The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), yesterday began the validation of the Regional Action Plan for the implementation of the Abidjan Declaration on the eradication of Statelessness in West Africa.
The two-day validation meeting by technical experts from ECOWA countries will scrutinize the action plan adopted in Abidjan two years ago in order to achieve the targets set in the statelessness declaration by 2024.
The validation will entail six strategic support measures that ECOWAS and UNHCR can provide to member states in accordance with Articles 22 and 25 of the Abidjan Declaration, which highlight mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of the commitment made by member states.
The action plan will ensure compliance with relevant legal, policy and institutional frameworks for eradicating statelessness, strengthening data management system for effective response to the challenges of statelessness, free movement of stateless persons, integration and protection, advocacy and sensitization of populations and stakeholders.
Delivering her address at the opening of the meeting, Liz Kpam Ahua, Regional Representative of UNHCR, said significant progress has made since the Abidjan Declaration.
“Three states have newly acceded to international Statelessness Convention. National actions to end statelessness have been developed by 12 states, with three officially adopted, including one at the presidential level and reform of national legislation is underway in 7 countries,” she said.
She, however, noted that over one million people in West Africa are still stateless while 60 million people lack documentation proving their identity or nationality.
“Statelessness has considerable cost in terms of human rights, security and social and economic development,” she added.
Ms Ahua noted that the workshop was crucial in the fight against statelessness in the region, indicating that as the UN agency mandated to prevent and reduce statelessness around the world and protect the rights of stateless people, the UNHCR will continue to support ECOWAS to win the battle against statelessness.
Dr Fatimata Dia Sow, Commissioner of Humanity Affairs, ECOWAS, said the meeting aligns with the focus of ECOWAS on the challenges of statelessness and the way forward, as many have been denied the right due to gaps in nationality laws.
She challenged member states to fight this cause collectively for the future and safety of the region.
Mia Fatty, Minister of Interior the Gambia said, stressed the need to eradicate statelessness because it retards development in many ways.
“Collective problem calls for collective solution, our ability to cooperate is key to ending statelessness in West Africa, and we cannot talk about regional integration if there is the issue of statelessness,” he said.
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