Ambassador Klau Botzet was speaking on Thursday in the North Bank Region town of Farafenni during the laying of a foundation stone for the construction of five new model police stations in the country.
The project, a joint EU-German Support to The Gambia Police, is being financed by the German Federal Foreign Office (AA) and co-financed by the European Union (EU), further highlighting their collaborative efforts to enhance law enforcement capabilities and improve public safety across The Gambia.
Moreover, the initiative is part of the ongoing Joint EU-German Support to the Gambia Police Force, which aims at strengthening the institutional and human resources capacities of the Gambia Police Force based on the rule of law and of citizen orientation.
Ambassador Botzet also spoke of Germany’s resolve to supporting The Gambia in its transition towards democracy.
“Our efforts align with the international sustainable Development Goals Agenda and the German Government’s Africa policy guidelines including the BMZ Africa Strategy and the Foreign Security Concept for Integrated Peace Engagement of the Federal Foreign Office.”
The German diplomat affirmed that supporting the Gambia Police Force is crucial not only in ensuring public safety and security, but also promoting stability and peace in the region.
He acknowledged the critical role of GPF in implementing public order safety and security within the country, thanks to the leadership in particular the Inspector General of Police.
“Our support is essential in enhancing GPF’s capacity to effectively manage law enforcement tasks, improve governance, and strengthen the overall effectiveness of security sector. By providing technical assistance and governance support to the security sector reform, we aim to ensure that the police force remains effective, accountable and centred-around the public’s needs for the security.”
He observed that improving the security infrastructure and capacity in The Gambia includes meeting international human rights standard and that this focus on human rights is a critical aspect of Germany’s foreign policy, ensuring that security measures do not compromise the protection of human rights.
Thus, ambassador Botzet underscored the importance of security as a meaningful endeavour, affirming that by enhancing the security sector, Germany helps create a safer environment for investment and economic activities, which he said, can lead to improved socio-economic conditions for Gambians.
The construction of these modern police facilities, the German diplomat added, would significantly help strengthen police structures and improve operational efficiency.
The structures, he added, are designed to meet international human rights standard and local conditions and will have a positive impact on community safety and trust.
He also highlighted some of the important activities under the EU-German Police Programme, which he said, includes support for the review of the Police Act; development of a Community Policing Strategy 2025-2029; advocacy against Sexual and Gender-based Violence and support to the GPF Public Relations Office with capacity building initiatives, and studio equipment among a host of others.
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