Question

Difficulty: MediumEconomic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Under the organizational framework of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which principal organ functions as the supreme authority responsible for giving general policy directives and supervising the overall implementation of Community goals?

  1. The Authority of Heads of State and GovernmentAnswer
  2. B
    The Council of Ministers
  3. C
    The ECOWAS Commission
  4. D
    The Community Court of Justice

Answer

The Authority of Heads of State and Government
The Authority of Heads of State and Government is the highest organ of ECOWAS. It is composed of the leaders of all member states and is constitutionally charged with directing, controlling, and establishing general policies for the entire West African community.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the institutional hierarchy of ECOWAS organs.
ECOWAS has several main organs including the Authority of Heads of State and Government, the Council of Ministers, the ECOWAS Commission, the Community Parliament, and the Community Court of Justice.
Understanding the division of powers within regional organizations is essential for evaluating governance responsibility.
2
Determine which organ holds supreme policy-making and directive power under the ECOWAS Treaty.
Article 7 of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty designates the Authority of Heads of State and Government as the supreme institution of the Community.
Member state leaders retain ultimate policy authority over regional decisions.

Key Concept

Supreme Decision-Making Body of ECOWAS
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