By Mustapha Jallow
Officials from the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) and stakeholders commenced another discussion on implementing integrated border management (IBM) in the Gambia on Monday.
At the consultative session hosted in Bakau’s local hotel, the focus of the discussions was on IBM’s unwavering commitment to implementing border management systems that are both efficient and coordinated while maintaining security. The objective is to achieve a balance between open borders and strict control. This session facilitated collaboration among distinguished representatives from DCAF, security agencies, government officials, and other partners, all of whom recognize the significance of this topic.
The year 2023 saw the IBM concept launch to bolster national security, streamline trade and travel, and tackle the challenge of porous borders. The initiative also recognizes the importance of implementing anti-corruption measures within the border management system.
The IBM concept holds great promise in simplifying policy implementation by detecting and removing inconsistencies and duplications. Attention is directed towards a crucial aspect of the Gambia’s IBM concept and delivery strategy. The Service Level Agreement currently under discussion will provide a groundwork for forthcoming endeavors, including training at BCPs, implementing SOPs for Inter-Agency Working, and testing the operationalization of the IBM through a simulation exercise. Mark Lynch, Border Management Advisor for the DCAF office in Banjul, has underscored the significance of this agreement in facilitating progress in these initiatives.
He remembered the gathering in the smallest country – the Gambia, widely known for being a significant location for human trafficking, with victims and survivors coming from across the West Africa region.
“The Gambia serves as a hub for trafficking and irregular migration. Border control points are under-resourced, and unpatrolled areas are porous, which enables the continued flow of illicit goods as well as other organized criminality such as drug trafficking,” Lynch said in his speech.
“The IBM will give all stakeholders engaged in border security in the Gambia the mechanism to work more efficiently and effectively together,” he added.
According to him, DCAF is vital in promoting sustainable peace and development by supporting partner states and international organizations that share this vision. Additionally, DCAF is committed to developing cutting-edge knowledge resources, fostering best practices and ethical standards, offering legal and policy guidance, and empowering security sector stakeholders, both governmental and non-governmental.
Significant progress has been made in the security sector reform process since its launch in 2017. This progress has been achieved by developing a strategic framework and security sector architecture, providing a solid foundation for reforming security agencies. The government has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to improving the security sector by adopting the national security policy in 2019, the National Security Strategy in 2020, and the security sector strategy from 2020 to 2024.
Border security remains a central focus for all security institutions in the Gambia. Many existing or emerging interests are linked to the country’s porous borders and inefficient border management systems.
