Monrovia – The Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Better Future Foundation (BFF), has called on member states of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), to embark upon pre-migration preparedness programs.
Report by Macaulay Sombai,[email protected]
Mr. Augustine Arkoi said in this era of cyber and labor migration, ECOWAS countries need to strategically position their citizens in local communities with the requisite technical and professional skills and financial empowerment that would enable them to equally compete with migrants including refugees and other asylum seekers on local, regional and global job market in the areas of education, commerce and trade.
Speaking at the Experts Meeting of the Migration Dialogue for West Africa (MIDWA), on August 24, 2016, at Hotel Novotel in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Mr. Augustine Arkoi also underscored the need for national governments to reinforce collaboration and cooperation with civil society organizations across the sub-region as partners for the full and effective implementation of ECOWAS protocols and conventions.
He further told the conference delegates that civil society organizations (CSOs) in West Africa should be supported in holding accountable national governments for rectification and enforcement of ECOWAS protocols and conventions to enhance free movement of community citizens, goods and services.
The BFF Founder further stressed the need for regional governments to embark on information and intelligence sharing in tracking the covert movements and activities of not only terrorist groups and their collaborators but, others who are involved with illicit drugs trade, human trafficking, money laundering, and other acts of criminality which are inimical to regional peace, security and stability.
Mr. Arkoi emphasized the significance of improved dialogue, collaboration and sustainable engagement of civil society organizations (CSOs) through the revitalization of Non-State Actors (NSA) participation in the regional integration of ECOWAS that was launched in 2010 in Abuja, Nigeria.
According to the BFF CEO, an inclusive role of Civil Society organizations (CSOs) is not only consistent with ECOWAS Vision 2020 that gravitates towards meeting the common needs of its community citizens under the umbrella: “ECOWAS of the People” but as well as engaging future governments in member countries to ensure firm commitment to policy of continuity with focus on the rectification and implementation of ECOWAS protocols and conventions.
Mr. Arkoi, on behalf of the civil society of Liberia, applauded ECOWAS, under the leadership of H. E. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, for organizing the forum which was dedicated to fostering Dialogue and Cooperation on Migration Challenges and addressing other critical issues such as security including the escalating terrorist attacks in West Africa.
The BFF President, at the same time, lauded Free Movement for Migration (FMM) West Africa Project and the Migration Dialogue for West Africa (MIDWA), with funding support from European Union (EU), International Organization for Migration (IOM), International Labor Organization (ILO), and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) for organizing the dialogue which he described as a good initiative.
He paid glowing tribute to the Government of Liberia (GoL), through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning for the opportunity accorded the Liberian civil society to participate in the regional migration dialogue.
Meanwhile, in its Final Report, the Security Ministers Meeting held at the migration dialogue conference discussed and made amendments to the Final Report and Recommendations of the Experts meeting held on 23 and 24 August, 2016, and subsequently advanced a number of recommendations for approval by ECOWAS Council of Ministers.
The security Ministers’ meeting called for the establishment of a Steering Committee for Migration Dialogue for West Africa (MIDWA), appointment of national Secretariats in Member States, and the creation of seven Focus groups in relation to migration.
The Focus groups included Border management, trafficking cross- border crime; Diaspora, West African Communities and /or nationals; Professional mobility and student exchange; Climate Change, Land degradation, desertification.
Others were Environment and Migration; Gathering and Analyzing Migration statistics Data; Return readmission and reintegration; and Cooperation and Partnership among others