SUPPORT FOR THE FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS AND MIGRATION IN WEST AFRICA
Source of funds: 10th EDF (2013/023-123)
Decision date: 15/10/2012 (FA signature: 09/04/2013)
Total budget: 26.45 MEUR (EU - 26 MEUR; counterpart - 0.45 MEUR)
Implementing period: 81 Months (31/05/2013 to 28/02/2020 a no-cost extension is ongoing until
31/08/2020)
Implementing agency: IOM, ICMPD, ILO
Geographical region: West Africa
Objective: The overall objective is to improve free movement of persons and migration management in West
Africa by supporting the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Free Movement of Person's Protocols and the
ECOWAS Common Approach on Migration.
Main results to date:
Expected results:
· Strengthen the capacities of the ECOWAS Commission to lead an intra-regional dialogue on free
movement and migration issues and act as a platform for policy development and harmonisation;
· Strengthen the capacities of national institutions of ECOWAS Member States and Mauritania in the
areas of migration data management, migration policy development, border management, labour
migration and counter trafficking;
· Non-state Actors and local Authorities are actively engaged in information and protection activities for
the benefit of migrant and cross-border populations.
Main activities:
· Capacity-building activities of the two key ECOWAS Commission Directorates: Free Movement of
Persons and Humanitarian and Social Affairs;
· Develop guidelines on regional and national referral mechanisms of ECOWAS network of national focal
points;
· Capacity-building activities targeting key institutional counterparts at the national level through a
Demand Driven Facility;
· Support projects of non-State Actors and Local Authorities;
· Recruitment of 3 ECOWAS Staff.
Main accomplishments to date:
· Successfully conducted Annual Migration Dialogue for West Africa (MIDWA) meetings and the set- up of
framework for MIDWA institutions (WG/Secretariat) in collaboration with ECOWAS;
· Conducted two policy oriented studies on pastoralism and irregular migration that contributed to
ECOWAS position paper for the 2015 Valetta meeting;
· 12 national migration profiles that led to the current development of the Regional migration profile;
· Development of a draft Regional Migration Policy;
· Provided capacity buildings and skills development on migration policy development and management
for national institutions (1 regional training and 3 nationals trainings in Guinea, Ghana and Benin);
· Strengthened capacity and coordination to monitor and report on member states’ implementation of
the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocols. A monitoring and evaluation mechanism, as well as guidelines
and training materials for implementation developed;
· Recruitment of 3 ECOWAS Staff completed;
· 3 Heads of Immigration meetings organized;
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· A comprehensive Regional Border Management and Free Movement training package for the ECOWAS
Commission and the Member States;
· Successful finalization of the ECOWAS TIP action plan;
· ECOWAS Annual Synthesis Report on Trafficking in Persons;
· Exchange visit of 6 senior officials of Togolese Government in charge of implementing the national
labour migration strategy study visit to Tunisia;
· Technical validation of the national referral mechanism for victims in Niger;
· Organisation of the first meeting between the Nigerien Agency in charge of combating trafficking
(ANLTP) and NAPTIP in Abuja;
· 4 national step-down trainings (Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger and Sierra Leone) for a total of 100 border
Officials on the ECOWAS Border Management and Free Movement Manuals;
· Finalised the Movie Production on Free Movement;
· Supported PAIGAS outreach activities on irregular migration in 6 NYSC Orientation camps in Nigeria
(Edo, Delta, Lagos, Kano, Jigawa and Ogun);
· Regional Steering Committee meeting on the operationalisation of the Regional Monitoring Mechanism
on Free Movement of Inter-State Buses, Persons and Goods.
Main issues:
· Low ownership of MIDWA by the Member States;
· Need to find an exit strategy and opportunities for sustainability after the end of the project.