ABUJA – Interior, immigration, and border management ministers from across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have pledged to strengthen harmonised migration governance and integrated border management throughout the region.
The commitment was made during the Migration Dialogue for West Africa (MIDWA) meeting held in Abidjan, according to a statement released on Monday. The high-level gathering was organised by the ECOWAS Commission through its Directorate of Free Movement of Persons, Migration and Tourism, with support from the International Organization for Migration.
Organisers said the meeting marked a significant step toward securing political ownership and endorsement of strategic recommendations developed over the past two years through technical consultations and regional assessments conducted under the FMM II Programme. Those consultations focused on border management, migration data collection, as well as the intersection of migration, environment, and climate change issues within the region.
A major outcome of the meeting was the formal endorsement of the Border Management Strategy and Action Plan by the ministers, the statement added.
The ministers also agreed on several key priority actions. These include the establishment of an integrated platform to connect Border Management Information Systems, aimed at improving data storage, coordination, and interoperability among member states.
Furthermore, they expressed commitment to ensuring the mutual acceptability of the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) at all air, land, and sea borders across the region by December 2026.
According to the organisers, this initiative is expected to strengthen regional integration, facilitate free movement, and improve border security management within the ECOWAS sub-region.
