By Mariatou Ngum
The Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, Hon. Baboucarr Ousmaila Joof, has challenged authorities of Member States to commit to total adherence to the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence, and Establishment in the ECOWAS region, in order to realise their common aspiration of having an ‘ECOWAS of people’.
Minister Joof made this call last week during the opening ceremony of the ‘Delocalised meeting of the Joint Committee on Trade, Customs and Free Movement, Social Affairs, Gender, Women Empowerment & Persons with Disabilities, Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Political Affairs, Peace and Security, and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)’, organised by the ECOWAS Parliament.
The theme for the joint meeting was: ‘Parliament’s Role in the Implementation of the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence, and Establishment in the ECOWAS Region’.
According to the minister, the Protocol is a cornerstone of the ECOWAS’ vision for a unified West African region; noting that it embodies their commitment to creating a borderless community where individuals can move freely, establish businesses, and reside across member states without unnecessary restrictions. This vision, he added, does not only promote economic growth and development but also fosters greater cultural and social integration among our citizens.
As the minister responsible for Regional Integration matters, Minister Joof on behalf of the President of the Republic of The Gambia, His Excellency Adama Barrow, extended sincere thanks and appreciation to the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, and the President of the ECOWAS Parliament, for their commitment to strengthening regional integration.
“The agenda for regional trade integration is important for The Gambia like the rest of the other member states; therefore it is strongly recognised in our National Development Blue Print: Recovery Focused National Development Plan 2023-2027. Given this consideration, the Government of The Gambia, through my Ministry, has consistently demonstrated commitment towards the implementation of the ECOWAS Brown Card for motor insurance, the ECOWAS Biometric Passport and identity card with the potential to improve the free movement of persons, right of residence, and establishment in The Gambia. My Ministry closely collaborates with The Gambia Immigration Department and the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Bureau to sensitise and raise awareness about the Free Movement Protocol throughout the country every year,” he stated.
He stressed that the successful implementation of the Protocol is a shared responsibility that demands active and informed participation from all sectors of the societies; and that “Parliaments as the representatives of our people and the architects of our laws, have a crucial role in this endeavour”.
