The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mohamed Ibn Chambas, participated in the third Pan African Forum on Migration which took place from 15 to 17 May 2017 in Kampala, Uganda.

The Forum which was held under the theme “towards an African Common Position on the Global Compact on Migration”, aimed at developing a draft outcome document expressing African common position on migration. This contribution will be used as input to the global Compact on migration to be adopted in 2018.

In recent years, irregular migration and smuggling of migrants from the sub-saharan Africa towards Europe, via West Africa has significantly increased.

During the forum, Mohamed Ibn Chambas stressed the importance of regional coordination and highlighted UNOWAS commitment to support ECOWAS in the implementation of its Common approach on Migration and forthcoming Regional Migration Policy. “We will support ECOWAS to raise awareness on migration-related challenges in West Africa and the Sahel to facilitate Member States attaining a unified and cohesive regional position at the Global Compact negotiations,” said Mr. Ibn Chambas.

This Pan African Forum on Migration is a joint initiative of the African Union Commission, the Regional Economic Communities, with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).