Power and regional security: A comparative discourse on ECOWAS and SADC

Abstract

The paper discussed the power indices in the ECOWAS and the SADC, which accounted for their timeous response to security threats and violent outbursts in their respective regions. ECOWAS is seen as a historical model of sub-regional integration and human security organisation, given its engagement in several conflicts arising from its weak states, while SADC has focused on containing threats emerging from the relics of settler colonialism with periodic convulsion in its domain. The study identifies the indices of power within these two regions and their nexus to achieve regional security goals. It adopted a case study research design and relied on data from secondary sources, which were presented qualitatively and analysed with content analysis technique. It made a discourse on the uniformity and differences between power indices in ECOWAS and SADC and concluded that strengthening of existing institutions is imperative. Besides, revolutions in the industrial and technological capacities of the sub-regions are necessary for the achievement of set regional security goals.