By: Nicholas Bass
The Deputy Director of the Gambia Immigration Department (GID), Hulay Jallow, has lauded the three-year partnership between the Government of The Gambia and the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), describing it as a major driver of improved service delivery and good governance within the department.
She made these remarks on Friday during the presentation of the evaluation report of the three-year DCAF-supported program, held at Ocean Bay Hotel, Cape Point, Bakau.
“This day is significant as it marks the culmination of a three-year journey of institutional reform and capacity building for the Gambia Immigration Department through the generous support of the Swiss Confederation and the technical expertise of DCAF, with an independent evaluation conducted by the Centre for Research and Policy Development (CRPD),” Jallow stated.
She noted that the partnership has strengthened the GID as a key pillar of national security and migration governance, while also enhancing accountability, professionalism, and alignment with international best practices.
According to her, the support has also improved conflict management within immigration operations, particularly in addressing immigration-community disputes, compared to past years.
Mrs. Jallow further highlighted that the integration of a gender-sensitive and rights-based approach has improved, citing Commissioner Mariama Nyang’s appointment to a sensitive leadership role as a milestone in gender inclusivity.
On his part, Mark Lynch, Head of DCAF The Gambia, said the overall objective of the project was to make GID more effective and responsive to the human security needs of individuals and communities, in line with international human rights standards and gender equality principles.
“To assess the project’s outcomes and impact, an independent final evaluation was commissioned in 2024 and carried out by CRPD,” Lynch explained.
Meanwhile, Hon. Almamy Gibba, Deputy Director of National Security, and Lamin Jatta, among other officials, thanked the Swiss Government for its continuous support. They also urged the GID to maximize the knowledge and capacity gained during the three-year program.
The forum was attended by representatives from various security agencies across The Gambia.
