By Alagie Manneh
A high-level national consultation meeting was Wednesday organised to provide input and solution to the Global Compact for migration.
The Global Compact is framed consistent with target 10.7 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in which member States committed to cooperate internationally to facilitate safe, orderly and regular migration.
The Wednesday convergence was designed to create a “comprehensive strategy that reflects the priority of member states, with a view to contribute to a unified global approach to migration management and governance.”
Organisers, the Ministry of Interior, with support from the International Organisation for Migration, IOM said the consultation provided opportunity for the government to come together with civil society organisations, academia, media, the private sector and the UN system in the Gambia to “discuss migration from a range of perspectives and give concrete country-specific recommendations that would feed into the Global Compact.”
Gambians were among the top nationalities leaving West Africa for Italy in 2016. In total 11,929 Gambians arrived last year.
And with the EU now looking to increase the return of Gambian migrants since the Gambia is now a democracy, the elevated meeting couldn’t have come at a better time.
Held at the Gambia Coral Beach Hotel and Spa, the high-level meeting also comprised presentations and panel discussions.
“The participation by a range of stakeholders on key issues yielded country-specific recommendations and contributions to the global discussions of migration, a release from the ministry stated.
