The Country Coordinator of International Organization of Migration (IOM) has disclosed that from 2017 to now IOM has repatriated more than 2,000 Liberians from the Sehal who had illegally migrated to Europe.
Coordinator Mohammed C. Dallo stated that the youthful population of Liberia is using illegal means to migrate to Europe, resulting to several of them been stranded in the Sehal countries of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
The IOM Coordinator made the disclosure Wednesday at a one-day national discussion on internal and regional migration, causes and effects, and the implementation of ECOWAS Protocol Free Movement of Persons organized by the National Coalition of Civil Society Organizations of Liberia (NACCSOL).
According to him, ECOWAS free movement of person’s protocol should ensure that cross-border security is tightened to avoid youths in the region obtaining other countries’ passports for illegal migration to Europe.
He noted that irregular migration undermines the potential of Liberian youths to acquire quality education, good livelihood and become future leaders of the nation.
Coordinator Dallo noted that irregular migration is victimizing lots of young Liberian boys and girls, noting that parents should not encourage their children to engage in illegal migration.
He pointed out that even though migration is good, it should be done regularly, rather than going through the Sehal, as a result of which young people within the sub-region have become victims.
He noted that Liberia has been an exit point for irregular migration as a result of lack of secure borders in the region, according to organizations tracking human trafficking.
Coordinator Dallo indicated that in 2018, IOM developed a global compact for migration, and that Liberia is a signatory to the compact which is intended to ensure safe migration of youth in the region.
TSS/abj/APA