By: Mariama Njie
The National Youth Council Wednesday engaged youth groups on a two-day migration summit dialogue to discuss informed decisions on the opportunities available for youth in the Gambia and raise awareness on the dangers of migration.
The youth groups include returnees and survivors of human trafficking.
Speaking at the event held at FIFA goal project in Yundum, executive director National youth council, Alagie Jarju said the national youth council partnership with Konrad Adenuer Stiftung a German political foundation decided to organize this two-day summit to continue to raise awareness on the dangers of migrations. “We want to ensure young people to understand that migration is not the only way to get to Europe.”
He added that migration is a natural phenomenal but one should use the right means to travel and not by irregular means.
Jarju further said within the two-day participants will discuss reasons why the awareness on migration is making no relevant and solutions to those reasons.
He also stated that the summit will address reasons why it took long for society to accept returnees back and discriminate them.
Meanwhile, chairperson of the National Youth Council, Ousman Fatty said that the affairs of the youth should be discussed by themselves and any decision taken should revolt around their recommendations.
“Irregular migration is a global issue that is being discussed at all level and every year thousands of our youth will risk their lives in search for greener pasture, migration is everybody’s business and no matter the circumstances we must talk about it, this is the reason why the government of the Gambia came up with the national coordination mechanism on migration headed by the vice president to coordinate migration activities,” he explained.
He urged participants to take the training seriously, that they should disseminate the knowledge they will gain in the training.
