The officer-in-charge of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said that a total of 30 thousand irregular Gambian migrants have arrived, via the central Mediterranean route in Europe, from 2015 to 2017, based on IOM records.
Mr. Stephen Matete made this statement during the handing over of a patrol boat to the Gambia Immigration Department held at the Naval Base in Banjul.
Donated by the Japanese government, the boat is meant to strengthen immigration department’s sea and border patrol duties, as well as their rescue missions.
Mr. Matete said the numbers of irregular migrants leaving The Gambia have since decreased year on year from 2018 to 2020. The reduction, he said, is generally due to more awareness of the risks of irregular migration, although there remains strong interest in Europe-bound migration.
In December 2019, hundreds of Gambians took off from The Gambia to reach the Canary Islands by boat which was eventually involved in a fatal shipwreck off the coast of Mauritania resulting in over 60 deaths.
“Worsening by the deteriorating economic situation due to the pandemic, throughout 2020 and in particular, since late September 2021, the trend of Gambian migrants embarking on the maritime route is increasing,” the IOM official said, adding: “IOM continues to provide assistance to Gambians intercepted at sea who have been returned.”
He said because of the dynamics of shifting migration context in The Gambia, the IOM’s border management projects, funded by the Japanese Government, have evolved which resulted in the rendering of fiscal support to the tune of US$2.6 million, over the last four years.
In its efforts to ensure effective border management, the IOM has registered key achievements including evidence-based policy-making and coordination structures, provided hardware, equipment and infrastructure support, and institutional and capacity building for 29 officers of Gambia Immigration Department (GID) on transitional organized crime, border management thematic working group to improve overall border management and governance. It also renovated border control posts in Amdallai, Farafenni, Misera and Darsilameh.
Japanese Ambassador to The Gambia, Osamu Izawa, said the donated speed boat which is fitted with Yamaha engines is meant to contribute to minimizing the loss of lives of young Gambians by organized smuggling syndicates promoting irregular migration.
“The Japanese Approach for Peace and Stability in Africa (NAPSA) of 2019 is based on the idea of respect for Africa’s ownership in conflict resolution and addressing root causes of conflict and terrorism,” he explained.
Ousman Jobarteh, director general of the Gambia Ports Authority, said one of their cardinal selling points, in supply chain, is the safety and efficiency they have with sister agencies such as the GID.
“Strengthening GID with a speed boat goes a long to improving the good image and attractiveness of the Banjul Ports in the international supply chain,” he affirmed.
GID Director General Seedy Touray said border management and control including the regulation of the movement of people travelling in and out of the country is a cardinal and core mandate of the Gambia Immigration Department.
“The speed boat will greatly enhance GID in our quest to ensure effective border patrol,” he said, while thanking their development partners such as IOM and the Japanese government for their continued support.
Delivering the vote of thanks, Superintendent Mamading Dibba, public relations officer of GID, hailed the IOM and the Japanese Government for the gesture.
He pledged the commitment of GID to strengthen cooperation with the Japanese Government, through the IOM for years to come.
