ECOWAS, FMM West Africa Holds Workshop For Trainers On Regional Border Management

ECOWAS with support from the FMM West Africa project has organized a capacity building program for some selected trainers to effectively rollout the ECOWAS Regional Border Management and Free Movement Manuals.

The program which was also supportedby the International Organization for Migration (IOM), international Centre for Migration Policy Development and ILO in Accra from 19th to 22nd March, 2018 is the first of the three series of the Train the Trainer Workshop as part of the implementation of the ECOWAS flagship Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Goods, Services and Capital of 1979.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Chief Director of the Ministry of the Interior, Adelaide AnorKumi, who spoke on behalf of the Minister, Ambrose Derry said Border Management is critical in the overall success of this protocol and therefore requires a harmonized and standardize techniques for officers who man these borders.

She noted that it is refreshing to know that, the training will be done usingthe ECOWAS Training curriculum and trainers guides as reference materials thereby making it more relevant and appropriate to suit our domestic needs.

MrsAnorKumiindicated that the Border Patrol Unit of the Ghana Immigration Service has been provided with additional logistics and their capacity built for effective and efficient patrol of the borders.

To further boost border control and security, she said a Secured Border Management System (SBMS) has been installed at the Kotoka International Airport to facilitate passenger processing and information security.

She recognized the strides from the implementation of the protocol on free movement however cannot lose sight of its attendant dangers.

Adelaide AnorKumi added that the recent attacks by insurgents in Mali, Cote D’Ivoire and recently Burkina Faso and also the perpetuation of organized crimes by nationals of other countries in host Member States is an attestation of the threat.

According to her, it therefore requires collaborative efforts from Member states and the International community to fight the canker.

The Director of Free Movement & Tourism, ECOWAS Commission, Albert Siaw-Boateng noted that ECOWAS through its Consortium of Partners(Implementers) with the ECOWAS -EU fund aims to maximise the development potential of Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa by supporting the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Protocol.

He indicated that FMM project has supported ECOWAS to develop a Regional Border Management Training and free Movement End User Manuals aimed to enhance capacities of border operatives and other government officials in achieving a more harmonised border management throughout the region.

According to him, the Free Movement Manual covers the notion of rights of entry, Residence and establishment but also the civil,economic, and social rights necessary for its realisation.

MrSiaw-Boateng added that as part of the Implementation of the Protocol, ECOWAS has launched the Regional Mechanism for the removal of harassment along ECOWAS Highways draws inspiration from the mechanism initiated by Confédération des Syndicates de ConducteursRoutiers de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CSCRAO) domiciled in the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire which has been adjudged as a best practice and panacea to the incessant cases of harassment to mobility in the region.

“We are also very aware of the remarkable confidence and support the Cote d’Ivoire model has garnered amongst Member States especially in Nigeria and ECOWAS Strategic partners leading to the adoption of the model by Heads of States of ECOWAS for replication in eight Member States namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Togo and Côte d’Ivoire and will be subsequently followed by others,” he stated.

He indicated that migration initiatives remain critical in harmonizing approaches to the resolution of migration related challenges within and outside the region.

According to him, the recent adoption of the ECOWAS National Biometric Card by our leaders is a conscious effort to address key migration challenges associated with identity management and data.

He added that it is also envisioned to facilitate mobility, reinvigorate intra-regional trade and stress the concept of community citizenship.

In seeking to accelerate the attainment of a borderless community, MrSiaw-Boateng said the ECOWAS commission is disposed to activate public participation in the protocol implementation with the use of enormous human resources that are present in our region.

He however posited that meaningful development cannot be achieved with the prevalent cases of harassment of our community citizens in our common territories. The issue of harassment to mobility in the community has been a critical challenge that our leaders view with utmost importance.

MrSiaw-Boateng mentioned the issue of harassment which is unarguably giving the community a negative image in the comity of nations, particularly in areas trade, intra-regional mobility and tourism.

“I can assure you that thereafter every effort shall be made by the ECOWAS Commission to monitor closely to ensure that all cases of extortion of community citizens are eliminated, this we believe will encourage all Member States to replicate best fit practices which has a great potential to contributing significantly to integration and development of our region,” he intimated.

The ICMPD Coordinator and Team Leader for the ICMPD West Africa Office, MojisolaSodeindenoted that ICMPD within the framework of the FMM West Africa Project is implementing this comprehensive Border Management Action in all ECOWAS Member States.

To support this capacity building initiative, she indicated that ECOWAS commissioned two training manuals, the Regional Border Management Training Manual and the Free Movement Manual.

According to her, these manuals aim to provide regional tools to enhance the capacities of border operatives and other government officials in achieving a more harmonized border management practice throughout the region.

She added that it willalso support the full implementation of the ECOWAS Free Movement protocol.

“The Border Management Training Manual is cognizant of existing initiatives across the West Africa region, infused with international best practices to present the final draft which will continue to be updated as needed,” Mojisola Sodeinde intimated.

She emphasized that the Free Movement manual covers the ECOWAS protocol on the right of entry, residence and establishment, also it covers the civil, economic and social rights necessary for its realization.

According to her, this training of trainers’ workshop is the first of three-regional training activity for selected border officials from five ECOWAS Member states: Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Benin and Niger.

She concluded that at the end of the training, the five participants from each member state are expected to plan and execute a step down training for Officers at their National Training Academies.