The 3rd Presidential Council between Senegal and Gambia was held yesterday in Banjul. Macky Sall, who was delighted with the progress made following the two previous meetings, called for this momentum to continue by ensuring the free movement of people and goods on the Senegambia Bridge 24/24, ensuring the completion delimitation and demarcation of the border, among other points. 

In The Gambia for the 3rd session of the Senegalese-Gambian Presidential Council, President Macky Sall reiterated his commitment to move forward on priorities in order to achieve the common objectives of both countries, in order to « improve the living conditions of our populations ». In this context, Mr. Sall has shown his commitment to free movement. In this regard, he declares: “In accordance with the conclusions of the two previous presidential councils, we want the movement of people and goods to be ensured on the Senegambia Bridge 24 hours a day, without hassle.” As a result, he urged « our competent services to work effectively in this direction, in accordance with the various ECOWAS treaties on the free movement of persons and goods ». Moreover, in the final communiqué of the meeting, the Heads of State of The Gambia and Senegal « reaffirmed the vital role of land transport in consolidating the integration process between the two countries and the need for all actors and users to respect the rules of the free movement of people and goods”.

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Among the other challenges to be met, President Sall mentioned “the completion of the delimitation and demarcation of the border”. On this point, the Head of State considers that “with the support of the Permanent Secretariat, the Senegalese-Gambian Joint Border Management Commission should intensify its efforts on this file, as security is also at stake”. He explained: “A clearly delimited and demarcated border would indeed facilitate collaboration between our Defense and Security Forces in terms of mixed patrols in the context of the fight against cross-border crime.” In this sense, with his counterpart Adama Barrow, they « urged their respective governments to accelerate the process of effective deployment of joint or combined patrols along the borders, the exchange of information and training ». Likewise, they asked the “authorities of the Defense and Security Forces (Fds) of the two countries to collaborate closely with a view to a harmonious and effective regulation and implementation of the operational protocol on the right of cross-border hot pursuit and joint or combined patrols”.

Presidential Council

The issue of the preservation of natural resources and timber trafficking was also addressed. President Sall noted that “logging and timber trafficking continue to decimate our forests and jeopardize the living conditions of our populations”. According to him, we must “continue the fight against this scourge”. And to warn: “If we lower our arms, the damage will be irreparable. All our biodiversity will disappear. Instead of the forest, we will have the desert.” The Head of State, who wants to put an end to this problem, threatens the perpetrators. “I firmly reiterate to the traffickers and their accomplices that we will give them no respite. We will continue to mobilize all necessary means to put an end to their criminal practices.” It should be noted that in this regard, the two Heads of State “renewed their call on the two governments to implement, in a concerted manner and without delay, the agreement on the management of forest and wildlife resources”.                                        

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During this Presidential Council, the signing of 7 texts was finalized. Among others, there is the “Convention for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal invasion in matters of income tax, the Convention on judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters, the agreement on air transport, the memorandum of understanding on the domestication of the Dakar-Banjul air corridor”.

Furthermore, during this meeting, President Sall pleaded for permanent discussions between the two countries. He said: “While the holding of presidential councils offers us occasional opportunities to take stock of our cooperation and chart the course of the future, the particularity of our relations requires permanent consultation between our governments at all levels.” Thus, he maintains, “our ministers must continue to consult each other and act on a daily basis without being too encumbered with formal protocols.”

It is the very spirit of Senegambia that commands it, and it is the best way to build the common future that we want for the current and future generations of the great Senegambian family”.

By Dieynaba KANE / dkane@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH