Analysis of Norm Diffusion in the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States

Since its establishment, the African Union (AU) has developed norms for protection, promotion of democratic governance, and human security, as well as a broad architecture for peace and security on the continent. Although the processes for developing these norms have been variously studied, the influence of regional blocs on norm generation and how that in turn affects the diffusion of norms from the AU to the regional blocs has received minimal focus. Using data from secondary sources and participant observation, this paper examines the relations between the AU and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), especially in the area of peace and security. It argues that the formation of norms on peace and security in Africa has not been unidirectional and suggests that the AU’s norms on peace and security have been heavily influenced by ECOWAS’s experiences of the 1990s. The resulting similarities, it notes, have made the diffusion of norms from the AU to the ECOWAS relatively easier. This notwithstanding, significant challenges remain in enforcing the norms. The study concludes that disregarding these challenges can devalue the potential benefits of norm diffusion within Africa.