ABUJA — The ECOWAS Parliament has called for tougher laws, stronger regional cooperation and urgent economic reforms to tackle rising cases of irregular migration and human trafficking across West Africa.
The lawmakers made the call following a citizens’ engagement on migration and modern slavery held across The Gambia, where stakeholders warned that the crisis is worsening amid growing unemployment and poverty in the region.
According to a statement issued at the weekend, the engagement, conducted in Banjul, Bakau, Brikama and Barra from July 6 to 10, 2026, brought together parliamentarians, government agencies, community leaders, returnees and young people.
Presenting the findings, Hon. Billay Tunkara said the exercise reinforced the need for a people-focused approach to policymaking. He stressed that “sustainable solutions must go beyond border enforcement to include job creation, youth empowerment, skills acquisition and community development.”
Participants identified unemployment, poverty, low income and lack of access to education and vocational training as key drivers pushing young people into dangerous migration routes.
They also pointed to family pressure, peer influence and misleading portrayals of success on social media as factors encouraging risky journeys.
Survivors and returnees shared experiences of deception, trafficking, forced labour, abuse and psychological trauma, with the Parliament noting that their testimonies could help discourage others from embarking on similar paths.
The lawmakers warned that awareness campaigns alone would not solve the problem without concrete investments in employment, entrepreneurship, agriculture and access to finance.
They also expressed concern over the profitability of migrant smuggling and what they described as weak sanctions against traffickers, calling for stronger legislation, improved law enforcement and enhanced cross-border intelligence sharing.
Among key recommendations, the Parliament urged ECOWAS Member States to expand youth employment programmes, strengthen vocational education, and support reintegration of returnees through skills training, psychosocial care and economic opportunities.
The lawmakers further advocated integrating migration education into school curricula and leveraging religious institutions, traditional leaders and the media to deepen awareness.
They also proposed institutionalising Parliamentary-Student Engagements across Member States to boost citizen participation and evidence-based policymaking.
The ECOWAS Parliament emphasised that irregular migration and human trafficking remain complex regional challenges requiring coordinated action, noting that enforcement measures alone cannot deliver lasting solutions.
