Border a Cause for Concern

FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)

29 April 2011

Foroyaa has been monitoring the border between Senegal and Gambia to assess whether the restriction on the movement of vehicles across the border has eased or not. Senegalese immigration and customs claim that they are not putting any restrictions on Gambian vehicles going across the border to Senegal. The Gambian immigration and customs claim that they are not restricting any Senegalese vehicles from crossing the border to come to the Gambia.

It is claimed by some authorities and acknowledged by some local representatives of the transport union in Senegal that they have imposed a blockade on both Gambian and Senegalese vehicles.

We have been emphasizing that neighbouring countries in particular and all sovereign Countries in general could forge state to state, state to people and people to people relationships. The views we have heard so far are that the Transport Union in Senegal has grievances against the Gambian state. The two states and the union should be able to address the concerns in a manner that is consistent with the enlightened interest of the people of both countries.

What is however of primary concern to Foroyaa is the impact the border closure to transports from the two countries is having on the people to people relationship of the residents of the two countries. The transport union should make an impact assessment on how the people of the two countries view their action. Governments and Civil Societies should be sensitive to the vital needs and concern of the people if their actions are to be embraced .In our view, the current border closure is affecting the people more than it is affecting the members of the two governments. The trade relation between Gambia and Senegal has created the expansion of markets and thus broaden the benefits form the economics of scale for many producers and traders.

There is need for impact assessment of the border closure and the findings should be relied on to reassess the viability of the closure of the border to transports.

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