aim - to promote regional economic development and integration
regional members - (9) Central Bank of West African States, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo
international/nonregional members - (5) African Development Bank, Belgium, European Investment Bank, France, Germany
West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU): note - also known as
Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA)
established - 1 August 1994
aim - to increase competitiveness of members' economic markets; to create a common market
members - (8) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo
Western European Union (WEU): established - 23 October 1954; effective - 6 May 1955
aim - to provide mutual defense and to move toward political unification
members - (10) Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK; affiliate members - (8) Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland. Slovakia, Slovenia