The ECOWAS Parliament held a delocalised meeting on August 26, 2024, in Banjul, The Gambia, with an official opening by the Gambian Speaker of the National Assembly, Rt. Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta. The purpose of this meeting is to further the implementation of the ECOWAS flagship Protocol on Free Movement and its Supplementary Acts, which aim to facilitate the movement of people, right of residence, and establishment of businesses by Community Citizens across the region.
Addressing the 5-day session, The Gambia’s Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration, and Employment, Baboucarr Joof, reiterated his country’s dedication to regional integration principles. Joof urged ECOWAS Parliamentarians to provide strong legislative support for the protocol and collaborate closely with national governments to overcome any implementation hurdles.
The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima, underscored the essential role of parliamentarians in realizing the protocol. She called on policymakers and stakeholders to work together in addressing challenges and developing coordinated policies to fully leverage the benefits of free movement in the region.
“To achieve our objectives, policymakers and stakeholders must work together to identify challenges and propose solutions that will maximize the benefits of free movement on regional and national levels through coordinated policies and actions,” she emphasized.
During the session, a presentation on the Free Movement Protocol and its Supplementary Acts was delivered. The ECOWAS Director of Free Movement of Persons and Migration, Mr. Albert Siaw-Boateng, represented by Mrs. Massandjé Toure-Litse, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, pointed out factors hindering the protocol’s implementation in the region. He emphasized the need for enhanced synergy among ECOWAS Institutions, especially the ECOWAS Parliament and stakeholders, to advance the Protocol’s implementation in Member States, crucial for deeper regional integration and economic cooperation within the ECOWAS Space. He also stressed the importance of Member States deploying the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) and implementing the abolishing of the 90-day stay policy, as agreed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government, along with domesticating all related Free Movement instruments.
The ECOWAS delegation in Banjul will engage in Townhall meetings with Market Traders, Transport Union, Women, and Youth, and visit the Amdallai, The Gambia – Karang, Senegal border. The meeting is scheduled to conclude on August 30, with a communiqué detailing key recommendations and decisions to be submitted to the ECOWAS Commission and Parliament for further action.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).