ECOWAS Sensitises Customs, Police Officers, Union Leaders, Students and Border Officials on the Biometric ID Card in Côte d’Ivoire

The ECOWAS Commission through the Directorate of Free Movement of Persons & Migration launched advocacy and sensitisation campaigns in Member States targeted at Community Citizens, Non-State actors as well as Border Officials on the use and benefits of the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) and other relevant texts. The two-day sensitisation and advocacy took place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire from October 02 to 03, 2023.

Mr. Albert Siaw-Boateng, the Director of Free Movement of Persons & Migration of the ECOWAS Commission, highlighted the laudable strides that have been recorded since the adoption of the ENBIC. He added that six (6) Member States have currently deployed the ENBIC fully, while others are at advanced stage of deployment.

Mrs. Sandra Folquet, Head of the ECOWAS National Office in Côte d’Ivoire, represented by Manuela Tanoh, Programme Manager for Economic Affairs and Market Integration at the National Office, thanked the ECOWAS delegation for the initiative to organize this multi-sectoral awareness workshop on the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card in Côte d’Ivoire.

The two-day advocacy and sensitisation campaign, brought together Trade Unions, Union of Citizens of ECOWAS Member States, Union of Journalists of Côte d’Ivoire, and the Board of Employers of Road Transport Companies in Côte d’Ivoire. Others include Custom Officers, National Police and Gendarmerie Officers, and Officials from the National Institute of Public Hygiene. The session afforded participants to be acquainted with the numerous benefits of ENBIC not only to the individuals but also the Member States and the region as a whole.

Recall the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government within the context of facilitating intra-regional mobility in a safe, secure, and orderly manner, adopted the machine-readable ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) in 2014 as an official travel document to replace the hand-written ECOWAS Travel Certificate.