Ladies and gentlemen Elders and young people of the Gambia,
Thank you for this opportunity to speak today. I won’t take too much of your time, but I need to talk about a distance a distance that’s only 8 miles. Eight miles, that’s all that separates Africa and Europe at the Strait of Gibraltar. Just 8 miles. But for millions of Africans, those 8 miles represent a chasm filled with despair, risk, and dreams of something better.
These dreams aren’t unique. They are the same dreams that built Europe after the devastation of two world wars. dreams of safety, dignity, education, and opportunity. Migration has always been part of humanity’s story. And now, Africa’s youth stand ready to write the next chapter a chapter Europe desperately needs.
Take The Gambia, for instance. It’s a country brimming with potential. Its young men and women are full of energy, talent, and determination. But they are trapped trapped by a lack of opportunities, education, and the absence of safe migration pathways. Their choice? Stay and stagnate or risk their lives through perilous journeys for a shot at a future. This is not a choice; it’s a failure of systems on both sides of that 8 miledivide.
Meanwhile, let’s look at Europe. Your population is aging. By 2050, millions more workers will be needed across every sector to keep your economies alive and thriving. The maths is simple. Europe needs workers, and Africa’s youth need jobs. So why haven’t we connected the dots?
Creating safe migration pathways is not an act of charity it’s a mutually beneficial solution. Europe gains the workforce it needs to remain competitive. Africa’s youth gain training, employment, and a chance to support their families. This isn’t about pity; it’s about progress. It’s about building a partnership that works for both sides of that narrow divide.
But let’s be honest.the current system is broken. Smugglers and traffickers are exploiting desperation, making billions of euros in blood money. The Mediterranean has become a graveyard. And European taxpayers’ money, instead of creating safe systems, is often poured into fortifying borders or funding governments that violate human rights. This is not who we are. This is not the legacy Europe and Africa should leave behind.
So, what do we do?
First, we build bridges, not barriers. Invest in vocational training and job creation programs in countries like The Gambia. Equip young Africans with the skills that industries across Europe so desperately need.
Second, we create legal, structured migration routes. Routes that protect both the dignity of migrants and the needs of host countries.
Third, we treat African nations as equal partners, not charity cases. Listen to local voices and organizations like AMAC, who are already working to provide hope and solutions on the ground.
And for those who fear for Europe’s borders, let me remind you. chaos only benefits the smugglers and traffickers. Order, safety, and cooperation benefit us all. A system that works protects everyone.
Ladies and gentlemen Elder and young people of the Gambia ,we stand at a crossroads. We can continue ignoring the problem until it washes up on European shores or we can build a future of cooperation, compassion, and shared success.
Africa’s youth, The Gambia’s youth, are waiting. They are not asking for handouts; they are asking for a chance to contribute, to belong, and to thrive. Let us meet their dreams with opportunity. Let us turn those 8 miles into a bridge not just of opportunity, but of hope, partnership, and humanity.