Sierra Leone Hosts 10th ECOWAS Heads of Immigration Meeting, Calls for Stronger Regional Border Cooperation
Aaron Parker Sierra Leone has hosted the 10th Annual ECOWAS Heads of Immigration Meeting, with immigration chiefs and key stakeholders from across West Africa calling for stronger regional cooperation, harmonised border procedures and practical implementation of free-movement policies.
The two-day meeting, held from November 3–4 at the Bintumani Conference Centre in Freetown, was organised under the theme, “From Policy to Practice: Deepening Regional Integration through Harmonized Migration and Border Management.”
In his welcome address, Sierra Leone’s Chief Immigration Officer Dr. Moses Tiffa Baio, welcomed delegates and expressed hope that the meeting would move beyond policy discussions to produce practical solutions and tangible resolutions that would improve immigration service delivery across the region.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of President Julius Maada Bio, Minister of Internal Affairs Morie Lengor reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to regional integration and urged ECOWAS member states to translate existing free-movement agreements into meaningful benefits for citizens.
He acknowledged persistent challenges at regional borders, including delays, unofficial payments and inconsistent recognition of travel documents, stressing that legitimate travellers must be able to move freely while authorities strengthen efforts against human trafficking, smuggling, document fraud and transnational crime.
The Minister outlined five major reforms being undertaken by Sierra Leone: replacing the 1965 immigration law with the proposed Sierra Leone Immigration Service Act, 2026; transforming the Immigration Department into a more professional service; expanding digital immigration services, including biometric residence and work permits and e-Visa facilities; decentralising passport services; and strengthening border security and infrastructure.
He also proposed five commitments for ECOWAS member states, including the recognition of National Biometric Identity Cards at all official border posts, interconnected immigration databases, coordinated border operations, zero tolerance for extortion and stronger joint action against cross-border crimes.
He called for each commitment to have a responsible institution, implementation timeline and progress report for presentation at the 11th Annual Meeting.
In a goodwill message, International Organization for Migration (IOM) Chief of Mission, Dimanche Sharon, emphasised that regional integration must be measured by the actual experiences of travellers rather than the number of policies adopted.
Citing regional migration data, she disclosed that approximately 92 per cent of migrants and travellers moving within ECOWAS countries between 2021 and 2023 originated from within the region, underscoring the importance of free movement to regional integration.
She identified three priorities: using reliable migration data to guide investment and measure progress, ensuring consistent recognition of travel documents across member states, and placing travellers at the centre of border reforms.
Sharon proposed four measurable outcomes ahead of the next meeting: national implementation plans for the ECOWAS Border Management Strategy; effective recognition of National Biometric Identity Cards at official border crossings; submission of 2024 and 2025 national migration data to the ECOWAS Commission; and a regional progress scorecard to monitor implementation.
She reaffirmed IOM’s commitment to supporting member states through technical assistance and capacity development under the European Union-funded Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa Programme, Phase Two (FMN2).
Also speaking, ECOWAS Commission Director of Free Movement of Persons and Migration, Albert Siaw-Boateng, described the 1979 ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement as a cornerstone of regional integration but stressed that its success depended on effective implementation at national and border levels.
He called for common operational standards, improved information exchange, stronger institutional coordination and adequately equipped immigration services, noting that the treatment of travellers and the consistent application of immigration procedures at border crossings would determine the success of the regional free-movement agenda.
The ECOWAS representative reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to working with member states and development partners to strengthen migration governance and advance regional integration.
The meeting is expected to produce actionable recommendations to address existing border management challenges and ensure that the benefits of ECOWAS free movement are felt by ordinary citizens across West Africa.
Declaring the meeting officially open, Minister Lengor urged immigration authorities to uphold ECOWAS’s founding vision of a West Africa without barriers, ensuring that borders remain open to legitimate travellers while protecting citizens from criminal activities.
