West Africa: Ecowas Commits to Joint Fight Against Trafficking in Person

23 October 2024
The New Dawn (Monrovia)

The sub-regional body ECOWAS has announced its commitment to strengthen the fight against trafficking in person in the region.

The ECOWAS Regional Network of National Focal Institutions Against Trafficking in Persons Plus (RNNI-TIP+), at its 16th Annual Review Meeting in Monrovia, committed to strengthening collaboration, cooperation, and partnership in the fight against trafficking in persons and other related crimes in the region.

The Group, among other things, strongly urged the ECOWAS Commission to strengthen the institutional capacity of Member States regarding the relationship between TIP and related criminal offences and, therefore, advocated for increased capacity development across different structures within the framework of trafficking in persons and related criminal offences.

The Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Dr. Sintiki Tarfa Ugbe, in her Welcome Address delivered by Mr. Olatunde Olayemi, Program Officer, Social Dimension of Anti-Human Trafficking on behalf of the Director, emphasized the significance of the Annual Review Meeting as a vital tool for tracking Member States' efforts in the fight against human trafficking in the region. He said that the meeting also serves as a forum to identify gaps, share experiences and foster collaboration amongst focal institutions in fighting the menace of human trafficking activities.

Other dignitaries who attended the Opening Ceremony included Deputy Minister Hon. Steve Kolubah, representing Liberia's Minister of Labour and Chair of the Trafficking in Persons Taskforce in Liberia; H.E. Josephine Nkrumah, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Liberia; Hajiya Hauwa Adamu, Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Nigeria as the current Chair of the Authority of the ECOWAS Heads of State; and Dr. Mojisola Sodeinde, Head of Region, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) West Africa.

Mr. Steve Kolubah highlighted Liberia's relentless efforts in combating human trafficking through strategic initiatives like awareness campaigns, enhanced victim protection, and international partnerships. "However, no country can win this fight alone. Our collective efforts, shared knowledge, and unity of purpose are critical to safeguarding the future of our children, families, and communities," he emphasized. Echoing these sentiments, H.E. Josephine Nkrumah highlighted the need for a holistic approach. "Trafficking in persons demands a whole-of-society approach with renewed urgency," she said. She urged all the participants to work together, amplify awareness efforts at all levels, and leverage innovative approaches to make their efforts impactful.

Dr. Mojisola Sodeinde reinforced the importance of collective action, noting, "as we gather here in Monrovia, we are reminded of the power of unity. The challenges we face are immense, but the progress we've made is a source of hope."

The 3-day meeting featured presentations by Member States on the implementation of the 2023 TIP Priorities and ECOWAS TIP 2018-2028 Plan of Action, as well as their 2025 Priorities, which showed progress in the combat of TIP+ despite many challenges. Some recommendations proffered include the need for Member States to strengthen cross-border referral mechanisms and protocols to ensure effective referrals, enhanced awareness-raising efforts regarding the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol, and strengthening the capacity of the National Task Forces (NTF) and National Focal Points (NFP) in implementing National Action Plans.

The meeting urged the ECOWAS Commission to organize an inter-ministerial meeting on TIP+ to strengthen coordination and collaboration on regional efforts in addressing TIP+, also requested the ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with partners like the ICMPD, to facilitate targeted experience-sharing sessions on emerging or critical topics, such as child trafficking in the context of armed conflicts; and produce technical guidance for Member States. It validated in principle (subject to the agreed-upon revisions) the Model National Task Force Guidelines and the Regional TIP and Related Criminal Offences Strategy, formerly known as the Regional Crimes Against the Person Prevention Policy.

The meeting also provided the needed platform for Member States to seek clarifications on the ECOWAS Fund for Support to Victims of Trafficking in Persons. The fund, administered through the International Organization for Migration, will provide about $35,000 to 12 Member States each to complement existing victim support initiatives. ECOWAS hopes that this will prompt Member States to explore the possibility of attracting further contributions from the private sector and Civil Society in setting up or strengthening their Victims of Trafficking in Persons Trust Funds. Participants at the meeting included representatives of the ECOWAS Commission, member states' anti-TIP focal institutions, ICMPD, GIZ, IDLO, and other partners.

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