The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) is a regional economic bloc in Central Africa. In which year did the Economic Community of Central African States come into existence?

Introduction / Context:
The Economic Community of Central African States, often abbreviated as ECCAS, is an important regional organisation aimed at promoting economic integration and cooperation among Central African countries. Dates of establishment of regional economic communities are common topics in international organisations questions. This question asks about the year in which ECCAS came into existence, which is a fact that helps students build a mental map of when different African regional blocs were formed.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The organisation is the Economic Community of Central African States, ECCAS.
We are asked to identify the year in which ECCAS came into existence.
The options given are 1984, 1983, 1982 and 1981.
We assume the question refers to the year of formal establishment of ECCAS as noted in standard reference material used in exams.

Concept / Approach:
ECCAS was created in the early 1980s as part of a broader effort to strengthen regional economic cooperation in Africa. Standard GK references and exam solutions typically mention 1983 as the year when ECCAS was established. While there may be distinctions between the date of signing and the date a treaty enters into force, multiple choice questions usually focus on the widely quoted establishment year. Therefore, to answer correctly, candidates should select the year 1983 from the available options.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that ECCAS is one of several African regional economic communities set up in the late twentieth century. Step 2: Recall from international organisation summaries that ECCAS was established in the early 1980s. Step 3: Among the options 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984, the commonly cited establishment year is 1983. Step 4: Check that no other option matches this standard reference, which confirms that 1983 should be chosen. Step 5: Mark 1983 as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
A student can verify this by consulting charts and tables of African regional blocs, where ECCAS is usually listed with the year 1983. Some sources may also mention that the treaty was signed in 1983 and then entered into force later, but for MCQ purposes the establishment year is the key. Cross checking with independent exam preparation books and summaries of African integration efforts helps confirm that 1983 is consistently used as the answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1984: This year may be associated with treaty entry into force or later developments, but it is not the standard establishment year quoted in most GK references.
1982: This is one year earlier than the documented establishment date and is provided as a distractor.
1981: This year predates the formal creation of ECCAS, so it does not match the correct historical record and is therefore incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the establishment year of ECCAS with those of other African regional organisations, such as ECOWAS or SADC, or with the years when their treaties took effect. Another pitfall is to guess the earliest or latest year instead of the specific one mentioned in textbooks. To avoid such mistakes, aspirants should maintain a concise list of major regional blocs along with their establishment years, and revise this list repeatedly to fix the dates firmly in memory.

Final Answer:
The Economic Community of Central African States came into existence in the year 1983.