Raphael Oni
In the bid to ensure a borderless community within the sub region, the ECOWAS Parliament is organizing a delocalized meeting on the theme: ” Parliament’s role in the implementation of the protocol on the free movement of persons, right of residence and establishment in the ECOWAS region”.
The crucial meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Joint Committee is underway in Banjul, The Gambia, focusing on implementing the Protocol on Free Movement. The five-day meeting brings together parliamentarians from across West Africa to discuss challenges and opportunities in achieving a borderless community. The joint Committee on Trade, Customs and Free movement/ Social affairs, Gender, Women empowerment and Persons with disabilities/ Legal affairs and Human rights / Political affairs, Peace, Security and African peer review mechanism (APRM), will be setting out agenda for a borderless community.
Hon. Baboucarr Ousmaila Joof, The Gambia’s Minister of Trade, emphasized the protocol’s importance in achieving ECOWAS’s vision of a unified region. He urged parliamentarians to support the protocol and work closely with governments and regional institutions to address challenges.
Rt. Hon. Hadja Memounatou Ibrahim, Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, highlighted parliamentarians’ critical role in implementing the protocol. The meeting aims to discuss the protocol’s implementation, challenges, and opportunities, as well as the need for coordination and collaboration among member states.

The protocol seeks to create a borderless community where individuals can move freely, establish businesses, and reside across member states without restrictions. Despite challenges, ECOWAS parliamentarians are optimistic about regional integration.
Hon. Billy G. Tunkara, Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, expressed commitment to making the ECOWAS vision a reality. The meeting is expected to conclude with a communiqué outlining key recommendations and decisions for consideration and implementation by the ECOWAS Commission and Parliament.