By: Kebba Ansu Manneh
Migration has long been part of Gambian life, with citizens moving across the region and beyond for education, livelihoods, and opportunity, Foreign Minister Sering Modou Njie said on Thursday at the Second National Dialogue on Migration.
Speaking at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center, the foreign minister, whose statement was read on his behalf by Information Minister Dr. Ceesay, emphasized that Gambians in the diaspora remain one of the country’s most valuable assets. “Thousands of Gambians are estimated to be residing abroad, contributing significantly to national development,” he said. “Their contributions extend far beyond remittances that support household incomes, education, health care, and community projects. They provide skills, networks, investments, innovation, and cultural linkages that strengthen our national resilience.”
The conference, themed “Leveraging Regular Pathways for The Gambia’s National Development,” brought together policymakers, diaspora representatives, international partners, and returnees to discuss safe and orderly migration.
While acknowledging the benefits of migration, Minister Njie highlighted the severe risks of irregular routes. “Over many years, Gambia has witnessed the devastating loss of young lives to the dangers of the desert and the Mediterranean Sea,” he said. “Families have been torn apart, communities traumatized, and many returnees face complex reintegration challenges.”
He described irregular migration as “not merely a border management issue, but a development issue, a governance issue, a protection issue, and above all, a human issue.” The minister stressed the need to address root causes such as limited economic opportunities, skills mismatch, misinformation, and exploitation by human smugglers.
Njie outlined the government’s commitment to expanding safe, legal pathways through bilateral labor agreements with destination countries. These agreements, he said, aim to protect Gambian workers from exploitation, ensure fair treatment and decent working conditions, and strengthen consular support for vulnerable migrants, including women and children.
“Our missions play a frontline role in safeguarding the rights and well-being of our nationals,” he said. The government is also institutionalizing diaspora engagement through structured platforms, investment instruments, and sector-specific forums to enable Gambians abroad to contribute more systematically to national development.
He pointed to the National Coordination Mechanism on Migration as a key tool for fostering collaboration across ministries, agencies, and partners on labor mobility, migration governance, human trafficking, border management, and diaspora affairs.
The dialogue, Njie said, reflects a broader commitment to making migration “a choice, not a desperate measure,” with regular pathways that are viable, safe, well-managed, and development-oriented.
Ms. Sibgha Ajaz, Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in The Gambia, urged participants to remember the human stories behind the statistics. “As we deliberate on regular pathways, we’re talking about real human lives,” he said, describing a young woman seeking work abroad, a student pursuing education overseas, a family hoping to reunite, or a trafficking survivor rebuilding her life.
Murwisi praised the dialogue and the National Coordination Mechanism as proof that “with partnerships and collaboration, it is possible” to make regular pathways effective. He reaffirmed IOM’s commitment to supporting the government in building inclusive systems and enhancing institutional capacity.
Other speakers included Alieu Loum, Chief of Staff at the Office of the President; Karl-Frédérick Paul, UN Resident Coordinator in The Gambia; and Muhammed Barrow, a returnee who shared his personal experience. All underscored the importance of addressing root causes while advancing policies that protect migrants and harness migration for national progress.
The event concluded with expressions of gratitude to partners, including the IOM, the European Union, the United Nations, the African Development Fund, and conference participants.
