[November 09, 2009] Ecowas to Improve Regional Security Tweet Abuja, Nov 09, 2009 (Daily Trust/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- ECOWAS Ministers in charge of Security have agreed to improve the free movement of persons and goods within the region in order to enhance integration and promote peace and security. This was contained in a communique issued at the end of a one-day meeting of the ministers which held in Abuja on Friday. It required security services within the region to form joint teams (Police, Customs, Immigration Services and other law enforcement agencies) to prevent extortions and other corrupt practices at the borders and along the international highways connecting Member states. Such acts should be reported to appropriate national authorities for action; Member States where the ECOWAS passport is not yet in circulation - namely, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Mali and Sierra Leone - are also asked to allow that as soon as possible. The ECOWAS Commission should intensify efforts to fast track the adoption of the community passport by such Member States; Also, the ECOWAS implements a pilot project on modernization and interconnectivity at the border posts on the Nigeria-Benin-Togo-Ghana-Cote d'Ivoire axes should abolish residents permit in implementation of the decisions of the Heads of State and Government. Member States are also asked to work together to adopt unique visa for the region and ECOWAS Member States should recognize the INTERPOL passport and approve visa waivers for bearers. The ministers resolved that: Member States submit copies of their legislations on stolen vehicles to the meeting of the Technical sub-committee on Harmonization of Legislations for analysis and recommendations. The ministers' meeting was preceded by the meetings of the West African Police Chiefs Committee and the Committee of Chiefs of Security Services. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]