CC BY
19
Omo-Ogbebor O.D.
Ph.D. student of department of theory and history of international relations, Peoples' Friendship University of Russian (PFUR).
Comparative analysis of the contribution of Nigeria and Russia to the growth of regional organizations (case study of ECOWAS and CIS)
The start of the 21st century acknowledged the significance of regional organizations in the contemporary world order, and the important contribution of state actors toward regional organizations to ensure political stability, social-economic advancement in the world. The end of the cold war was a watershed in the history of the world generally1 [James, 2010:240]. This provided the opportunity for existing regional organizations to grow, and the emergence of new ones. Similarly, the appeal by an established governmental institution such as the United Nations (UN) for regional integration was to allow developmental spread in the world thereby creating an opportunity for regional groupings to progress.
Accordingly, the international system attempts to encourage state actors within the contemporary international economic relations make a shift from competition to collaboration, largely through the globalizing effect of regionalism as "one of the dominant features of the contemporary global economy"2 [Mansfield, e 'tat, 1999, p.164] Thus, this demand placed an increasing level of expectations on regional state actors to provide the right leadership direction capable of promoting regional political stability, social-economic, and infrastructural development. Most regional actors are now seen as arbiter and enforcer in regional affairs, while inter-governmental organization as an agent of state actors in the globalization nexus.
The emerging of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1975 as an inter-governmental regional organization is largely attributed to the tireless effort of Nigeria to make it a reality after an attempt in 1965 failed to yield any result. ECOWAS is the largest intergovernmental grouping in the West African region, aside from other existing groupings in the region such as the UEMOA, WAMZ, MANO River Union, and Lake Chad Basin which were formed based on the
1 James Mann, The Rebellion of Ronald Regan: A History of the End of the Cold War. New York: Penguin Books, 2010, p. 240.
2 Mansfield, E. D. and Milner, H. V., The New Wave of Regionalism. New York: Columbia University Press, 1999, p. 164.
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political, ideological, and economic divide.
ECOWAS has undergone various changes since its formation to remain relevant and meet contemporary challenges as the symbol of modern West African integration process despite the different political ideologies, cultures, tribes, languages, and religious affiliation among its member states. According to Lavergne, "regional or sub-regional integration as an imperative for African countries to achieve sustainable growth and development soon"3 [Lavergne, 1991:18].
ECOWAS has made various efforts towards building regionalism in West Africa, especially within the context of neoliberal economic paradigm in which removal of barriers to market access and other factors of production is the main concern"4. Subsequently, ECOWAS has expanded beyond its mandate as an economic union at inception into other spheres in the region. ECOWAS is famously known for its peacekeeping force 'ECOMOG' established in the 1990s to halt the deteriorating security situation in the region through its peacekeeping missions in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea Bissau. Subsequently, ECOWAS has restored political order in the region once known for its harvest of military coups through its protocol mechanism on prevention and unconstitutional change of government.
The significant contributions of Nigeria towards ECOWAS became necessary because of the myriad of interconnected crisis that threatening the peaceful co-existence of the countries in the region and ECOWAS as the leading regional organization especially, in the 1990s and 2000s. The development requires a stronger anticipation, prevention and response capacities from a state actor like Nigeria. In the assessment of Akintola, Africa was the centerpiece of Nigeria's foreign policy with emphasis on the emancipation, development, and unity of Africans both within and outside the continent"5[Akintola, 2007:439]. Which means Nigerian contributions to ECOWAS regional integration process is based on its Afrocentric foreign policy doctrine built around its West African neighbors, and to demonstrate its relevance in the West Africa Sub-region and Africa. Nigerian contributions to ECOWAS regional growth since its establishment in 1975 are well doc-
3 Lavergne Real, Regional Cooperation in West Africa: A Multidimensional Perspective. Trenton, New Jersey: Humanity Press Publication, 1991, p. 18.
4 Draft on ECOWAS Community Development Program (CDP) by ECOWAS Commission Macroeconomic Policy Department. Abuja: ECOWAS Secretariat, 1st December 2012. http://events.ecowas.int/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/CDP Doc_Draft1_ EN_Translated_070313.pdf
5 Akintola Bukola, Nigeria and the World: A Review of Nigeria's Foreign Policy (1960-2007). Lagos: The Nigerian Army Quarterly Journal, Vol. 4, December 2007. p. 439.
umented and acknowledged throughout the region and outside, especially in peacekeeping missions, political interventions and economic liberalization process.
The highpoint of Nigerian contributions towards ECOWAS is during ECOMOG peacekeeping operations in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cote d'lvoire, and Guinea Bissau civil wars whereby Nigerian sent in the largest military troops, personnel, and logistics to the peacekeeping operations. While Nigerian has equally helped to restore political stability in the West African region through ECOWAS political disputes resolution mechanism by intervening in politically troubled countries. Nigerian ensued ECOWAS member states are placed on an equal footing in all things except in financial contributions to the Community which is another big achievement for Nigeria, bearing the burden when it comes to carrying out the political assignment in the region"6 [Nwoke, 2005:111].
Nigeria played a significant role to ensure ECOWAS agreement on free movement of goods and people within West African region among ECOWAS member states became a reality to fast track ECOWAS trade liberalization process. Nigerian is the major financial contributor to ECOWAS which has sustained the existence of the organization since its creation in 1975, the financial aids from Nigeria enabled the organization to carry out its programs and execute projects.
Subsequently, the events in the last decade of the 20th century changed the geopolitics of the world, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the disintegration of the Soviet Union, and the end of the military-political confrontation between the two systems - capitalist and socialist, the US and the USSR, the West and the East. The aftermath of these events led to many reformations in the world, such as the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on December 8, 1991 comprising of countries of Ex-Soviet Union, namely: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan7.
The treaty declaration of Commonwealth of Independent States placed the member of the union on equal balance, in which they unanimously adopted the Declaration of Alma-Ata, which inveterate the willingness of the former Soviet republics to cooperation in various areas of foreign
6 Nwoke C.N., Nigeria and ECOWAS, in Ogwu U. Joy, ed., New Horizons for Nigeria in World Affairs, Lagos: NIIA, 2005, P. 111-156.
7 Art No. 31139 Multilateral Charter of the Commonwealth of Independent States (with declaration and decisions). Adopted at Minsk on 22 January 1993 https://trea-ties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%201819/volume-1819-I-31139-English.pdf
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and domestic policy, to safeguard the realization of the international obligations of the former USSR. The Commonwealth of Independent States furthered strengthen the relations of friendship, good-neighborliness, inter-ethnic harmony, trust, mutual understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation between states. The CIS is serving as the medium in resolving issues pertaining to the association to fulfill the CIS Charter which outlines the main objectives of the Commonwealth such as cooperation in political, economic, ecological, humanitarian, cultural, and assistance to citizens of member states in free communication, contacts and movement in the Commonwealth.
Russian membership and active role in the CIS has given the association positive direction, its activities in the CIS is dictated according to its foreign policy documents. Russian Foreign Policy Concept of June 2000 relating to CIS policy decision, indicated the need to form a good neighbor belt along the perimeter of Russia's borders and to form a strategic partnership with all CIS states8 [Brown, 2001, p. 451]. The foreign policy declaration intends to solidify Russian role in the regional organization. Russian activities in CIS are dictated according to the objectives and tasks its set out to accomplish with the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The influence of Russian in CIS is felt most in the spheres of economy, defense, and security, these key areas of Russian interest in the CIS have helped shield the CIS from external interference, also protect the rights of Russians concentrated in the territory of the CIS.
The economic growth of the CIS is expanding based on Russia's policy towards the CIS to create an integrated economic platform that will boost regional trade through the gradual expansion of the Custom Union to provide the CIS members with regional markets to sell their finished products, unquestionably Russia is the largest market base for CIS finished products. Russia is equally using economic cooperation with CIS members to build a strategic political partnership among the members of CIS, though it helps to protect Russia's leading position in the CIS markets. Russia remains the main center of attraction of labor migrants from post-Soviet countries, mainly they are Uzbek, Tajik, Kyrgyz citizens, but not only. Some CIS economies heavily dependent on such remittances of migrants back to their home economics9.
8 A. Brown, Contemporary Russian Politics, Oxford: Oxford University Press, March 2001, p. 451.
9 Ilmira Galimova. The post-soviet space as the sphere of influence of Russia: "Compelling to friendship" mission., Geopolitica.info. 25 February 2016. http://www.geo-politica.info/the-post-soviet-space/
Russian involvement in the CIS activities has ensured political stability and security among union member because of the Collective Security Treaty (CST) on May 15, 1992, and bilateral agreements between the CIS states. The collective security pact seeks from CIS states the fulfillment of the obligation to refrain from participating in alliances and blocs directed against any of these states. This policy has helped secure the borders of CIS and allowed for a conducive environment to do business.
Conclusively, the prevailing arrangement of the world order encourages state actors to take control of the activities of regional organizations, the influence and contribution of Nigeria have sustained the existence of ECOWAS, while Russia, obviously is the backbone of CIS and its influence made the Commonwealth of Independent States relevant as a regional union in the international community. By and large, the activities of both countries have helped in realizing the goals and objectives of their respective regional organizations which have advanced the developmental stride of the West African region and the Ex-Soviet region when viewed from the fact that both countries are powerful state actors in their domains, and can progress without their less natural endowed neighbors based on their huge potentials.
Bibliography
1. A. Brown. Contemporary Russian Politics, Oxford: Oxford University Press, March 2001. - 451 p.
2. Akintola Bukola. Nigeria and the World: A Review of Nigeria's Foreign Policy (19602007). Lagos: The Nigerian Army Quarterly Journal, Vol. 4, December 2007. - 439 p.
3. Art № 31139 Multilateral Charter of the Commonwealth of Independent States (with declaration and decisions). [Electronic resource]. Adopted at Minsk on 22 January 1993 Access mode: https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%201819/volume-1819-I-31139-English.pdf.
4. Draft on ECOWAS Community Development Program (CDP) by ECOWAS Commission Macroeconomic Policy Department. Abuja: ECOWAS Secretariat. [Electronic resource]. 1st December 2012. Access mode: http://events.ecowas.int/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ CDP Doc_Draft1_EN_Translated_070313.pdf.
5. Ilmira Galimova. The post-soviet space as the sphere of influence of Russia: "Compelling to friendship" mission. [Electronic resource]. Geopolitica.info. 25 February 2016. Access mode: http://www.geopolitica.info/the-post-soviet-space/.
6. James Mann. The Rebellion of Ronald Regan: A History of the End of the Cold War. New York: Penguin Books, 2010. - 240 p.
7. Lavergne Real. Regional Cooperation in West Africa: A Multidimensional Perspective. Trenton, New Jersey: Humanity Press Publication, 1991. - 18 p.
8. Mansfield, E. D. and Milner, H. V. The NewWave of Regionalism. New York: Columbia University Press, 1999. - 164 p.
9. Nwoke C.N. Nigeria and ECOWAS, in Ogwu U. Joy, ed., New Horizons for Nigeria in World Affairs, Lagos: NIIA, 2005. - P.111-156.
