Morocco is taking strong steps to join the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS), and this has attracted mixed reaction from the member states of the organisation especially Nigeria who sees Morocco in Ecowas as a threat to her influence in the organisation and also admittance of a State that doesn't fall inside the geographical region referred to as West Africa as against what the body stand for.
A Nigerian Lawyer, Femi Falana while speaking during a public hearing at the instance of joint committees on Foreign Affairs and integration and cooperation in Africa adviced strongly against allowing morocco to join the body stressing that it may necessitate change of name and may have a negative effect on Nigeria by allowing a country outside West Africa and at the doorstep of Europe into the Organisation.
Based on the African Development Bank (ADB) model where 23 non-regional members from Europe, Asia and America were allowed to join, it is possible to allow morocco which is a North African state to join but before considering this, let us consider the 5 impact it may have on Nigeria, other member states and Ecowas as a whole.
* Though Nigeria's economy and population is larger than that of Morocco but Morocco has more technological advantage and this can be a double edged sword for Nigeria and other member states. The technological advantage morocco has will give her the advantage of a better production capabilities at a lower cost than any other Ecowas member and make goods from morocco a better option due to lower price in the west African Market thereby affecting patronage of the goods from other African States. This however may trigger Nigeria and other member states to increase and improve her production, infrastructure to counter whatever moroccans have and this will lead to a healthy competition which will improve the West Africa technologically and economically.
* Secondly, Morocco has a non-tariff economic pacts with European Union(EU) and allowing her into the organisation may open up West African market to flood of goods from EU through Morocco. The opening of West African market to goods from EU will lead to massive job loss and the closing down of many companies in Africa due to the availability of a cheaper option from Europe in the market.
* Morocco admittance into the organisation may be the end of Nigeria's status as the most important member of the organisation. Morocco though not with an economy as large as that of Nigeria or the population, but morocco is rich enough to pump as much funds into the organisation as Nigeria who are the major sponsor of the Organisation besides Ghana and this may diminish Nigeria's influence but this can also be very good for Ecowas as the admittance of a country as strong and relevant in Europe and the middle east as morocco may give ECOWAS more international recognition.
* Morocco in Ecowas may just be the passcode for the increase of francophone influence. France influence on her formal colonial possession in West Africa is still very strong as their Foreign Policy, Economy, Banking Sector are to a great extent controlled by France but due to their Population (less than 30% of Ecowas population) and size of their economy (less than 15%) this has not affected ECOWAS administration and policy formulation but the introduction of morocco with its huge France connection will see France lay claim to bigger stakes in the affairs of the organisation and will give her bigger opportunity to influence the policy of the Organisation.
* Morocco in Ecowas may be detrimental to the growth of Nigeria's manufacturing sector and this will seriously affect Nigeria's drive to diversify from Oil and lead to massive loss of jobs in the manufacturing sector.
* Morocco may also be joining the organisation for her personal territorial interest as they still claim the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) which was part of morocco before the European Colonisation of West Africa as part of her territory. Colonist agenda may be at the fore front of Morocco plan for the organisation.
*Lastly, The unstable nature of morocco may have a catastrophic effect on the organisation. for example, Morocco excused herself out of the African Union(AU) 33 years ago before rejoining early 2017 for an insignificant reason and this type of actions may have negative effects on other member states especially Nigeria if they are allowed into the Ecowas
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