33rd 3ordinary Session of the Head of State and GovernmentOuagadougou, 18 January 2008
Date of Publication
2008 12:00 AM
Security Theme
Migration
Keywords
Migration, Migration, africa, asylum seekers, migrants, ECOWAS
Description
ECOWAS Member States launched a process to establish a regional economic zone. In 1979, they adopted a Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and the Right of Residence and Establishment. The protocol, along with the supplementary texts later added, testifies to member countries’ determination to place the free intra-regional movement of persons at the heart of the regional integration process. West African citizens are among the world’s most mobile populations. Population censuses indicate that the region’s countries now harbour approximately 7.5 million migrants from other West African countries – i.e. almost 3% of the regional population. From the West African viewpoint, the objective is to establish a link between migration and development, define its negative impacts and give priority to the following six questions: - How can the gains of intra-regional mobility be promoted and how can free movement within the ECOWAS zone be guaranteed? - How can mobility be supported and local development in departure zones and other potential host areas be encouraged? - How can regular migration to third countries be optimised, notably in Africa, Europe, North America? - How can irregular migration be brought under control effectively? - How to protect migrant’s and asylum seekers rights? - How to include the gender dimension in migration policies giving the growing number of women migrants? Fully aware of the issues involved in migration, the 30th Ordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, held in Abuja in June 2006, mandated the ECOWAS Commission to define a common regional approach on migration. Meeting in Ouagadougou on 20 December 2006, the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council reaffirmed this priority, requesting the Commission President to: «pursue the consultative process for the definition of a common approach to the management of intra-regional migration and migration to Europe in all its dimensions». In executing this mandate, the ECOWAS Commission initiated a strategic thinking process with a view to defining a common regional approach on migration.
33rd 3ordinary Session of the Head of State and GovernmentOuagadougou, 18 January 2008
ECOWAS Member States launched a process to establish a regional economic zone. In 1979, they adopted a Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and the Right of Residence and Establishment. The protocol, along with the supplementary texts later added, testifies to member countries’ determination to place the free intra-regional movement of persons at the heart of the regional integration process. West African citizens are among the world’s most mobile populations. Population censuses indicate that the region’s countries now harbour approximately 7.5 million migrants from other West African countries – i.e. almost 3% of the regional population. From the West African viewpoint, the objective is to establish a link between migration and development, define its negative impacts and give priority to the following six questions: - How can the gains of intra-regional mobility be promoted and how can free movement within the ECOWAS zone be guaranteed? - How can mobility be supported and local development in departure zones and other potential host areas be encouraged? - How can regular migration to third countries be optimised, notably in Africa, Europe, North America? - How can irregular migration be brought under control effectively? - How to protect migrant’s and asylum seekers rights? - How to include the gender dimension in migration policies giving the growing number of women migrants? Fully aware of the issues involved in migration, the 30th Ordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, held in Abuja in June 2006, mandated the ECOWAS Commission to define a common regional approach on migration. Meeting in Ouagadougou on 20 December 2006, the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council reaffirmed this priority, requesting the Commission President to: «pursue the consultative process for the definition of a common approach to the management of intra-regional migration and migration to Europe in all its dimensions». In executing this mandate, the ECOWAS Commission initiated a strategic thinking process with a view to defining a common regional approach on migration.