By: Bintou Waggeh
Commissioner of Customs Alhagie K. Mbye has described the agreement between the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Senegalese Customs Administration on a three-month implementation roadmap to remove customs bottlenecks as a significant milestone in fulfilling the directives of the two Heads of State.
Mbye made the remarks on behalf of GRA Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe during the Second Monitoring Committee Meeting held from 16–17 July 2026 in Saly, Mbour, Senegal.
The meeting brought together senior customs officials from both countries to review outstanding operational challenges and agree on timelines for implementing measures aimed at improving cross-border trade, strengthening border security and facilitating the movement of goods and people.
He said the agreement reflected the commitment of both governments and customs administrations to address border challenges through dialogue, cooperation and practical solutions.
According to Mbye, customs authorities have a critical role in translating political commitments into measurable outcomes through coordinated border management, intelligence sharing and regular engagement.
He recalled that during the recent Presidential Council meeting in Dakar, the GRA Commissioner General stressed the need for both customs administrations to take decisive steps to remove obstacles affecting trade along their shared corridors.
“The time has come for our two Customs administrations to act decisively to bring to rest all Customs-related impediments along our corridors,” Mbye said.
He expressed confidence that the measures agreed upon would strengthen bilateral cooperation, improve trade facilitation and contribute to regional economic integration.
The agreement, signed on behalf of the two Directors General of Customs, follows commitments by Gambian President Adama Barrow and Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to enhance cross-border trade and security cooperation.
Among the key decisions reached was the installation of GAINDE, Senegal’s customs management system, at major border posts including Karang, Keur Ayib, Badiara and Selety within three months.
Officials said the deployment of the system would help address transit challenges and improve the efficiency of goods movement along regional trade corridors.
The two customs administrations also agreed to introduce SIGMAT, the ECOWAS electronic regional transit system, which will enable real-time tracking of goods in transit, improve transparency and reduce delays.
A major outcome of the meeting was the decision to end the double escorting of transit goods along the Wellingara Corridor, a long-standing concern raised by traders and transporters due to increased costs and delays.
The authorities further agreed to eliminate the redeclaration of transit goods upon entry into Senegal through the introduction of the Single Administrative Document (SAD) for transit operations.
Under the new arrangement, goods transported from The Gambia through Senegal to other destinations will no longer require additional declarations at Senegalese customs entry or exit points. Transit declarations issued in The Gambia will be recognised throughout the Senegalese transit corridor.
To strengthen operational cooperation, both customs administrations agreed to conduct joint border operations every three months and exchange customs data electronically through an Application Programming Interface (API) once the GAINDE system becomes fully operational.
The meeting also approved the reactivation of EnCen, a platform dedicated to intelligence and information sharing between the two customs services to combat smuggling, fraud and other cross-border crimes.
The agreed roadmap will be implemented over the next three months, with both administrations expected to review progress during their next monitoring meeting.