Kaolack – The steering committee of the project “Supporting Cross-border Cooperation to Enhance Community Resilience and Social Cohesion in The Gambia and Senegal”, made up of UN agencies from The Gambia and Senegal including IOM and FAO, a delegation from the Gambian Government and another delegation from the Senegalese Government, met on 10 May 2023 to review the project implementation.

At the opening of the ceremony, Mrs Salimata E. Touray, Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service of the Government of The Gambia highlighted: “We cannot stress enough the importance of implementing this project due to the narrowness of our borders and need for joint intervention to resolve conflicts along the borders.”

The project main objective is to prevent instability and conflict in communities along the Gambian and Senegalese borders. For the Senegalese counterpart, Vice Admiral, Chief of Private Staff of the President of the Republic of Senegal, Omar Wade, “The project will give a new impetus to our border joint management through better management of natural resources and strengthening of community resilience.”

The role of the steering committee is to strengthen the institutional, technical, and operational capacities of cross-border agencies as well as improve cooperation, coordination and regular information exchange for effective border security and management.

The United Nations Resident Representatives in The Gambia and Senegal welcomed the integrated approach to joint border management. They also renewed the commitment of the United Nations to support the efforts of both governments to eradicate possible causes of instability and conflict in cross-border communities. This will be achieved by stepping up the fight against the increase in transnational crime, characterised by the trafficking of migrants, arms and timber, as well as human trafficking and the illegal exploitation of natural resources.

“All national and local stakeholders have contributed massively to the smooth implementation of the project activities in Senegal through the National Border Management Committee. The exemplary quality of cooperation between the two countries is an achievement that the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund can build on to support other countries,” said Amy Guèye, Representative of the UN Resident Coordinator in Senegal.

For more information, please contact,

IOM Senegal: Adama Dia, adia@iom.int / Aissata Gangué, agangue@iom.int;

FAO Senegal: Mamadou Sène, mamadou.sene@fao.org;

IOM Gambia: Sukai Cham, scham@iom.int;

FAO Gambia: Penda Jatou Tommy, jatou.tommy@fao.org