The 1993 Revised Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) introduced key structural reforms to enhance regional integration by incorporating supranational features. Which of the following statements best describes how the 1993 Revised Treaty expanded institutional authority while accommodating the persistent principle of member state sovereignty?
- It established binding legal authority for decisions of the Community Court of Justice on member states, though execution remains dependent on political compliance by sovereign member nations.Answer
- BIt transferred supreme legislative control over member state fiscal budgets to the ECOWAS Parliament, granting the central authority absolute sovereignty over national assemblies.
- CIt permanently merged national armed forces into a unified ECOMOG standing army, revoking the coercive power of member state defense ministries.
- DIt abolished domestic supreme courts across West Africa and empowered the Council of Ministers to act as the primary court of appellate trial litigation.
Answer
It established binding legal authority for decisions of the Community Court of Justice on member states, though execution remains dependent on political compliance by sovereign member nations.
The 1993 Revised Treaty of ECOWAS sought to overcome integration bottlenecks by introducing supranational principles, most notably making rulings of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice binding on member states and establishing an autonomous Community Levy for funding. However, because member states retain ultimate political sovereignty and domestic legal jurisdiction, enforcing community rulings depends on the political goodwill and domestic legislative alignment of member nations.
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Supranationalism vs Member State Sovereignty under the 1993 Revised ECOWAS Treaty