ECOWAS Committee Advocates For End To Residence Permit Requirement

ECOWAS Committee Advocates For End To Residence Permit Requirement

The committees of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) focusing on Social Affairs, Gender and Women Empowerment, Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Political Affairs, Peace, Security, and the African Peer Review Mechanism (MAEP), along with those on Legal and Human Rights, Trade, Customs, and Free Movement, have recommended the abolition of the residence permit requirement within member states……CONTINUE READING 

Naija News reports that the joint committee submitted their recommendation to the ECOWAS Commission and member states in a draft report following their delocalized sessions held in Banjul, The Gambia, on Thursday.

The ECOWAS Residence Permit, also known as the ECOWAS Residence Card, is a document issued to citizens of member states who wish to live in another ECOWAS country for an extended period, whether for business, employment, or personal reasons. This system was established under the ECOWAS Treaty signed in May 1975, which aimed to promote economic integration and cooperation among West African nations, including provisions for the free movement of people within the region.

However, the joint committee argues that the residence permit system obstructs the free movement of citizens across the region. The report, pending plenary approval, recommends that “the issuance of residence permits should be completely abolished in the region in conformity with the Community Text.”

Parliamentarians have previously expressed concerns over the lack of implementation of the ECOWAS free movement protocols at borders throughout West Africa. In response, the joint committee has called for comprehensive awareness campaigns to educate citizens and government officials about regional agreements, including the Protocol on Free Movement. The report emphasizes that the Free Movement Protocol should be made available to all immigration officers, particularly at border posts, and that training for Immigration and Customs officials should include the relevant Community Texts.

Additionally, the parliamentarians have urged the deployment of officials at border posts to monitor, document, and report incidents of extortion and other forms of misconduct. The report also calls on the ECOWAS Commission to ensure that member states effectively implement all Community Texts ratified by Heads of State and Government, with a particular emphasis on the ECOWAS Biometric Identification Card.

The parliamentarians have also requested that the ECOWAS Commission and Parliament undertake a review of all ratified Community Texts at the national level to minimize discrepancies between regional agreements and national laws.

Earlier this week, the joint committee organized a town hall meeting with stakeholders and held an interactive session with border officials in The Gambia and Senegal to assess the implementation of the ECOWAS free movement protocols and to identify the challenges hindering their full execution.