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The ECOWAS Parliament has called for stronger regional cooperation, tougher anti-trafficking laws and expanded economic opportunities for young people following a parliamentary citizens’ engagement on the dangers of irregular migration and modern slavery held in The Gambia.
The engagement, conducted in Banjul, Bakau, Brikama and Barra from July 6 to 10, 2026, according to a press statement over the weekend, brought together parliamentarians, government institutions, community leaders, returnees, survivors and young people to examine the growing challenge of irregular migration across West Africa.
Presenting the mission’s findings, Hon. Billay Tunkara said the exercise reaffirmed the Parliament’s commitment to a people-centred approach that places the concerns of citizens at the heart of regional policymaking.
According to him, sustainable solutions must go beyond border enforcement to include job creation, youth empowerment, skills acquisition, family support and community development.
He noted that participants identified unemployment, poverty, low incomes, inadequate access to education and vocational training, and limited economic opportunities as the primary drivers of irregular migration.
The consultations also revealed that family expectations, peer influence and misleading portrayals of successful migrants on social media continue to encourage many young people to embark on dangerous journeys despite the well-known risks.
Participants heard firsthand accounts from returnees and survivors, whose testimonies highlighted experiences of deception, human trafficking, forced labour, detention, abuse, family separation and severe psychological trauma.
The Parliament observed that these survivors can play a vital role in discouraging irregular migration by sharing their experiences within communities.
The engagement further concluded that awareness campaigns alone would not address the problem unless accompanied by sustainable employment, entrepreneurship support, agricultural development, vocational training and improved access to finance for young people.
Participants also stressed the need for comprehensive reintegration programmes that provide psychosocial care, skills training, business support, employment opportunities and community acceptance for returnees and trafficking survivors.
Concern was equally expressed over the profitability of migrant smuggling and what participants described as weak legal sanctions against traffickers. They called for stronger legislation, improved law enforcement and enhanced cross-border cooperation to dismantle organised criminal networks.
Among its key recommendations, the ECOWAS Parliament urged Member States to invest more in youth employment, technical and vocational education, agriculture and entrepreneurship while expanding access to affordable financing for young people and returnees.
The parliamentarians also advocated stronger intelligence sharing among security agencies, improved border surveillance, accelerated passage of immigration legislation where necessary, and a review of anti-trafficking laws to address emerging migration trends.
They further recommended integrating education on irregular migration and human trafficking into school curricula, strengthening public awareness through religious institutions, traditional leaders, civil society and the media, and encouraging families to stop financing irregular migration.
The lawmakers also called for greater use of sports, arts and community dialogue to educate young people on the dangers of irregular migration and appealed for stronger support for the reintegration of returnees into their communities.
As part of efforts to sustain citizen participation, the ECOWAS Parliament proposed institutionalising Parliamentary-Student Engagements across Member States to promote evidence-based policymaking, parliamentary oversight and greater public involvement in migration governance.
The parliamentarians concluded that irregular migration and human trafficking remain complex regional challenges requiring coordinated action by governments, parliaments, communities, civil society organisations, development partners and families, noting that enforcement measures alone cannot provide lasting solutions.
