West Africa

==Economic and regional organizations==
[[File:Petroleum regions - West Africa map-fr.svg|thumb|upright=1.4|left|Map of [[petroleum]] and [[natural gas]] within West Africa]]

=== Economic Community of West Africa ===
{{Excerpt|Economic Community of West African States}}

=== West African Monetary Union ===
The [[West African Monetary Union]] (or UEMOA from its name in French, ''Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine'') is limited to the eight, mostly Francophone countries that employ the [[CFA franc]] as their common currency. The [[Liptako–Gourma Authority]] of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso seeks to jointly develop the contiguous areas of the three countries.

===Women's peace movement===
Since the adoption of the [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325]] in 2000, women have been engaged in rebuilding war-torn Africa. Starting with the [[Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace]] and Women in Peacebuilding Network (WIPNET), the [[peace movement]] has grown to include women across West Africa.

Established on May 8, 2006, [[Women Peace and Security Network – Africa]] (WIPSEN-Africa), is a women-focused, women-led [[Pan-African]] non-governmental organization based in [[Ghana]].<ref name="About WIPSEN">{{cite web|url=http://www.wipsen-africa.org/wipsen/about/?lang=en-us|title=WIPSEN|access-date=17 October 2014}}</ref> The organization focuses on empowering women to have a role in political and peace governance in Africa.<ref name="About WIPSEN"/> It has a presence in [[Ghana]], [[Nigeria]], [[Ivory Coast]], [[Liberia]] and [[Sierra Leone]]. Regional leaders of [[nonviolent resistance]] include [[Leymah Gbowee]],<ref>{{cite news | title = WIPSEN EMPOWERS WOMEN…To fight for their rights | url = http://todaygh.com/2011/03/14/wipsen-empowers-women-to-fight-for-their-rights/ | date = 11 December 2010 | work = Ghana Media Group | format = article | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110917084605/http://todaygh.com/2011/03/14/wipsen-empowers-women-to-fight-for-their-rights/ | archive-date = 17 September 2011 }}</ref> [[Comfort Freeman]], and [[Aya Virginie Toure]].

''[[Pray the Devil Back to Hell]]'' is a documentary film about the origin of this peace movement. The film has been used as an advocacy tool in post-conflict zones like [[Sudan]] and [[Zimbabwe]], mobilizing African women to petition for peace and security.<ref>[http://www.mediaglobal.org/article/2009-11-01/pray-the-devil-back-to-hell-documentary-serves-as-advocacy-tool-in-post-conflict-zones/ November 2009 MEDIAGLOBAL] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100710093803/http://www.mediaglobal.org/article/2009-11-01/pray-the-devil-back-to-hell-documentary-serves-as-advocacy-tool-in-post-conflict-zones/ |date=2010-07-10 }}</ref>