The 3rd Annual Meeting of the ID4Africa Movement27th April, 2017, Windhoek, Namibia.

Regional Identity In The ECOWAS Region

CROSS-BORDER & REGIONAL IDENTITY MANAGEMENT

5/4/2017 Footer 2

A. ECOWAS of the People

B. Migration in West Africa

C. ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol

D. ECOWAS Passport

E. ECOWAS Travel Certificate

F. ECOWAS Biometric Card

G. Other Interventions

H. Future Perspective

I. Conclusion

Contents

5/4/2017 Footer 3

A. ECOWAS of the People

5/4/2017 Footer 4

- Historically, West Africa was always a region of high human mobility - West African Migration is principally intra-regional

-Migrants Profiles are changing and becoming more diversified

- Migration will continue to be a defining element for ECOWASPopulation growth – more than doubled by 2050 ( over 600 million)More than 60% of the population under 24 years of ageUrbanization process – 60% of population in cities by 2020 – 2025

B. Migration in West Africa

5/4/2017 Footer 5

• Citizens of the Community shall have the right of entry, residence and establishment and Member States undertake to recognize these rights of Community citizens in their territories in accordance with the provisions of the Protocols relating thereto.

• Member States undertake to adopt all appropriate measures to ensure that Community citizens enjoy fully the rights referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article.

• Member States undertake to adopt, at national level, all measures necessary for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Article.

Free movement is entrenched in Article 59 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty of 1993 on Immigration:

C. Supporting Legal & Institutional Policy Framework

5/4/2017 Footer 6

Protocol on Free Movement Decision on Free Movement

A/P1/5/79 relating to Free Movement of Persons, Residence and EstablishmentA/P3/5/82 relating to the definition of community citizenA/PSP.2/7/85 on the code of conduct or the implementation of the protocol on Free Movement of Persons, the right of residence and establishment (obligation of Member States in facilitation of the implementation) Rights and obligation of Member States

A/DEC.1/5/2000 relating to the adoption of an ECOWAS Passport

Final Communique, Abuja Summit March, 2000 for the creation of Borderless region.

Decision A/DEC.5/10/98 Relating to the regulations on Transhumance between ECOWAS Member StatesRegulation C/REG.3/01/03 Relating to the implementation of the regulations on Transhumance between the ECOWAS Member States.

A/SP.1/7/86 on the second phase (Right of Residence and Establishment

A/SP/2/5/90 on the implementation of the third phase (Right of Establishment) of the protocol on free movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Establishment

A/DEC.2/5/90 Establishing a Residence Card in ECOWAS Member States (Signed by the Chairman in Banjul, 30th day of May, 1990

A/DEC.2/7/85 of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States relating to the Establishment of ECOWAS Travel Certificate for Member States.

Supporting Legal & Institutional Policy Framework…cntd

5/4/2017 Footer 7

D. ECOWAS Travel PassportA TRAVEL DOCUMENT KNOWN AS “ECOWAS PASSPORT”.

q Adopted in December 2000q Implemented by all Member States (-1)q Features of the Passport:

Ø Bears information on nationality & bio-data of holderØ Bears laminated photograph of the holder, stamped by the

Authority that issued the ECOWAS Travel Passport.Ø Bears information on “Minors accompanying the Holder”.Ø Bears information on place & date of issue, Signature and stamp

of the Issuing Authority.Ø Contains information on extension of validity of the Travel

Passport

5/4/2017 Footer 8

q Adopted in December 1985q Implemented by all Member States q Features of the Travel Certificate:

Ø Manual (Handwritten); Non-machine readableØ Bears bio-data information of holder, information of place & date

of issue, Signature and stamp of the Issuing Authority.q 2-years validity q Inadequate recordsq Expensive for citizens

E. ECOWAS Travel Certificate

A TRAVEL DOCUMENT OTHER THAN NATIONAL PASSPORTS, KNOWN AS “ECOWAS TRAVEL CERTIFICATE”.

5/4/2017 Footer 9

F. ECOWAS Biometric Identity Card

q The Biometric Identity Card was adopted in December, 2014 at Abujaq Objectives of the Biometric ID Card

Ø improve free movement capability and facilitate economical and social mobility within a more secure area

Ø To promote and enhance mobility in the ECOWAS spaceØ Help secure credential (data protection)Ø Mitigate illegal migrationØ Deal and answer terrorism challengesØ Facilitate faster clearance and movement of goods

q Technical specifications were adopted for integration into the ECOWAS Biometric Identity Card by all Member States

q Specimen were issued to Heads of States at the 40th Anniversary celebration of ECOWAS in Abuja

A TRAVEL DOCUMENT KNOWN AS “ECOWAS BIOMETRIC IDENTITY CARD”.

5/4/2017 Footer 10

10

Arrangement of the card by all Member States: Front Side: q ECOWAS logoq Inscription “ECOWAS identity card” (in all the three official languages of ECOWAS)q Flag of the countryq Photo of the holder on the left q Bio data of holder

Back Side: q Country name, three letter code ( as specified in the ISO 3166-1), q Country flagq On the lower part : the MRZ 3 lines (ZLM) ;q Contactless module ;q Contactless logo ;q ECOWAS logo embedded in the security background ;q Optional data as required by Member States

Arrangement to ensure interoperability of the Card

5/4/2017 Footer 11

COLOUR

CHIP & OS

CONTACTLESS CHIP 32K

CONTACTLESS CHIP 124K

CUSTOMISED MODULE

SUBSTRATE

FIXED MENTIONS

VARIABLES MENTIONS

Technical features of the ECOWAS Biometric ID Card

MICRO-LASER ENGRAVING

NUMISMATIC BACKGROUND

SECURITY FEATURESLEVEL III

5/4/2017 Footer 12

• ECOWAS regional approach based on ICAO best practices

Durability

Controlability

Electronic

Economic Efficiency

Lifetime > 10 years(Resistance to environment)

Selection of the most appropriate substrate

Minimal verification time(Tools available)

Selection of appropriate security to the local reality and the know how of government agent (police, customs…)

ICAO card compliant Selection of the strongest and most resisting electronic technology

Budgetary reality Selection of security features offering the best quality/price result

NEEDS APPROACH

ECOWAS regional approach

5/4/2017 Footer 13

Ongoing Activities on ECOWAS Biometric ID Card

q Some Member States have commenced development at various levels (Senegal, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, etc)

q ECOWAS is providing technical support and guidance to Member States to ensure compliance to standard

q Partners are also providing support as well as vendors contacted by Member States (FMM-IOM, ICMPD, ILO)

q Development of roadmap for implementation of deployment

q Compliance with ECOWAS standard is through meetings with Heads of Immigration with linkages with the ID agencies at national level where agency responsible is different from Immigration

5/4/2017 Footer 14

G. Other Interventions

q Regional monitoring mechanism for the free movement of interstate passenger vehicles,

persons and goods within ECOWAS

(Regulation C/REG.5/05/15)

q Joint controls by Police, Customs, NDLEA, etc to facilitate easy movement of people

across the border using public bus transport (One-point check at motor-park/border)

q Effecting controls using standardized and secure documents (electronic passenger

manifest, banderoles, seals and stickers)

q ALISA Project: Customs exchange of transit data between Member States to facilitate

prompt crossing of border

5/4/2017 Footer 15

Potential uses of ECOWAS Biometric ID Card

Ø Election purposes

Ø Payment services

Ø Regional Vehicle Admnistration & Information System

Ø ECOWAS Brown Card (Regional Insurance Instrument)

Ø Health care information services, etc.

Ø Study to incorporate more features at low cost

Ø Study for the setting up of an ECOWAS Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

Ø Capacity Building - stakeholders

H. Future Perspectives

5/4/2017 Footer 16

q The ECOWAS Biometric ID card through a common platform

accross borders within the ECOWAS region is to facilitate

mobility of persons and goods.

q Regional cooperation among ECOWAS Member States on

identity management will assist to address terrorism, illegal

migration and trafficking of persons.

I. Conclusion

THANK YOU

17

MERCI

OBRIGADO

5/4/2017 Footer 18

Mr. Albert Siaw-BoatengDirector, Free Movement & Tourism DirectorateDepartment of Customs, Trade & Free MovementECOWAS CommissionAbuja-Nigeria.

Email: asiaw-boateng@ecowas.int

CONTACT DETAILS