Japa: ECOWAS moves to stop irregular migration of African youths

The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS Parliament, on Wednesday, decried the irregular migration of youths from the subregion in search of greener pastures in Europe and other developed countries.

ECOWAS Parliament Speaker, Memounatou Ibrahima, stated this during the 2024 First Ordinary Session of the parliament in Abuja.

Ibrahima noted that the youths mostly emigrate through irregular means, adding that strategies must be adopted to halt the dangerous trend in the region.

She urged Members of Parliament to propose ways to invest in the skills and capacity of West African youth and explore their potential for the subregion’s benefit.

The exodus of youths, otherwise called the ‘Japa Syndrome’ in Nigeria, has led to the loss of African skilled youth to Europe and other developed countries.

Ibrahima’s submission was sequel to the presentation at plenary by Teresa Boteli (Policy and Liaison Officer) of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Boteli had spoken about the emigration of African youth through dangerous routes to Europe and North America.

Boteli said the dangerous journeys have exposed the youths to numerous risks, including human trafficking, exploitation and death.

She added that an estimated 5,000 migrant deaths were recorded in 2023 alone.

She said that while migrants contribute to cultural exchange and diversity, they also face significant challenges in terms of integration, discrimination, and legal hurdles in their destination countries.

An estimated 300,000 West African migrants often use perilous routes through the Sahara Desert and across the Mediterranean Sea annually, according to the IOM report in 2023.