Banjul – The UN Migration Agency, IOM, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior (MOI) organized a one-day workshop (21/09) to validate the first Comprehensive Border Assessment Report.  

The workshop allowed a range of Government authorities to provide feedback on the report and its recommendations whichwill be incorporated in the final border assessment report.

The report provides an overview of the border situation in the country including the strengths and weaknesses in the legal and regulatory framework, physical infrastructure, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and human resource capacity at Border Control points.

The report aims to outline recommendations for a strong foundation of border control management, to strengthen border management capacity and better protect The Gambian borders from irregular migration.

“This border assessment report has a total of 125 recommendations, of which 10 are considered to be key to ensure that the Gambia has a strong foundation for functional border management system. We have today gathered a wide range of government stakeholders. This is very important for us to ensure that all actors who are part of managing the borders in the Gambia have had a chance to review the report to be able to comment on it so that the report represents an accurate picture of the situation in the Gambia’’ mentioned IOM’s Chief of Mission, Fumiko Nagano.

The workshop allowed a range of Government authorities to provide feedback on the report and its recommendations which will be incorporated in the final border assessment report.

“The Gambia is currently making strides in strengthening its borders by frequent patrols by the Immigration border patrol unit and with the help of the sister services. However, a national functioning border control system is a priority in ensuring effective management of our borders” said the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Assan Tangara. 

Participants were drawn from MOI, The Gambia Immigration Department, Gambia Police, Customs, Gambia Ports Authority, Civil Aviation Authority and State Intelligent Service.

The programme is supported by the Government of Japan under the framework of the project “Enhancing collective capacity for managing borders and for protecting border communities: The Gambia and Senegal”.

For more information, please contact Mariam Njai, at IOM Gambia; Tel: +2203303138, Email: mnjai@iom.int