By Tabora Bojang & Amadou Jadama
President Adama Barrow has told delegates at the 25th session of the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission in Banjul that his government has made a deliberate political decision in making wildlife and environmental protection a matter of “national survival and political sovereignty” pledging that his government will not relent to strengthen forest governance, combat environmental crimes and promote green growth.
In a statement delivered yesterday on his behalf by the vice president, Barrow described Gambia’s wildlife sector as a central pillar of national development and environmental strategy. “Under my leadership, we have taken some novel steps to protect our wildlife resources, for example, we have expanded protected areas, and enforced regulations to safeguard endangered species. We have taken bold steps to combat illegal hunting, poaching, and wildlife trafficking, ensuring that our forests and savannahs remain safe havens for biodiversity. Our political will ensures that the survival of our wildlife is inseparable from the survival of our communities and our nation’s ecological health” president Barrow told delegates at the event marking the 9th African Forestry and Wildlife Week currently ongoing in Banjul.
The president averred that hosting this important forum in Banjul is both a privilege and a statement of intent that positions the Gambia firmly among the nations of Africa that have “chosen to protect, not to exploit; to restore, not to destroy; and to act and not just to talk” about their environment. “When my government came to power, we noticed that our forests were shrinking, our forests and wildlife were under immense threat, and our natural resources were being exploited beyond measure. But as a government elected on the promise of responsible leadership, we made a deliberate political decision, making environmental protection a matter of national survival and political sovereignty,” Barrow said.
He added: “My government took a bold and irreversible step to ban all timber exports, revoke all illegal felling permits, and disrupt the cross-border trafficking of rosewood that was devastating our environment.We took these actions because they were necessary, as leadership is tested in moments when political convenience must give way to moral duty, and on our part, we chose duty. Forest degradation has slowed, reforestation is increasing, and community forestry programmes continue to expand across the country.”
“We know challenges still persist, illegal logging, cross-border trafficking, and limited enforcement remain serious concerns. But let me assure this gathering that my government will not relent. We will strengthen forest governance, enhance community participation, and intensify regional collaboration under Ecowas and the African Union frameworks to manage our forests sustainably, combat environmental crime and promote green growth. My government believes that Africa’s forests are our lungs and our defense against climate change, and our wildlife resources are our heritage, these are the legacies that we must preserve for generations to come,” he stated.
The president further stated that due to his government’s intervention in forestry governance and enforcement, deforestation rates are declining in the Gambia and wildlife sanctuaries are recovering, which he said created sustainable livelihoods, and empowered women and youth in communities to increase incomes through legal, sustainable forest enterprises. Minister of Environment, Rohey John Manjang, reported that Africa continues to lose about four million hectares of forest every year driven mainly by illegal logging, unsustainable agriculture, urban expansion, exploitation of natural resources and weak enforcement of environmental laws. “The impact of these activities on our wildlife has been devastating. Many of Africa’s iconic species, elephants, pangolins, leopards, and migratory birds are facing shrinking habitats and increased poaching pressures,” she lamented.
The week-long meeting, organised by the FAO and hosted by the Gambia government attracted delegations from across the continent of Africa under the theme “Innovative and Inclusive Forest and Wildlife Resources Management for Africa. The meeting opens with a clear call for African countries to scale up innovation and reinforce political commitment to protect and restore Africa’s forests and wildlife.
