A
three-day bilateral annual customs experts meeting between officials of the
Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Senegalese Customs Administration opened
yesterday at the Coco Ocean Hotel.
This
was the 8th bilateral annual meeting between the two administrations, with the
Senegalese delegation led by the Director General of the Senegalese Customs
Administration.
The
high-level meeting, hosted by GRA, was graced by the Minister of Trade.
In
his welcome remarks, the Commissioner General of GRA, Yankuba Darboe, said the
Gambia Customs and Excise Department was amalgamated with the Domestic Tax
Department by an Act of the National Assembly in 2004, to create the Gambia
Revenue Authority.
The
Gambia government took this initiative to enhance and make revenue mobilisation
more efficient and effective.
The
GRA commissioner general added that the amalgamation had brought “more
efficiency to customs procedures and processes”, especially the facilitation of
international and cross-border trade, which forms part of the agenda being
discussed during the meeting.
Mr
Darboe recalled that the last bilateral meeting was held between the two
administrations in 2010, and the “inadequacy of proper consultation” since then
had resulted in the evolution of certain operational challenges that affect
cross-border trade and international transit between the two countries.
“Being
able to organise this meeting on the scheduled dates, as recommended in the
joint communiqué, is a clear testimony of our commitment to strengthen the long
bilateral ties that exist between the two administrations,” he stated.
Darboe
urged the experts to work together, and put in place good recommendations that
could be implemented to facilitate both transit and cross-border trade, as
enshrined in the ECOWAS protocol on the free movement of goods and persons.
Mr
Darboe also recalled that during the 7th bilateral meeting, it was recommended
that the two administrations should adopt an MoU for mutual administrative
assistance on transit and other customs procedures.
He
informed the gathering that GRA has reviewed the draft MoU that was proposed by
the administration, and had suggested additional points to the document in the
area of border cooperation, which would form part of the discussions towards
finalising the MoU.
He
thanked President Yahya Jammeh for creating an enabling environment for the
meeting to take place.
“We are also grateful to our line ministries
and the organising committee, and all those who contributed to the successful
hosting of this event for their immense support.”
Also
speaking at the opening of the meeting was the Director General of Customs
Administration of Senegal, Ousman Gueye, who said it was their collective
responsibility to safeguard and maintain this privileged relations for the
betterment of the people of Senegambia.
He
said the objective of the gathering was to examine the ways and means to
facilitate the movement of people and goods, as well as abiding with the
judicial systems of each state and the ECOWAS protocols.
“We
should, therefore, consider the implementation of creative tools for a joint
management of our borders in order to safeguard our income, especially to
secure the international supply chain in order to combat effectively organised
crime,” Gueye said.
Lamin
Camara permanent secretary at the Ministry of Finance reminded the gathering of
the importance of the forum to the two governments.
He
thanked the two administrations for organising the forum, and encouraged the
participants to take the consultative meeting seriously for the benefit of the
two countries.
Also
speaking was Alieu Jarboh, GRA board member, who said the meeting has provided
huge opportunities for good relations, not only to the sister customs
administrations, but to the two countries and their common people.
