Xenophobia and the Paradox of Regionalism in Africa: The West African Experience

Xenophobia often manifests as creeping resentment of those who are seen as not belonging, such as immigrants, or as hostilities between groups within a state, fear or phobia toward others, and as the product of fanaticism, extra-nationalism or prejudice against non-natives. For some, it is a thinly veiled mechanism to protect the indigenous economy from domination by non-locals. In Africa, cross-cultural hostilities and violence against foreign nationals have contributed to the difficulties associated with building prosperous economic blocs such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Incidents of xenophobia have weakened efforts to implement the ECOWAS Protocol, which allows for the integration of the West African citizenry, thereby impeding sustainable development in the region. There is a rich literature on the security-development nexus. Xenophobia has become a potent threat to regional peace and stability in West Africa, and Africa at large. This chapter historicizes xenophobic attitudes in West Africa, examines the convergence between xenophobia and economic development, and explores how xenophobic attitudes impede serious attempts at integration in the region. It concludes that intolerance and a crisis of identity, in the form of xenophobia are an impediment to ECOWAS integration and Pan-Africanism. Also, the chapter decries institutional support for xenophobia and the indifference of Africa’s supra-national institutions and calls for a multilateral approach to combat xenophobia on the continent.