Economic Partnership Agreements and Regional Trade Flow Dynamics: The ECOWAS Case

The Cotonou Agreement, signed in June 2000, has as its central objective "reducing and eventually eradicating poverty consistent with the objectives of sustainable development and the gradual integration of the ACP countries into the world economy" (article 1). Yet, several voices have spoken up to question the means of achieving this result and, ultimately, the real intentions behind the provisions contained in the Cotonou Agreement. (...)