By Yunus S Saliu
Team of ECOWAS on Education, Science and Culture for Member States of the Regional Cultural Policy and Return of Cultural Heritages, Monday, 5th July, 2021 had a meeting with Honorable Minister of Tourism and Culture in Banjul.
The team to the country led by Dr Mamadou Traore, Commissioner overseeing Education, Science and Culture at ECOWAS were on a 6-day working visit to The Gambia.
Meeting the Honorable Minister of Tourism and Culture, the ECOWAS team accompanied by the top officials of National Centre for Arts and Culture top discussion centered on ratification of the UNESCO Convention 1970 on illicit import and export of heritage goods, The Gambia hosting of 3rd edition of the ECOWAS Culture of Piece Forum; Seeking ECOWAS support on revamping Root International Festival which work has just started and among other issues.
Addressing the delegation Honorable Hamat NK Bah, Minister of Tourism and Culture assured delegate that the 1970 Convention shall be ratified soon without any time wasted.
On hosting of the 3rd edition of the ECOWAS Culture of Piece Forum in The Gambia, he said his Ministry has given it a blessing, but noted that the forum is always done at the countries in conflict or crises.
However, he assured them of The Gambia support wherever it is hold saying “it will be a good opportunity for us to use our expertise to see how best to bring people together because of the principal objectives of ECOWAS in 1975 is to bring peace and harmony among its citizens.”
But he noted that it will be a “good thing for us (The Gambia) to wait for another one and we hope that when we get it organize we can make a different.”
Honorable Bah reiterated the view of the permanent secretary concerning ECOWAS support to the celebration of the Roots International Festival saying his Ministry want to make it a revamp new Roots International Festival that will be valued for money.
Over the years, he said, Root Festival was not properly done though “it was done probably to raise and spend money but the value was not there, but now we are ready to invite, expand to involve private sector participation and other groups.”
“Therefore we will need your (ECOWAS) support, government has provided parts of the money but also we want ECOWAS to come in, too,” Minister Bah informed Commissioner Traore and team.
Honorable Hamat NK Bah urged the team to put into consideration the Gambia Ministry of Tourism and Culture permanent secretary’s remarks on the bringing back of the artifacts while he also dilated on the issue of copyright.
Kodou L Jabang-Senghore, Permanent Secretary at Ministry of Tourism and Culture said the Ministry is honored to receive the ECOWAS Commissioner on Education, Science and Culture in The Gambia for the first time.
She informed the delegation that The Gambia cultural policy has been reviewed, updated and already rolled out for implementation, while she confirmed that the ratification of the Charter for African Culture Renaissance as well as the 2001 Convention on protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage have been approved by the Cabinet “so the ratification is on progress and of course when it is finalize we will bring it to your attention through NCAC.”
PS Kodou suggested to the delegation that as a “continent we should really look forward to (the return of the artifacts) this but we should also very cautious as to how we handle the return of this very fragile and important goods that are so much important to us in term of our history.”
She noted that the artifacts are well conserved in the country they are currently especially in Europe as they spend millions to conserve, protecting and preserving them.
“So how ready are we as a continent to receive these artifacts that have been for so long protected by these developed countries that have financial muscles to ensure that these artifacts are preserve in required environment as they should exist for posterity,” she asked.
However, she registered the Ministry’s appreciation on the support of ECOWAS-UNESCO support on awareness raising campaign on Covid-19 prevention and against vaccine hesitancy with Gambian artists, while thanking ECOWAS through the Commissioner.
Dr Mamadou Traore ECOWAS Commissioner on Education, Science and Culture thanked the Minister and team for the hospitality accorded them for the period of their stay in the country.
He disclosed their Mission to the country saying the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS adopted on December 21, 2019 the 2019-2023 ECOWAS Action Plan on the return of African cultural heritage to their countries of origin, as well as the Regional Cultural Policy and its Action Plan. The adoption of the Action Plan on the return of heritage follows the Political Declaration of December 22, 2018 on the return of African cultural heritage to their countries of origin, in order to reconstitute, conserve and enhance the regional cultural heritage.
Among other countries visited before The Gambia on this exercise, he named Liberia, Togo, Benin, just to know the progress government is making as regarding cultural policy and its action plan.
The ECOWAS Country Representative in The Gambia, Ambassador Vabah Gayflor reassured the Ministry of her office support saying “whatever discuss here in the event there is need for follow-up. Our offices are available here to support you that is why we are we are established and we hope that you can make use of our office, as we are having a very cordial relationship with the entire government.”
Dr Zida Emile, Culture Officer ECOWAS, Professor Abdoulaye Maga, Director ECOWAS Culture, Mr Hassoum Ceesay, Director General of National Centre for Arts and Culture all made remarks at the meeting.
