Institutional Transformation of the Economic Community of West African States

This book examines regional economic integration in West Africa within the context of the institutional evolution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It uses the tools of the New Institutional Economics School (NIE) to explore the origins and development of the most recent ECOWAS Treaty. Particular attention is given to the interface between domestic legal arrangements and the success of open markets at the regional and international levels. Contents: Preface; Introduction; Schools of thought for the study of ECOWAS: new institutional economics and ordoliberalism; The origins and evolution of regional integration in West Africa; The revised ECOWAS Treaty; The exclusion of domestic interests from decision-making within ECOWAS constituent units; The utility of National Courts and private citizens in ECOWAS; Recent centralizing tendencies in the community; Conclusion; Appendix; Index.