Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Wednesday disclosed that The Gambia is a centre-point for border connectivity through the customs operations and other border security agencies to ensure the country develops the international standard of trading.
“I see further beyond Gambia is really connecting,” he said.
Dr. Mikuriya made this remarks at Jiboro custom post during his ongoing working visit to The Gambia to assess the level of progress under the Customs administration, he was accompanied on this conducted tour by officials of the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA).
Dr. Mikuriya said WCO’s mission and vision was that borders divide – customs will connect them, saying that customs are key players to ensure there is connectivity of trade at the borders. He explained that Africa has a big dream of creating one market with African continent of free-trading area.
“I just signed an agreement with African Continent of Free-Trade Area Secretarial. This will enable us provide all the expertise and capacity building – to ensure that the creation of African market is done,” he said.
According to Dr. Mikuriya, he was pleased to meet other sister securities from different agencies who also providing support to protect revenue and citizens. He explained how he was impressed to see their Gambia’s counterpart, Senegal, saying what both countries are promoting is custom cooperation between the two administrations.
“I salute you all for the collaboration because you are people that are ensuring customs play their important role. I am also glad to hear your challenges and opportunities – to ensure how we can work together to ensure your economy is well connected to your surrounding countries. But also incorporated or integrated into the global market,’’ he stated.
Mr. Yankuba Darboe, the Commissioner General of GRA said the visit to Jiboro post border was to ensure that the WOC SG see for himself how customs and other sister services operate at the borders, saying that Jiboro is very strategic for the country in the sense that it connect The Gambia with the southern part of Senegal.
He told delegates that through this border one would be able to access Guinea-Bissau as well as the other Guinea Conakry, explaining that Gambia is a country that involves in lots of transit because of its strategic location and a lot of businesses will bring good to Banjul on transit to Guinea Bissau or Conakry.
“They all have to pass here and to the next border of Seleti – that is why this area for GRA,” he said.
At the border, according to CG Darboe, the building where customs officers are stationed belongs to GRA but housed all the members of other security agencies comprising the Police, Gambia Drug Law Enforcement Agency (GDLEA), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Immigration, Food Safety and Agriculture, Health and so on.
“They work as stakeholders and collaborate for the security of the country to protect the revenue that belongs to the country. Also, through the help that we receive from you (WCO) we coordinated border management and other trainings that offer by the WCO,” he disclosed.
“This is what we expected from our leaders. Time to time they come and see us to know our problems and working relation we have between us – so that they can attest to that also. But we do not have much problem at Jiboro. We have a very good cordial work relation among us (sister services). We also have a very good relation with our Senegalese counterpart,” said Landing A Bojang, Officer Commanding of Immigration at Jiboro post, who spoke on behalf of the other sister services at the border.