decided to apply. He came to Germany about eight years ago to pursue his master's degree. Now a lawyer, he works for a Berlin-based NGO and is completing his doctorate in constitutional law. He told DW that citizenship is the goal of every immigrant, saying it is much more practical. "Otherwise you are always stuck dealing with bureaucracy — and it is heavy here. Just getting a residency permit can be torturous." Burak Keceli, an IT specialist who graduated from Istanbul's respected Bogazici University, came to Germany in 2016. He says he came for career reasons and has spent several years working in the private sector. Today, he continues to live in Berlin. Looking back, he says: "I've lived in Germany for years and speak the language fluently. After all that time, I wanted to be able to have my say politically. The power of a German passport was also an important factor … with it, I can travel to many countries around the world without a visa." According to the 2025 Global Passport Index, which ranks passports by the number of countries a holder thereof can travel to visa-free, Germany ranked fifth in the world — behind the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Singapore and France. A German passport provides visa-free entry into 131 countries, whereas a Turkish passport only allows 75. Germany's June 2024 citizenship reforms no doubt gave the trend a major boost, with dual citizenship becoming a major incentive for migrants to seek a second passport. Alaz Sumer, for instance, says he had no desire to relinquish his Turkish citizenship. "I didn't want to give up my right to vote," he says. A Turkish passport he says, also has advantages in countries with which Turkey has better relations than Germany. Burak Keceli is also a dual citizen. He calls the possibility of having two passports "very positive" but says he would have sought German citizenship either way. Germany's previous government also shortened the residency requirement for citizenship from eight down to five years and down to three for those who could show special integration potential. The new government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz did away with the three-year rule in May, 2025. Still, the new government has let the dual-citizenship model stand, meaning migrants can keep their original passports. That's very important to many of those who have come to Germany from elsewhere. Until recently, Germany required all migrants — with the exception of Swiss and EU-member state passport holders — to renounce prior citizenship before granting them German passports. That forced many to hold off seeking German citizenship over the emotional, familial and business ties they maintained with their country of origin. That goes for an estimated 3 million Turks living in Germany. The political, social and economic situation in Turkey has also been a major driver for immigration. "I wanted to be an academic," says Alaz Sumer, "but I didn't have the impression that it was really possible to do so freely in Turkey. When the situation deteriorated, I left." As for Keceli, he says would wouldn't have been able to have a "nice life" in Turkey. "If I had chosen to go to another country [other than Germany] I probably would have applied for citizenship there." The political climate in Turkey has been worsening for years. Human rights organizations regularly report freedom of speech and press violations by the government. In March, the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had his most capable election challenger, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, arrested — a drastic measure even by Erdogan's standards. Moreover, the country has languished economically for years: In 2015, a euro cost about 2.3 Turkish lira, now it's nearly 46 ($1 is currently worth around 40 Turkish lira, 10 years ago it was around it cost around 2.7 Turkish lira). Despite integration and years of life spent in Germany, many Turks here still feel rooted in their old culture and continue to call Turkey home. "Germany never became home for me. I wouldn't describe myself as a German. But even if I did, Germans would laugh at me — and rightly so," says Sumer. Keceli sees things similarly: "All of my loved ones are in Turkey. I never lost the connection. I will continue to travel back and forth. And even if I don't always keep up on the latest news, I still listen to Turkish music. I will always call Turkey home. I don't really feel at home in Germany." Sumer says he "mostly enjoys" life in Germany but admits he doesn't feel like he really belongs. "I don't think that you're immediately accepted when you get a German passport — that certainly wasn't the case for me." He then describes experiences that mirror those of other migrants: "I feel closer to Turkey than I do to Germany. It's clear to me that I am only German on paper. Even if you assimilate and live by German standards — you're still always an immigrant." Sumer recounts moments of everyday discrimination. When he tried to find an apartment after receiving his citizenship, he says, he didn't get any replies whatsoever to his online queries using his real name. That changed when he a fake name. "If you don't have a German name, a German passport won't do you much good either," he says. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Int'l Business Times
a day ago
- Int'l Business Times
Iran's Nuclear Programme: The Key Sites
The US military attacked three sites in Iran on Sunday -- Natanz, Isfahan and the mountain-buried Fordo, all key parts of Tehran's nuclear programme, which it maintains is purely for civilian purposes. American planes launched a "very successful attack", US President Donald Trump said, claiming Iran's main nuclear enrichment facilities had been "completely and totally obliterated". Trump has said Tehran must never get a nuclear weapon, and ally Israel has claimed its attacks on Iran have set back the country's nuclear weapons progress by several years. Iran has always denied any ambition to develop nuclear weapons and maintained its right to a civilian nuclear programme. Iran has significantly ramped up its nuclear programme in recent years, after a landmark deal with world powers curbing its nuclear activities in exchange for sanction relief began to unravel in 2018 when the United States under Trump unilaterally withdrew. As of mid-May, Iran's total enriched uranium stockpile was estimated at 9,247.6 kilograms -- or more than 45 times the limit set out in the 2015 deal -- according to the latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Among its stockpiles, Iran has an estimated 408.6 kilograms (901 pounds) enriched to up to 60 percent -- just a short step from the 90 percent needed for a nuclear warhead. The country now theoretically has enough near-weapons-grade material, if further refined, for about 10 nuclear bombs, according to the definition by the Vienna-based IAEA. Below is a list of Iran's key nuclear sites, which are subject to regular inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog: NATANZ: About 250 kilometres (150 miles) south of Tehran, Natanz is Iran's heavily bunkered main uranium enrichment site, whose existence was first revealed in 2002. Natanz operates nearly 70 cascades of centrifuges at its two enrichment plants, one of which is underground. A cascade is a series of centrifuges -- machines used in the process of enriching uranium. In April 2021, the site was damaged in an attack that Iran said was an act of sabotage by Israel. Israel said its recent strikes had hit the "heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme", targeting the atomic facility in Natanz and nuclear scientists. IAEA head Rafael Grossi confirmed the Natanz site was "among targets". FORDO: Secretly built in violation of United Nations resolutions under a mountain near the holy central city of Qom, Fordo was first publicly revealed in 2009. Initially described as an "emergency" facility built underground to protect it from potential air attacks, Iran later indicated it was an enrichment plant capable of housing about 3,000 centrifuges. In 2023, uranium particles enriched up to 83.7 percent were discovered at the Fordo plant, which Iran claimed were the product of "unintended fluctuations" during the enrichment process. Trump has called it "the primary site". ISFAHAN: At the uranium conversion facility at Isfahan in central Iran, raw mined uranium is processed into uranium tetrafluoride (UF4) and then into uranium hexafluoride (UF6), a feed gas for centrifuges. The plant was industrially tested in 2004 upon its completion. The Isfahan centre also harbours a nuclear fuel fabrication facility, which was inaugurated in 2009 and produces low-enriched fuel for use in power plants. In July 2022, Iran announced plans to construct a new research reactor there. Four of its buildings have been hit by Israel since June 13, including a uranium conversion plant. ARAK: Work on the Arak heavy-water research reactor on the outskirts of the village of Khondab began in the 2000s, but was halted under the terms of the 2015 deal. Iran has meanwhile informed the IAEA about its plans to commission the reactor by 2026. The research reactor was officially intended to produce plutonium for medical research and the site includes a production plant for heavy water. TEHRAN: The Tehran nuclear research centre houses a reactor that was supplied by the United States in 1967 for the production of medical radioisotopes. BUSHEHR: Iran's only nuclear power plant in the southern port city of Bushehr was built by Russia and began operating at a lower capacity in 2011 before being plugged into the national power grid in 2012. Russia continues to deliver nuclear fuel for the plant, which remains under IAEA control. A German company began construction on the plant with a 1,000-megawatt nominal capacity until the project was halted in the wake of the 1979 Islamic revolution. Moscow later completed it. DARKHOVIN AND SIRIK: Iran began construction in late 2022 on a 300-megawatt power plant in Darkhovin, in the country's southwest. In early 2024, it also began work in Sirik, in the Strait of Hormuz, on a new complex of four individual plants with a combined capacity of 5,000 megawatts.
