International Journal of Research in Social Sciences

This paper examines the roles ofinterventionist policiesof the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the attainment of regional integration within West African and East Asian sub-regions respectively. The paperis qualitative in approach and adopted the historical and descriptive research methods of investigation. From our analysis, it wasrevealed that while the non-interventionist policy adopted by ASEAN promoted integration and resulted in increased performance in regional integration, the interventionist policy displayed by ECOWAS has not resulted in an improved performance in regional integration. Moreover, while ASEAN has participated in the peace process of many member-states including Cambodia, ECOWAS displayed act of interventionism in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea which has resulted in discriminations, disharmonies and dichotomy between the Anglophone and Francophone States. Consequently, the paper recommended, among others, that since integration tends to strive in the atmosphere of peace, ECOWAS should follow the ASEAN way by not intervening in the internal affairs of member-states if the desired unity that would lead to integration is to be achieved.