In a bid to fight against illicit drug trafficking and other underground activities, the government of The Gambia through the Ministry of Interior and Expertise France has recently sealed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the objectives of fighting maritime trafficking to and from The Gambia.
The Minister for Interior Sayaka Sonko, while speaking at the signing ceremony, said: “I am with delight and conviction that we are today beginning a new path towards a renewed commitment to the fight against illicit trafficking through the maritime route. This cooperation is coming at a time when the government of The Gambia is intensively devising mechanisms to improve controls at the seaport.”
“These efforts are against the backdrop of the pressure placed on West African states by powerful transnational organised criminal groups using the proximity of the region to South America for the trafficking of huge quantities of cocaine. These groups capitalised on the low capacity at the ports and most importantly the highly un-policed maritime zones. It is worth mentioning that despite the low capacity and capability, law enforcement agencies in the region have proven very resilient and committed.”
“The agreement of the Gambia government through my ministry to sign this memorandum of understanding with Expertise France for the implementation of the project, is enough political goodwill and proof of shared vision and common objective with SEA
Gambia wages war against hard drug trafficking
COP to improve maritime security inside our sovereign waters and prevent transatlantic maritime trafficking to/from The Gambia,” he suggested.
He added that the partnership with SEACOP, would therefore reinforce existing efforts by improving interagency cooperation and coordination using the multi-agency approach.
“I am made to understand that the objective of SEACOP V is to support beneficiary countries in the fight against illicit maritime trafficking and associated criminal networks between the Caribbean, South America, and West Africa, and to enhance international cooperation in tackling illicit maritime trafficking on the transatlantic route.”
Further speaking, he added that he is consistent with The Gambia government’s priorities to strengthen maritime security, especially against the imminent threat posed by organised crime syndicates.
“We will continue to pursue this objective politically and through partnerships like this one. I, therefore, assure the SEACOP project team and your donor that the Gambia government is committed to the implementation of this project and is looking forward to a very fruitful partnership for the common good of humanity. We shall work together to free the world of the siege of organised crime, if we are to maintain rule of law and democratic governance around the world.”
