By Haddy Touray
The Gambia and Senegal are working to resolve outstanding border issues that have restricted some farmers from accessing their farmlands, Foreign Affairs Minister Sering Modou Njie has said.
Njie made the remarks in an interview with West Coast Radio, saying authorities from both countries had agreed that farmers should be allowed to access their fields and continue farming while outstanding border issues are addressed through established bilateral mechanisms.
“Now what is left is to allow our farmers from both countries to have access to their farmlands and continue their farming,” Njie said.
He said the concerns of affected farmers were among the issues discussed during his recent visit to Dakar, noting that cross-border farming was common, with Gambian farmers cultivating land in Senegal and Senegalese farmers doing the same in The Gambia.
Njie said the discussions followed recent tensions along the border, including the demolition by Senegalese forces on July 16 of part of a perimeter wall around Gambian military installations.
According to the minister, President Adama Barrow instructed Gambian security forces to exercise maximum restraint following the incident.
The Gambian government subsequently engaged Senegalese authorities, stressing that border disputes should be resolved through dialogue and established bilateral mechanisms rather than military action, he said.
Njie said the national boundary commissions of the two countries, operating under the supervision of the Senegalo-Gambian Permanent Secretariat, had agreed to meet in Banjul to address outstanding issues.
He stressed that The Gambia and Senegal maintained longstanding cooperation in defence and security, trade, education, culture and diplomacy, and said the border dispute should be resolved without undermining those relations.
Njie expressed optimism that the understandings reached between the two governments would allow affected farmers on both sides of the border to return to their fields and continue their agricultural activities.
Meanwhile, Njie said the government was creating employment opportunities for young Gambians while strengthening cooperation with international partners to provide safer and legal alternatives to irregular migration.
He said the government had introduced measures to expand employment opportunities for young people while working to improve legal pathways for Gambians seeking to travel abroad.
“Government has created a lot of job opportunities for youths, but of course, everybody also has the right to travel, but it depends on the way you travel,” he said.
Njie cited recent recruitment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying positions including undersecretaries, protocol officers and deputy protocol officers had been filled. He added that recruitment was also taking place in other government institutions.
The foreign minister said the government recognised Gambians’ right to travel but wanted those seeking opportunities abroad to use safe and legal channels.
“Government is employing citizens, but what I’m trying to say is that we are now living in a world where people have the right to travel,” Njie said. “What we are doing as a country is how we can enhance and improve our engagement with our partners to be able to make sure that issues like visas are accessible.”
He described irregular migration as a difficult and dangerous means of travelling and said addressing the issue required cooperation among countries.
Njie also referred to recent migration developments in Morocco, where large numbers of migrants reportedly moved towards areas near the Spanish border. He said the situation prompted discussions involving Spain and African foreign ministers on migration.
The minister said The Gambia would continue pursuing measures to create employment opportunities at home while working with international partners to expand safe and legal pathways for Gambians seeking opportunities abroad.