By: Nyima Sillah
A Germany-based migration advocate has called on NAMs to scrutinize the Gambia government’s Good Practice agreement with the EU for the removal of failed asylum seekers from the EU borders.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. MamadouTangara, is today expected to seek the approval of the House to consider and ratify the good practice agreement between the government and the EU, regarding the “efficient operation of the identification and return procedures of the persons without authority to stay in Europe”.
Dr. Tangara is also expected to seek the nod of the House in considering and ratifying the operational conclusion on return modalities in the context of the implementation of the good practices on return between The Gambia and the EU.
Meantime, the Barrow government has consistently denied signing any deportation agreement with the EU.
“Migration is a process, not a problem,” argued migration activist Yahya Sonko in an interview with this medium.
He stressed that legislators should take a hard, long look at the agreement to help prevent the drowning of Gambians in the Mediterranean and end the suffering of Gambian asylum seekers in the deportation detention centres, including those in Germany.
Activist Sonko pointed out that parliamentarians should understand that migration is a key challenge that requires global cooperation, dialogue, and understanding.
“Our government and institutions cannot and should not stop people from migration. We have to give them a better life at home. The goal should be a real paradigm shift: creating a win-win solution for The Gambia and Germany, and replace dangerous irregular migration with regular migration,” he opined.
Sonko further challenged legislators to peruse the entire “so-called” Good Practice Document.
“Find out what is it all about. What does it entail?What are the interests of Gambia and the diaspora in that Good Practice Document? Is there any sustainable reintegration support included in the Good PracticeDocument?” he advised NAMs.
