Dr. Ousman Gajigo
Last week, the country received news that almost 200 of our citizens perished in an attempt to reach Europe. It was a deeply depressing reminder of the depths to which people will go to escape what feels like a hopeless economic situation. It took the government days to comment on the tragedy because they have no answer to the problem.
The so-called “Backway” phenomenon reached its peak in 2015 and 2016. Immediately after the elections, the numbers fell sharply in 2017 as people began to feel hopeful. Unfortunately, that hopefulness about the future did not last long as the reality of economic mismanagement under President Adama Barrow started to sink in. The Gambia’s economy has barely grown. Incomes have stagnated while the cost of living continues to climb. Hardly any quality jobs are being generated to provide opportunities for the expanding youth population. In addition to overseeing a government steeped in corruption, the administration has prioritized the interests of a handful of politically connected businesses rather than improving the overall business environment.
It is not surprising that young people are increasingly looking to escape the hopelessness in the country, even if it entails taking excessive risks. In addition to the rising number of young people embarking on this perilous journey, the fatalities seem to have reached unprecedented levels. What has made today’s Backway trip riskier than before is that the main sea route is longer and deadlier than the route from the Libyan coast to Italy. Apart from boats capsizing, the types of boats used can also get blown off-course into the wide Atlantic.
The government has been conspicuously silent about the tragedy because it has woefully failed in every regard. It has failed not only in improving the underlying economic reality that is driving youths to risk their lives, but also failed miserably in implementing donor-funded measures to mitigate the crisis.
In the government’s engagement with EU countries, there seems to be a significant focus on law enforcement and security measures to prevent boats from leaving. This approach is highly misguided. The migration crisis facing the country – suffered disproportionately by our youths – is an economic problem that requires economic solutions. It is understandable that EU countries would be willing to fund equipment and training for our security forces, but it is the responsibility of our government to prioritize measures that address the underlying economic problems.
Paradoxically, the more efforts are geared toward law enforcement, the greater the incidence of tragedy. When efforts at preventing boats from leaving are prioritized over addressing the underlying economic causes, smugglers will end up taking greater risks. Individuals who are more likely to be careful will be replaced by those who are more reckless. Simple actions that would avert disaster, such as devices for tracking vessels, will not even be considered.
The government also made a big deal of arranging for a small number of Gambian youths to go to Spain. First, the scope of that program was too small to have any impact on youth unemployment. Second, it was not well implemented in terms of how individuals were selected or how the beneficiaries were treated after selection. It has predictably collapsed.
Donor-funded initiatives to encourage migrants to return and stay in the country have also not been well-managed. As documented by the Republic newspaper, these initiatives have been marred by poor design in which individuals are pressured into lines of businesses where they have little interest or familiarity. Moreover, the intermediaries used in these arrangements have been more interested in enriching themselves than ensuring the business success of the returnees.
It is difficult to think of a clearer indicator of economic mismanagement than the migrant crisis the country is facing. More and more youths are desperate to leave the country, irrespective of the risks. Government officials have been largely silent because they know that they have failed the Gambian people.