The theme for his year’s celebration was: 'Management of Mangrove Forest from Senegal to Benin.'
Lamin Jobaate, the Executive Director of WABSA, recalled that the Jinack Protocol was signed on the 2 of June 2001 by the government of The Gambia and Senegal, saying: “The then Minister of Environment Sussan Waffa Ouggo signed the Protocol on behalf of The Gambia government while Modou Fadda Dagne, the then Minister of Environment of the Republic of Senegal signed the protocol on behalf of the Senegalese government.”
Jobaate maintained that the objectives of the Jinack protocol among others was to protect and share biological resources of the two countries and the promotion and enhancement of livelihood of the local communities living in the trans-border biosphere.
“In the light of these objectives, WABSA and NCD of Senegal wrote a joint project proposal which was submitted to EU/PABIO for support. Therefore, luckily for the two organisations, the project was funded,” he posited.
The project, he explained, was part of the Grand Saloum Mangrove project which started with the IUCN, adding, “We also started the Trans-border project with five other NGOs including Wetlands International who is in charge of the Grand Saloum project.”
“I hope if the project activities are implemented successfully, it will no doubt add value to the mangrove’s products of both The Gambia and Senegal,” the WABSA boss added.
He thanked the EU, PABIO, IUCN and Wetland for the support the project continues to receive. Jobaate also thanked the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management of The Gambia and DPNS of Senegal for their technical support.
Lamin Saidy, who was speaking on behalf of the regional governor of the NBR, claimed that The Gambia government attaches great importance to the Jinack Protocol, adding that the government is also committed to the protection of the country’s environment.
He hailed the Senegalese NCD for being part of this year’s commemoration, saying, “This is a clear manifestation of the two countries' commitment to the attainment of the Jinack Protocol.”
The Jinack protocol which was signed on 2nd of June 2001, he added, was to protect the two country’s National Parks that’s in Niumi in Gambia and Saloum in Senegal and share the same ecological entity geared towards harmonizing the national policies and strategies of our two countries.
He urged WABSA in The Gambia and NCD of Senegal to redouble their efforts toward complementing the two governments' efforts towards the protection of the mangroves within the two biosphere reserves.
