Dakar, Senegal (PANA) – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has expressed shock at the recent wave of tragedies on the Mediterranean sea that has claimed hundreds of lives.
Hundreds of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, especially West Africa, continue to die in the Mediterranean sea on board fortune boats.
“This long lasting situation is undoubtedly the consequences of the huge economic challenges which the countries of origin are facing,” it noted, and called for a vigorous international efforts to stop the human tragedy.
It urged the international community to take action as soon as possible, to establish efficient rescue mechanisms for migrants in distress and beyond this show respect to migrants and their families, as well as human dignity, through the application of the conventions already existing in that domain.
In addition, ECOWAS urged development partners to strengthen their cooperation with the countries of origin and the transit countries for the migrants, to implement sustainable development programmes able to maintain the migrants in their countries.
