The Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, is an economic and political bloc with 15 member nations that

as of 2019 had an estimated total population of more than 387 million people. The guiding

ambition of this union is to achieve collective self-sufficiency, the member nations trading between

themselves and able to grow economically together

with a shared collection of understandings and norms sustaining that unity, among them,

maintaining stability, security, and since the 1990s at least, democracy in the region.

Since 1990, 78% of the 27 coup d'eataz in sub-Saharan Africa have occurred in

former French colonies, and a band that stretches across this region has become known as the

Ku Belt, referring to West Africa and the Sahel, which stretches coast to coast across a

northern portion of the continent, sharing a rough climate

and some historical and cultural norms as well. Almost all of the successful coups in Africa

have occurred along this belt, and Eco-Waz, which is located on the coup belt, has been trying

to rebrand the region, converting it from a place of near constant tumult and uncertainty and military rule,

or the threat of military overthrow, to a place that is stable,

where member nations look out for each other, come to each other's assistance when necessary,

and grow their economies, and the well-being of their

citizenry through collaboration and that mutual support.

All of which sounds great, and there have been some notable successes from this approach

over the decades since it was originally formed in 1975.

But a trio of nations, Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso, were suspended from the Union in May and September of 2021 and January of 2022, respectively, following military coups that changed their leadership.

The new leaders of these nations, in some cases, preemptively closing their borders and cutting off relations with

their former Ikouaz allies. A fourth nation, Niger, was recently booted from Ikouaz as well,

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