ECOWAS Launches EU-Funded Migration Initiative to Boost Regional Integration

Victor Itodo Abuh February 21, 2025

ECOWAS Launches EU-Funded Migration Initiative to Boost Regional Integration

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has inaugurated the second phase of the European Union (EU)-funded project, Support to Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa (FMM II). The initiative aims to strengthen the free movement of citizens within West Africa, fostering economic growth and regional integration.

Speaking at the event, ECOWAS Vice-President, Mrs. Damtien Tchintchibidja, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to ensuring unrestricted movement and promoting trade and economic development across the sub-region.

The event was organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), and the ECOWAS Commission.

Tchintchibidja emphasized that the FMM project is designed to implement the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol, which facilitates the movement of persons, goods, and services within the region. According to her, the initiative demonstrates a renewed commitment to migration governance and regional mobility as pillars of development.

“During the first phase of the project, we made significant progress in enhancing migration governance, strengthening border management, and operationalizing the free movement protocols,” Tchintchibidja stated.

She further highlighted the achievements of the first phase, which included policy harmonization, labor mobility facilitation, and improved border management. However, she noted that more work is needed to fully harness the benefits of migration for regional security and economic mobility.

“This requires a structured, coordinated approach at both national and regional levels. We are optimistic that FMM II will serve as a vehicle for addressing new migration challenges while capitalizing on emerging opportunities,” she added.

The second phase of the project will focus on enhancing migration governance frameworks, improving coordination mechanisms, and promoting data-driven policy-making for safer and more efficient cross-border mobility.

The Head of Cooperation at the European Union (EU), Mr. Massimo De Luka, also spoke at the event, emphasizing that the five-year project is aimed at maximizing the development potential of free movement in West Africa.

“The basis for cooperation and coordination on improving free movement of persons and migration in West Africa has been established. The second phase will deepen cooperation in enhancing migration governance and further commit to regional integration,” De Luka said.

Meanwhile, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Massandjé Toure-Litse, praised the progress made during the first phase, aligning with ECOWAS’s broader mission of regional integration. Represented by Mr. Albert Siaw-Boateng, Director of Free Movement of Persons at ECOWAS, Toure-Litse reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to sustainable development and migration governance.

“This milestone reaffirms our collective commitment to regional integration, migration governance, and sustainable development, which are core principles that underscore the ECOWAS mission,” Toure-Litse stated.