The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources (MECCNAR) in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) recently validated the draft plan of action to mainstream migration into the National Climate Change Framework at the National Youth Council in Bakau.
Anchored on “Building Evidence and Enhancing Capacity to Formulate Policy Responses on Environmental Migration in The Gambia’’, the activity is part of the efforts to assist the government and its development partners in formulating policy responses on environmental migration in the country.
In his welcoming remark, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Mr. Baboucarr Zaidi Jallow stated that the workshop was a continuation of what has been in the development of the action plan. He urged all participants to thoroughly go through the documents and highlight gaps as well as make relevant comments and recommendations to ensure all the necessary elements are captured.
Principal Climate Change Officer, Mr. Modou Cham highlighted that climate change mainstreaming is part of the holistic approach to fighting the impact of climate change, especially with regard to migration.
IOM Representative, Mr. George Andrews also took the platform to outline the objectives of the validation workshop which were to provide recommendations to improve the document and also to ensure the action plan is aligned with the policies and activities. He postulated that the action will guide future interventions and ensure activities are better designed. He tasked the participants to serve as ambassadors to help IOM to achieve its targets and objectives.
The representative from Kanifing Municipal Council, Marie Emily Gomez thanked the organizers (MECCNAR and IOM) on behalf of all stakeholders for the opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions during the exercise. She noted that the sessions held will be very helpful in enhancing the existing policy documents.
Climate change is showing changes in temperatures, annual precipitation patterns, the frequency and severity of certain weather events, and other features of the climate system in the country. Combined with the existing environmental, social, and economic vulnerabilities, climate change is undermining Gambia’s food, water, and economic security; as well as causing loss of livelihoods, thus destabilizing rural societies and fueling rural-urban migration. Thus, the need to mainstream migration in the national climate change policy framework on the environment and climate change.