Gambia launches Integrated Border Management Concept

The occasion was held at the Metzy Residence Hotel in Kololi and brought together government officials and various stakeholders.

The concept launching came following its development through the partnership of DCAF and The Gambia Immigration Department which was validated by National Stakeholders on 31 October 2023.

The concept note aims to provide direction for enhancing border management within a multi-agency setting. It sets a foundation for agencies to operate in a coordinated and integrated manner to improve national security while facilitating smooth and uninterrupted travel and trade flows to increase the economic prospects of The Gambia. However, the scope of the concept is limited to the management of people and goods and does not include sea or air cargo.

Speaking at the occasion, Ken Isaac, DCAF head office strategic police adviser, said that the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance is dedicated to making states and people safer, through more effective and accountable security and justice.

He revealed that DCAFs principles and values include impartiality, local ownership, human rights and democratic control.

He said that the “coordination and collaboration aims to enhance the effectiveness of border management systems, to achieve open, but well-controlled and secure borders, while ensuring that legal requirements are met.”

“The African Union Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation (Niamey Convention) adopted in 2014 recognises the importance of IBM by including it in the objectives of the Convention (Article 2).”

“The IBM is extremely important in strengthening National Security and fostering collaboration amongst security institutions and key partners,” he stressed.

“It will improve border security and make Gambia a safer country” and “it is important to recognize that the IBM concept is a multi-agency approach and all partners must fulfil their role to ensure it is effective.”

For her part, Hulay Jallow-Cham, deputy director general at the Gambia Immigration Department, said that the IBM concept is a fulfilment of goal 3, which she said, aims to enhance border control and management as enshrined in the Gambia Immigration Department Strategic Plan 2019-2024, the National Migration Policy and other migration management related blue prints.

She said the IBM is equally a fulfilment to establish appropriate structures and mechanisms for effective integrated border management by ensuring comprehensive and efficient border crossing procedures.

She noted that it includes profiling of arriving and departing persons, advance passenger information to be effectively utilised, making best use of ICT while upholding the principle of non-discrimination, respecting the right to privacy and protecting personal data.

She assured that IBM concept could immensely improve performance at strategic level since it would rationalise contradictions and redundancies in policies, resulting in more effective and well-coordinated implementation processes.