By Fatou Saho
The National Environment Agency (NEA) and it’s Senegalese counterpart (SONAGED) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to tackle waste management challenges in the Gambia.
The MoU is designed to improve Gambia’s waste collection and recycling systems, enhance public health and environmental quality, explore funding opportunities for future waste management projects and capacity building trainings.
The executive director of NEA, Dr Dawda Badgie, said the MoU came up as a result of the two countries’ environment minister’s discussions at last year’s COP meeting in Dubai.
“They did a presentation on issues related to waste management and how they are doing it in Senegal and the minister tasked us to see how we can work together. If they are able to do it why can’t we do it as a country,” Dr.Badgie said.
During one of the presentations, it was revealed that Gambia generates 23,000 tons of plastic waste 75% of which is leaked into the environment, an indication of improper waste management.
Dr Badgie thanked the SONAGED for visiting The Gambia and emphasised on the need for a quick implementation of what is contained in the MoU.
The visiting Director General of SONAGED, Khalifa Ababakr Sarr, expressed his institution’s excitement over the partnership, saying the collaboration will contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future for both countries.
Among the enthusiastic Roadmap of the two agencies collaboration includes having a stakeholder dialogue and technical visits.
