The ECOWAS Commission held a meeting on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, in Abuja with a delegation from the Embassy of Sweden to discuss regional labour migration governance and the ECOWAS free movement regime.
The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on ongoing and planned regional initiatives aimed at strengthening labour migration governance, enhancing safe, orderly and regular migration, and supporting the effective implementation of the ECOWAS free movement protocols. Further discussions were anchored on recent developments in the Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP), following the approval of the third phase of the Programme by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
The Swedish delegation was led by Mr. Joachim Beijmo, Head of Regional Development Cooperation in Africa at the Embassy of Sweden in Addis Ababa, and accompanied by Ms. Agnes Geijer-Farah, Programme Manager at the Embassy of Sweden responsible for Migration and Development within SIDA’s Regional Strategy, and Ms. Ann Sofie Fofana Rahmqvist, Programme Manager for Peace, Security and Resilience at the Embassy of Sweden in Dakar. The meeting also brought together senior officials from the ECOWAS Commission’s Directorate of Free Movement and Directorate of Humanitarian Affairs, underscoring the Commission’s integrated approach to migration governance, mobility and regional development.
Discussions by both parties highlighted the importance of regional cooperation, policy coherence and institutional coordination in advancing labour mobility as a driver of development, peace and stability in West Africa. The Swedish delegation reaffirmed Sweden’s commitment to supporting ECOWAS-led efforts in migration governance and free movement through strategic partnerships and programme-based cooperation.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to sustain dialogue and collaboration in the implementation of the JLMP Phase III and related regional frameworks.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
