NEA Hold Inception Workshop for Gambia-Adoption of Ecosystem

The National Environmental Agency has secured Global Environmental Facility (GEF) found medium size project on Thursday launched at Paradise Suite Hotel. The workshop was conceived as respond to the capacity building needs identified self-assessment (NCSA).

Speaking at the occasion Mr. Nyada Baldeh the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Forestry and Environment stated that Gambia Government through the Ministry of Forestry and environment has been engaged in significant environmental policy formulation to significantly reduce the effect climate change, land degradation and Biodiversity loss.

According to PS Baldeh that Gambia is a party to all three Rio Conventions: Biodiversity, Climate change and Desertification conventions." We ratified the convention on biodiversity and climate change as early as in 1994 and that of land Degradation in 1996." He added. He further stated that in accordance with Banjul Declaration of 18 February 1977. "We further affirmed to increased public environmental awareness and promote effective public participation and community involvement in environmental management processes in the Gambia and to promote international Co-operation in protection of environment by implementing our Multilateral Environmental Agreement {MEAs}". He added.

For his part Mr. Momodou B Sarr, the executive director of NEA, said NCSA identified the capacity building needs to enable the Gambia to meet its obligations to the three Rio conventions. According to him during the self assessment under the NSCA project, the National Action Plans for the three Rio conventions all revealed the low capacity levels prevailing within the country thereby posing barriers to the effective implementation of the three conventions in order to address environmental issues priority concern to The Gambia. Adding that the Action Plan Desertification control [NAP} also highlighted the low level of capacities of which exist among technical institutions, NGOs and at grass root in the identification, planning, implementation and monitoring community-based project geared towards desertification control.