Securitization of non-traditional security threats by the economic community of West African States (ECOWAS), 1999-2009

Abstract

This study examines the securitization of non-traditional security threats by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) between 1999 and 2009. The study identifies the transnational security threats and their salience in the sub-region; it extrapolates the threats on the security agenda of the ECOWAS; and it examines the security actors and their perception of security threats in the sub-region. The study also assesses the effectiveness of the securitization mechanisms (policies, instruments and institutions) adopted by the sub-regional body to deal with the threats and analyzes the challenges in the implementation of the securitization mechanisms. The study asserts that in line with the perception of the securitizing actors, the ECOWAS has securitized small arms and light weapons, terrorism financing, smuggling, money laundering and political threats. However, environmental threats manifested in desertification, pollution, rising sea-level, deforestation, transnational pandemic diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS, refugees, internally displaced persons, natural resource conflicts, religious fundamentalism, ethnic separatism and poverty exacerbated by political corruption are yet to be securitized by the ECOWAS. These ‘soft threats’ pose serious security challenges to the sub-region. The study argues that threats emanating from environmental insecurity have imposed resource conflicts which result in high death rates and forced migration of peoples across the sub-region. Poverty and corruption have also undermined security in the sub-region. The study recommends a holistic regional environmental security (RES) framework to deal with the devastating effect of environmental threats, poverty, and corruption in order to safeguard human security in the sub-region. This study is significant as it extends the securitization theory to West Africa by combining discourse analysis with empirical data and interviews sourced in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Senegal and Togo to ascertain the securitization of security threats by the ECOWAS