By: Kemo Kanyi
Ebrima Mboob, director general of the Gambia Immigration Department (GID), has given an assurance of his department’s commitment to getting every ECOWAS citizen feel at home in The Gambia.
He made the remark at the opening ceremony of the 8th Annual Forum of Heads of Immigration Services of the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) at the Sir DawdaKairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo on Monday.
The forum, according DG Mboob, is to engage, deliberate, and collaborate on emerging issues and hurdles faced by ECOWAS citizens, concerning mobility, border management, and migration of persons/services and products within the bloc as well as to strengthen collaboration between ECOWAS member states. The theme of the forum is Acceleration of the Deployment of the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) and the Abolishing of the 90 Days Stay Limit/Resident Permit for Community Citizens.’’
“The Gambia Immigration Department remains deeply committed to ensuring the domestication and enforcement of the ECOWAS free movement protocol, which serves as a foundation for the rights of ECOWAS citizens to move freely, reside, and establish where desired, sans frontiers,” DG Mboob said. “We have come a long way in implementing these regional obligations, and our progress in areas such as the issuance of the biometric identification documents, border control, and mobility management stands as a testament to our collective dedication on agreements and policy decisions,’’he added.
The GID boss pointed out that the initiative is not merely about providing identification but creating a seamless and secure mechanism for the citizens of the bloc to exercise their rights to free movement, access opportunities, and contribute to the region’s collective development.
He announced that since 2018, the Gambia government and the Ministry of the Interior endeavoured tirelessly to strengthen issuance of biometric ID cards, ensuring that all ECOWAS citizens in The Gambia have access to secure and recognized documentation.
“We have introduced identity border management control system designed to safeguard the integrity of our borders and ensure documentation is made available to both Gambians and non-Gambians alike, in full compliance with ECOWAS protocols,’’ he informed the heads of the immigration services of member states.
DG Mboob stressed that the full achievement of regional integration requires continued dedication, resources and resource mobilization and a shared vision to better the lives of the citizens of the ECOWAS community through free movement.
“It is also important to recognize the push factors on migration affecting the sub-region and provide durable solutions through immigration. Analysis of recent movements has recorded economic-led irregular migration, climate-change-led migration, political and human rights-led migration. A phenomena, triggering resilience for good governance and economic stability,” he stated.
He concluded by reaffirming his department’s goal of modernizing immigration services and ensuring that the Gambia’s borders are not only controlled but fully compliant with regional and international standards.
