Main area: Migration
Theme: Addressing irregular migration – border management
Assessment: ODA-eligible
Provider country: European Commission
Recipient country: West Africa region (ECOWAS Member States and Mauritania)
Implementing agency: IOM, ICMPD and ILO
Budget (EUR million): 32,43
Year(s): 2024-2029
Purpose code: 15190|13010|16062
Case number: Migration / 7
Support to free movement of persons and migration in West Africa Phase II
The ECOWAS countries are characterised by high mobility due to millions of community citizens and migrants traversing its borders every day. Major challenges towards the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Protocol and Common Approach on Migration at all levels of governance include: (i) Inadequate capacity for policy development and implementation; (ii) Poor border management; (iii) Irregular migration; (iv) Climate change-induced migration; (v) Inefficient migrant protection affecting vulnerable groups in particular (e.g. women, youth, LGBTQI+ individuals); (vi) Overall weak migration data coverage; (vii) Weak civil society structures.
The overall objective is to maximise the development potential of free movement of persons and migration in West Africa by supporting the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Free Movement of Persons’ Protocols. The project focuses on the facilitation of movement within the ECOWAS region and does not involve border control activities aimed at restricting migration. Activities include:
Collaborating with ECOWAS Commission and building their capacity to lead intra-regional dialogue, policy development, harmonization and monitoring the implementation of the protocol.
Collaborating, supporting, and enhancing the capacity of ECOWAS Member States and Mauritania in the multiple areas for migration policy development including data collection and management, border management, labour migration or trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling, among others.
Strengthening the capacity of non-state actors and local authorities to raise awareness and to provide protection services for the benefit of migrants, returnees, and cross-border populations.
Strengthened ECOWAS Commission capacity to engage with key regional stakeholders, advance evidenced-based policy and regional governance frameworks on migration and raise public awareness.
Enhanced migration governance through the operationalization of ECOWAS Migration Policies and Frameworks as well as through the harmonisation and standardisation of practices in Member States.
Increased awareness on the Protocol on Free Movement and Regional Integration Agenda.
Non-state actors and local authorities have increased accessibility to initiatives for the protection of migrants, returnees and cross-border populations’ rights.
This activity is deemed ODA-eligible. The project is in the field of border management, for which Criterion 4 specifies that the boundary between ODA and non ODA-eligible activities is determined based on the primary objective. The civilian activities described in this case build the capacity of developing countries in migration strategy and policy development while pursuing a main developmental goal, aiming at the protection of migrants. Such activities are ODA-eligible as per Criterion 4. To note: Would the project include activities to support border authorities with an objective of restricting migration, these should be excluded from ODA as per Criterion 4 (e.g. border control projects such as border checks and border surveillance).
This work was approved and declassified by the Development Assistance Committee’s Working Party on Development Finance Statistics.
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