ECOWAS parliament seeks grassroots solutions to irregular migration

The ECOWAS Parliament has intensified efforts to combat irregular migration and human trafficking by taking its campaign directly to communities in The Gambia and Senegal, saying grassroots engagement is essential to developing more effective regional policies to address the growing crisis across West Africa.

The regional parliamentary-citizen engagement campaign was officially launched in Banjul, The Gambia, marking the first phase of a two-country outreach programme that will run in The Gambia from July 6 to 10 before moving to Dakar, Senegal, from July 13 to 17.

Organised by The Gambia’s Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament with support from the Parliament’s General Secretariat, the initiative brings together lawmakers, ECOWAS officials, government agencies, development partners, youth organisations, returnees, traditional leaders and the media to promote safer migration and strengthen the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery.

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Head of The Gambia’s Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament and Fourth Deputy Speaker, Billay G. Tunkara, said the programme demonstrates the Parliament’s commitment to moving beyond legislative deliberations to engage directly with communities affected by irregular migration.

According to him, the engagement complements the Gambian government’s efforts to address irregular migration, human trafficking and the socio-economic challenges facing young people, stressing that sustainable solutions can only be achieved through active community participation.

ECOWAS Resident Representative in The Gambia, Miatta Lily French, described irregular migration and human trafficking as transnational challenges that require stronger collaboration among member states.

She called for sustained public awareness campaigns and coordinated regional action to protect vulnerable people from exploitation by trafficking networks.

Representing the ECOWAS Parliament, Director of Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Kabeer Garba, commended the Gambian delegation for initiating the outreach, noting that direct interaction with citizens would provide lawmakers with firsthand knowledge of the realities driving irregular migration across the sub-region.

He said recommendations emerging from the consultations would strengthen parliamentary advocacy and support the formulation of more responsive regional policies against trafficking in persons and modern slavery.

Presentations at the opening ceremony highlighted the scale of the migration challenge confronting West Africa.

Officials of The Gambia Immigration Department disclosed that migrant interceptions, voluntary returns from North Africa and deportations from Europe increased during the first half of 2026. They noted that The Gambia continues to serve as a country of origin, transit and destination along the Atlantic migration route, with women and children becoming increasingly vulnerable within mixed migration flows.

The National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons also warned of emerging forms of exploitation linked to irregular migration, including child labour, forced labour, sexual exploitation and online scam operations, calling for greater investment in prevention, victim protection, criminal investigations and cross-border cooperation.

Similarly, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that The Gambia is increasingly being used as a transit point along the West African Atlantic Route, citing overcrowded boats, changing coastal departure points and the growing involvement of women and children in dangerous migration journeys.

The ECOWAS Parliament expressed optimism that the engagement would generate practical recommendations to reinforce the region’s response to irregular migration and human trafficking while promoting safer migration pathways and better protection for vulnerable populations across West Africa.