By Omar Bah
The Spanish Embassy in Banjul has issued a stern warning that absconding migrant workers could threaten the “circular migration” agreement with The Gambia. The agreement allows regular entry into Spain based on labour needs, with an emphasis on young people and women.
The Ministry of Trade and Employment has confirmed that out of 37 Gambians due back home following the completion of their 3 months seasonal work in Spain, only 4 have returned home, 31 are believed to have absconded while 2 are known to have missed their flight.
But in a statement issued yesterday, the Spanish Embassy said the group of Gambian workers benefiting from the first circular migration pilot of Spain have ended their contract and are expected to return to The Gambia, in compliance with the conditions of the program.
“As of today (Wednesday), 6 workers have returned. The Spanish and Gambian authorities are in contact with the workers that are still in Spain. The deadline for their return has been set on October 6th. According to the latest contacts, some workers have delayed their return for alleged administrative reasons. The Embassy wishes to remind all participants of their obligation to return to The Gambia without delay, which will allow them to continue being part of the programme and work in Spain next year.”
The Embassy said workers who fail to respect the commitment of return will be automatically excluded from the programme.
“We also wish to remind the workers that staying in Spain after the expiration of the contract and visa duration, violates the immigration rules of Spain and the EU. Spain remains confident that all workers currently in Spain under the circular migration agreement will comply with their commitment to return, in order to secure their right to continue benefiting from this programme. Otherwise, these workers will not only jeopardise their opportunity to work legally in Spain but also put at risk the whole migration agreement between The Gambia and Spain, hence depriving hundreds if not thousands of fellow Gambian citizens of the opportunity of working legally in Europe.
“We wish to remind the public that this first programme is a pilot that, if successful, can be scaled up and potentially replicated by other countries in Europe. This is an initiative that has been successfully implemented by Spain in many other countries across the world improving the lives of countless workers and their families.”
The Embassy added that Spain remains fully committed to provide legal pathways to Gambian citizens in order to prevent the loss of lives in the perilous irregular routes and provide economic opportunities. “Spain counts on the good will of all Gambians to succeed in this common challenges.”
