"The international economy has been affected during the last two years by a succession of crises ... While economic policies were being envisaged so as to curb the effects of this double crisis, another crisis broke out: a financial one with more severe effects ... In this difficult international business environment, it is advisable to ponder over the impact of all these disturbances on the economies of ECOWAS countries in general and over the process of macro economic convergence in particular." (Quoted from "Introduction")