Mr.
President, the past two months have been very difficult for travellers going to
and from Senegal as the Senegalese drivers refused Gambian vehicles from
entering Senegal.
It
is very sad that once again we are raising the issue of transportation between
The Gambia -Senegal which should have been a thing of the past by now, looking
at the relationship between the two countries and their presidents.
Mr.
President for the past 35 years, the Senegalese transport Union at all times
cause problems between them and their Gambian counterparts.
They
are not honouring the ECOWAS protocol which states free movement of people and
goods, as well as the agreement you signed in 2018 with your Senegalese counterpart
which also stated free movement of people and goods and transporters to do
their work without hindrance.
Why
is the Senegalese transport union not giving equal treatment to their Gambian
counterparts as they do with their colleagues from other countries in the
subregion. For example they do not give problem to drivers from Mali,
Mauritania, Guinea Bissau and Guinea Conakry but Gambian drivers are always
facing problem with them.
Mr.
President, This cannot continue as Senegal and The Gambia are supposed to live
in harmony. We are so much related in blood and the relationship is special. We
are like a room and a parlor, and we should be role models in Africa.
A
group of individuals should not be allowed to jeopardise the cordial relations
between the two countries.
Mr.
President, it is a good move that you sent a ministerial delegation that will
have talks today with their Senegalese counterparts to solve this border issue
once and for all.
Senegalese
government should talk to their transport union and drivers to know the root
cause of this problem as the Senegalese Transport Union president denies being
responsible for this act. Let them make sure that this is not repeated in the
near future or ever.
Finally
Mr. President the international community namely: EU, African Development Bank
and Islamic Development Bank all pledged on 21 May 2018 in Brussels 1.7 billion
US dollars and EU pledged 140 million grants respectively. The funds pledged
were to help cover the identified needs for donor support in the country’s
2018- 2021 National Development plan.
Mr.
President, it will be best if the Gambians are informed of how much have been
received so far and how it was spent for
the sake of transparency.
Good
day!
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