The minister gave this update at the National Assembly on Wednesday while answering a question put to him by the member of Brikama South Hon. Lamin J. Sanneh, who asked the minister to update the august Assembly on the status of the road map and development in connection with the Darsilameh Border demarcation between The Gambia and Senegal.
In February 2025, he explained, the Joint Senegalo-Gambia Border Commission engaged in a sensitisation exercise on the borders of North Bank, Central River, and Upper River regions.
“As part of its activities, the Joint Commission visited the Darsilameh/Touba Tranquill border areas on 27 February 2025 and recommended a joint technical mission in March 2025,” he said.
He further said the demarcation between The Gambia and Senegal – the Darsilameh/Touba Tranquille - would be carried out once the Joint Commission had completed their activities and identified each site.
In his supplementary question, the Member put it to the minister that the contentious area at the border “remains a buffer”.
Responding to the questions and concerns, the minister said he was limiting himself to the information he had given the Member since “it is a sensitive issue and the technical committees are working on it”.
“Be rest assured that this government’s desire is to resolve this crisis as soon as possible,” he said.
The member insisted that the minister update them on the stage of the road map because it was more than a year since they were assigned to carry out the task.
In response, the minister said work has been ongoing and they are determined to resolve the problem as soon as possible.
Central Badibou NAM Sulayman Saho also put it to the minister that the parliament would not be convinced of the seriousness of the ministry and government as far as the Darsilameh border issue is concerned.
“The government is very serious and concerned about the issue of the border crisis,” the minister refuted Hon. Saho’s statement.
“I want to assure you that once the technical committees complete their job this matter will be resolved,” he said, adding that border crises are not new in Africa.
By virtue of colonial divisions of the continent, communities who were living together will continue to exist with the situation, the minister argued.
“However,” he said, “a determined and responsible government like this government will always engage its counterparts to find a solution.”
Member for Sami, Hon. Alfusainey Ceesay, asked the minister whether the matter would be resolved before end of 2025. The minister said he wished it could be resolved next month.
When Wuli East NAM Hon. Suwaibou Touray asked the minister about other measures of resolving the problem, the minister said they “are sensitizing and educating the people about the issue, and it’s very fruitful”.
