The Transgambia Bridge was blocked yesterday. The Gambians closed the border at Keur Ayib and Senoba at 8am on Thursday, banning Senegalese-registered vehicles from travelling through their territory after they learned that the Senegalese were preventing Gambian cars from travelling through Keur Ayib. This is a situation that risks plunging Casamance into a food shortage and heightening the anger of transporters and customers stranded along the borders. This is a response from the « Gambian authorities, who have decided to close the borders to vehicles« .

The Gambia imposes a new tax on crossings: Transporters block the Transgambia

The dispute stems from a strike by Senegalese transporters, who have boycotted the Transgambia for the past 10 days to protest against the Gambian Customs’ new tagging system, estimated to cost 16,000 CFA francs. This closure comes at a time when the Senegalese and Gambian authorities are negotiating to resolve this misunderstanding.

By Seydou Tamba CISSE