By Bayo Ogunmupe
>
> an Arab state in North Africa is seeking membership of the
> Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). She
> applied to join it through an application submitted at the
> 51st ordinary session of ECOWAS heads of state in Monrovia,
> Liberia on June 4, 2017. This is being considered by the 15
> member organization which includes Nigeria. Though no
> decision has been taken, there are media reports that
> elements in ECOWAS had expressed general support for the
> application.
> Though this isn't a
> commitment on the part of ECOWAS to admit Morocco. The heads
> of state directed the ECOWAS commission to examine and
> advise them on the Moroccan application "in the light of the
> provisions of ECOWAS revised Treaty of 1993." The ECOWAS
> commission report will be presented for consideration at the
> 52nd ordinary session of the organization in December this
> year in Lome, Togo. This allows member states adequate time
> for multilateral consultations on the application.
> Nigeria has maintained a
> studied silence on the matter. But there can be no doubt
> about a strong opposition to Rabat's bid to join ECOWAS. But
> first to mouth opposition was Togo's Foreign minister who
> advised his government against supporting the application.
> Based on this, Nigeria has made her reservations on Rabat's
> membership known to other ECOWAS member states. Given
> Nigeria's political, economic and demographic influence in
> West Africa, it is unlikely her views will be ignored.
> Two former Nigerian
> foreign ministers, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi and Ambassador
> Ignatius Olisemeka have in separate fora, expressed their
> opposition to Morocco's bid. The Association of Retired
> Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN) has also opposed
> Rabat's bid to join ECOWAS. Recently, the Abuja and Lagos
> chapters of ARCAN met Nigeria's foreign minister, Geoffrey
> Onyeama with a joint resolution outlining their objections
> to Morocco's bid. The minister assured them that government
> will pay due attention to their objections.
> But what are the grounds
> for objection to Rabat's bid? First, in accordance with its
> statute, ECOWAS was established in 1975 to promote economic
> cooperation among member states of West Africa. Morocco is
> neither in West Africa nor contiguous to it. Morocco is in
> North Africa contrary to the treaty that established ECOWAS.
> General Yakubu Gowon of Nigeria and President Gnassingbe
> Eyadema of Togo were the initiators of the organization.
> Morocco didn't qualify then as now due to its geographical
> location.
> The Abuja Treaty of 1993
> also resolved that ECOWAS was one of five regional groups of
> the African Economic Community (AEC). However, similar
> organizations have been established in Northern, Central,
> Eastern and Southern regions of Africa, all of which are
> thriving. Morocco belongs to the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) of
> North Africa. Its headquarters are in Rabat the Moroccan
> capital. Morocco also belongs to the Arab League. Moreover,
> the Abuja Treaty is opposed to African states joining two or
> more regional economic communities. In effect, it is
> the objective of the African Union to eliminate multiple
> membership of African states in regional unions, for it
> would complicate continental integration.
> Thus, it is clear by
> contiguity and multiplicity of membership that Rabat isn't
> qualified to be a member of ECOWAS. The second reason for
> ECOWAS to reject Morocco is that ECOWAS treaty would have to
> be revised to admit Rabat. And that would be tedious and
> tortuous process that will be divisive and damaging to the
> unity of the organization. Efforts at admitting Rabat
> constitutes a diversion of ECOWAS from the real issue of
> regional integration and monetary union. The AMU
> should offer Rabat adequate platform for economic
> cooperation with her neighbours. So should the Arab League.
> Morocco's admission will dilute and weaken ECOWAS which aims
> at a common currency, the Eco.
> Thirdly, morocco's bid
> to join ECOWAS was meant as a platform for its annexation of
> Western Sahara. It also wants it to subvert the independence
> of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic(SDR). She wants to
> use ECOWAS to bolster her dubious sovereign claims over SDR.
> Moreover, for decades, Morocco had been in open disagreement
> with her neighbours over SDR independence. Thus, her joining
> ECOWAS was designed to enable her annex SDR because of SDR's
> phosphates; mining of which the UN had declared illegal.
> Therefore, admitting
> Morocco will create conflicts that will be against the
> interest of the group. While maintaining good bilateral
> relations with Rabat, ECOWAS should imitate the European
> Union which put Turkey's admission on hold
> indefinitely. Morocco's aims are to weaken ECOWAS in the
> aftermath of the successful deposition of Yahya Jammeh as
> President of Gambia.
>
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