Ecowas Parliament moves to tackle irregular migration, trafficking in Gambia

The Ecowas Parliament is stepping up pressure on irregular migration and human trafficking in The Gambia with a new regional citizen-engagement drive aimed at confronting the dangerous routes, criminal networks, and economic desperation pushing young people into perilous journeys.

The move comes as The Gambia continues to record high levels of interception, rescue, and repatriation linked to smuggling routes that stretch across coastal communities and into neighboring countries.

The Gambia has become one of the West African departure and transit points most affected by irregular migration, while authorities have repeatedly warned that traffickers and smugglers are exploiting vulnerable families, recruitment networks, and weak border controls to move people toward the Atlantic route and other dangerous pathways.

The Ecowas Parliament’s intervention is seen as a response to a fast-growing regional crisis that is already overwhelming national enforcement systems.

The Parliament’s engagement will focus on the drivers of irregular migration, the human trafficking dimension, and the need for stronger public awareness, legal coordination, and community-level prevention. The Parliament’s mission started yesterday in Banjul with an engagement with the Ecowas Representative in The Gambia Madam Miatta Lily French at her office in Fajara.

Welcoming the delegation, Ambassador French said migration, whether legal or otherwise, is becoming a problem.

She added that because of the importance the regional body attached to migration, during the last Ecowas Day celebration the Ecowas Ambassadors Solidarity Forum and her office came together to do a sensitisation programme on migration.

“So I think this is coming at a very timely moment because we are recognising where the problems are and I am happy that the Ecowas Parliamentarians are taking this on because it has to be a regional effort.”

The Head of Gambia’s Delegation to the Ecowas Parliament, Billay Tunkara said the mission is envisaged to support efforts in the areas of irregular migration, trafficking and drug abuse.

He said the mission will join hands with all relevant government institutions during the four day engagement to establish the problems and proffer solutions.

“We have realised the need to ensure that we support our young people by addressing these issues to avoid nurturing a society which will be marred with chaos and uncertainty,” he added.

 Tunkara said the issues of irregular migration, trafficking and drugs were identified as fundamental problems affecting The Gambia just like the rest of the region.

“But because The Gambia and Senegal appeared to be the route where citizens and youths from various other countries both within West and Central Africa try to pass through to Europe so the delegation feels that it is very pertinent,” he said.

Dr Mohammed Kabeer, Director of Parliament Affairs and research at the Ecowasparliament said the mission wants to identify the drivers including poverty, limited economic opportunities, insecurity, environmental pressures and aspirations for better living conditions.

“The idea of proposing this citizen engagement is to provide a platform for members of the Ecowas Parliament to interact directly with citizens particularly young people, community leaders, returnees, CSOs, and relevant institutions with a view of raising awareness, understanding community concerns and promoting informed citizens participation in efforts aimed at addressing irregular migration and trafficking in persons,” he said.  

Representatives from the Ecowas Parliament, Gambia Immigration Department, NAATIF, National Youth Council and IOM-Gambia delivered presentations on the challenges and efforts being taken to address these challenges.