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Monday, February 17, 2025
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Activist claims Spain will take only 50 labourers from Gambia for now

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By Omar Bah

Germany-based Gambian migration activist, Yahya Sonko, has claimed that the recent agreement between The Gambia and Spain allows for only 50 labourers to migrate legally to Spain.

Recently, the National Assembly approved the non-legally binding agreement, which emphasises the need for legal migration pathways to combat irregular migration.

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On Monday, hundreds of Gambians stormed different government offices around the country to collect forms for the initiative aimed at addressing labour shortages in Spain while providing opportunities for Gambians aged 18 to 40 to work temporarily in specific industries.

Critics of the agreement have argued that it reflects a failure of the Gambian government to create sufficient job opportunities domestically, leading to dissatisfaction among citizens who feel that their government should prioritise local employment instead of sending youth abroad for labour.

Reacting to pictures circulating on social media of young Gambians attempting to jump fences to collect forms, Mr Sonko told The Standard yesterday that the government has not been transparent about the agreement.

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He said Gambians remain uninformed about key details, leading to confusion and unrealistic expectations.

“We all saw pictures and videos of young Gambians struggling at the Ministry of Trade and other places to collect forms apply for the programme. But what is still unclear to these hundreds of youths is that, since last year, Spain’s government, through its embassy in The Gambia, informed The Gambia government that the deal would allow only 50 Gambians,” he stated.

Sonko said he is surprised that the government has not publicly stated this in any of their interviews or publications about the deal.

“Had the government properly informed citizens, the chaotic scenes at the Ministry of Trade could have been avoided. Most of these youths believe the government and Spain are offering opportunities to thousands of Gambians. If they knew the actual number Spain agreed to, they might lower their expectations. Proper planning prevents poor performance. If this is not carefully assessed, it will be a big failure.”

He said the agreement is seen as a potential avenue for meaningful employment and strengthened bilateral relations.

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