638th Meeting, 42nd Session, Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW)

Distinguished members of the committee, distinguished members of the delegation of the Republic of the Gambia.
Ladies and gentlemen, I call to order 638th meeting of the committee on the Protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of their family.
The committee will proceed with agenda item seven, consideration of reports submitted by state parties under the Article 73 of the Convention.
Today we will proceed in a public dialogue with the consideration of the initial report of the Gambia.
On behalf of the members of the committee and myself, allow me first to warmly welcome His Excellency, Mr.
Mod K Sis, Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and employment, and the head of delegation of the Republic of the Gambia to this constructive dialogue.
I would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to the government of the Cambia for positively responding to the request of this committee, for accept to be reviewed in situ with a high level delegation with competent experts to have a productive and constructive discussion with us.
This is an excellent manifestation of the support of the state party to the treaty body system as a whole, and in particular for the Convention of Migrant Workers regime, and for their own commitment towards protecting rights of migrant workers and members of their family.
I now have the honor and pleasure to give the floor to His Excellcy Mr.
Marque Cis.
I hope I'm pronouncing your name right, sir.
Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and employment, and the Head of delegation of the Republic of the Gambia to this constructive dialogue to introduce the report.
Excellency, you have the floor.
Here, thank you, Your Excellencies, good evening.
Distinguished members of the committee, Cory reporters, excellencies.
Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon to you all.
It is a privilege and honor to appear before this distinguished committee on behalf of the government of the Republic of Gambia, for the consideration of our initial report under the International Convention on the Protection of the right of all migrant workers and members of their families.
At the outset, allow me to convey the warm greeting of His Excelleny President Ad Amabaru, the government and people of the Gambia.
I also wish to express our sincere appreciation to the committee for its important work in promoting the effective implementation of the convention and for the constructive engagement it maintains with third parties.
I am joined by the quantity team, as well as staffs of our embassies here, Mr.
Daniel Labaro, Commissioner for Labor, Gamba Labor Department, miss Aji Adam Sisi head of Human Rights Unit at the Ministry of Justice, Mr.
Suleiman Kujabi Commissioner of operation at the Gambia Immigration Department, Mr.
Basil Resaca, principal Labor Economists Minister of Freight, Industry Regional Integration and employment, miss Bafjng counselor for the Human Rights Matters, Department Mission of the Gambia in Geneva, Mr.
Malignazi First Secretary Department Mission, Mr.
Maud Benga First Secretary, Permanent Mission in Geneva, and other senior government officials participating in virtually virtually from head office, Bangju.
This arrangement allows the delegation to draw on the technical expertise of the relevant ministries, departments and agencies involved in migration governance and migration protection.
It also reflects our recognition that implementation of the convention cannot be carried out by one institution alone.
It requires coordinated action across government, as well as sustained engagement with National Human Rights Commission, civil society, and international partners.
The Gambia ratified the convention on 28, September 2018.
By doing so, we undertook the obligation to respect, protect, and fulfill the right of migrant workers and members of their families and to report to this committee on the measures adopted to give effect to the convention in accordance with Article 73.
We also acknowledge that the Gamble initial report was due in 2020.
Following ratification of the convention, we regret the delay in its submission.
This was not due to the lack of commitment.
On our part, both to capacity and coordination challenges in compiling information across the many institutions involved in migration governance, we therefore view the submission of this initial report and our dialogue with the committee as an important opportunity to regularize our reporting, identify remaining gaps, and strengthen implementation of the convention going forward.
Today, Today's dialogue now gives us the opportunity to build on that process.
We come before the committee in a spirit of openness and constructive engagement, ready to say the progress made, to acknowledge the challenges that remain and to benefit from the committee's guidance as we continue to strengthen the protection of migrant workers and members of their families.
Mr.
Chairperson, distinguished members of the committee, in preparing its initial report, the government sought to ensure that the process was nationally owned, consultative, and reflective of the institution involved in migration governance and migrant protection.
The report was prepared through inter ministerial task force on treaty body reporting, coordinated by the Ministry of Justice with input from the relevant ministries, department and agencies.
Consultation were also held with the National Human Rights Commission, civil society organizations, and development partners, including IOM.
A national validation meeting was held before the submission of the report in March 2026.
We therefore This dialogue has opportunities to go beyond written report and engage directly with the committee in a frank and consultative manner.
Mr.
Chairperson, distinguished members of the committee, for the Gambia, migration is not a distant or theoretical issue.
It is part of the life, reality of many families and communities.
It is reflected in the aspirations of young Gambians who live in search of opportunity, in the contribution of migrant workers, in the diaspora, to families whom and national development, and in the role of workers from neighboring countries in our economy.
At the same time, it is also reflected in the painful realities of irregular migration, trafficking, exploitation, and in some cases, loss of life, a youthful life.
These realities guide our approach towards migration governance has not only been about managing borders or procedures, but also about people.
It is about ensuring that migration is safe, orderly, regular, human, and g based, and that every person within our jurisdiction, regardless of nationality or migration status, is treated with dignity and protected under the law.
We recognize that this principle must translate into protection in practice as progress cannot be measured only by the adoption of laws and policies, but must also be measured by migrant workers can access protection, whether victim of trafficking and smuggling receive support, whether returnees can rebuild their lives, or whether migrant children are identified and protected, and whether Gambian migrant workers abroad can rely on effective consular assistance.
It is in this spirit that the Gambe has continued to build an evolving migration governance framework, one that places people at the center, uphold human dignity, and seeks to strengthen protection in law, policy and practice.
Mr.
Chair Parsin, distinguished members, allow me to highlight some key development in our legal and policy framework since ratification.
Wiley Gamble does not have a standalone law dedicated exclusively to migrant workers and members of their families.
Their protection is addressed through a combination of constitutional guarantees, labor legislation, immigration laws, anti trafficking legislation, child protection laws, access to justice mechanism, and relevant policy frameworks.
The government continues to strengthen this framework to better align national laws and practice with the convention.
The Constitution guarantees fundamental rights and freedom to all persons with territory of the state within the territory of the state, including protection of personal liberty, protection from discrimination, access to justice, and the right to fair hearing.
These guarantees apply not only to citizen but to all persons within our jurisdiction, including migrant workers and members of their families.
The Labor Act 2023 is one of the most significant recent reform.
It strengthened the framework governing employment relations, labor standards, written contracts, operational safety and health, equal treatment, labor inspection, and dispute resolution.
It protection are relevant to all workers, including migrant workers within the country.
The government has also adopted the persons with disability Act 2021 and the prevention and prohibition of torture Act 2023.
These laws strengthen the broader National Human Rights framework and are relevant to the protection of vulnerable persons, including migrant workers and members of their families who may face different form of vulnerability.
The Gambia has adopted several policy instruments relevant to migration governance.
These include the National Migration Policy 2020 to 2030, the labor migration strategy, and Action Plan 2022 to 2026, the National Action Plan Against Trafficking in Persons 2026 to 2030, and the National Return and reintegration strategy, and the migration communication Strategy, which recently phased out in 2025.
Institutionally, the National Coordination Mechanism on migration established on sixth November 2019, serve as a government led interagency platform for coordination migration governance in the Gambia.
It brings together relevant ministries, departments and agencies as well as partners to promote a more coherent approach to migration policy, implementation, reporting, and follow ups.
Through this platform, issues relating to immigration, management, labor migration, trafficking in persons, return and reintegration, diaspora engagement, and migrant protection are addressed in a more coordinated manner.
This coordination has also been complemented by national and inter regional dialogue on migration.
In December 2025, the government in partnership with IOM convened the national Dialogue on migration in Banju.
In July 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and gambling abroad also partnered with IOM, OHCHR, and the United Nations Network on migration to host an inter regional dialogue on the review of the Global Compact for migration, focusing on labor mobility, protection of migrant workers, and information sharing.
The Gamble also remained engaged in the robot process and hosted the July 2025 thematic meeting on missing migrants, co chaired with Switzerland, focusing on prevention of loss of life, data cooperation, identification mechanism, and support to families.
The Gambe also continue to cooperate with EQs, whose protocol on free movement on persons.
Resident and establishment remains central to regional mobility.
EQs nations nationals may enter the Gambia without a visa for up to 90 days.
Those who wish to remain beyond the period or to take up resident or employment are required to regularize their status through procedures administered by the Gambia Immigration Department, including resident resident or resident unemployment permit under the Immigration Act.
Mr.
Chairpersin, members of the committee, I wish to draw the committee's attention to an important recent development.
The government has finalized the Gamble Immigration Bill 2026, which was submitted to the National Assembly on for June 2026.
The bill is a major step in modernizing the country immigration framework.
It seeks to repeal the Immigration Act of 1965 and replace it with a more comprehensive legal framework for immigration control, border management, travel documents, visas, permits, and the prevention and prohibition of migrant smuggling.
Importantly, the bill introduces provision on the protection and assistance of smuggled migrants, including urgent medical care, protection against violence, safeguard for smuggled children, access to judicial proceedings, and access to consular officials.
It also recognizes important safeguards, including the principle of non realment, the right to seek asylum, the prohibition of arbitrary and collective expulsion, the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman degrading treatment or punishment in the best interests of the child.
The bill is not yet enacted and will require consideration by the National Assembly.
If passed, effective implementation would require regulation, training, resources, public awareness, and oversight.
We consider this as an important priority.
Mr.
Chairperson, members of the committee, the protection of Gambian migrant workers abroad remain an important priority for the government.
The government has continued to pursue irregular labor migration pathways through bilateral cooperation, including with the Kingdom of Spain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Cooperation with Spain was strengthened in 2024 in the area of circular and seasonal labor migration, while cooperation with Saudi Arabia was advanced through a bilateral labor agreement signed in 2023 and ratified in 2024, focusing on regulatory recruitment, including for professional and domestic work.
We recognize that regular labor migration pathway must be matched by practical safeguards.
These include transparent recruitment processes, written contracts, fair wages, social protection, grievance mechanism, consular access, and safe returns.
Our priority is not only to create opportunities for Gambian workers abroad, but also to ensure that they are protected throughout the migration cycle.
The government have also taken steps to bring documentation and consular services closer to nationals abroad.
Our diplomatic and consular services assist Gambian nationals in destination countries, including the issuance of travel documents, nations with whose authorities and facilitation of voluntary return where necessary.
A recent example is the mobile biometric passport enrollment exercise conducted in Spain and Italy from 27 April to 16 May 2026.
The exercise enrolled 1,823 Gambian applicants and enable Gambians abroad to assess passport enrollment services without having to travel to the Gambia.
The government also cooperate with international partners, including IOM to support voluntary return, the reintegration and migrant protection.
Through this cooperation, Gambian migrant returning from difficult situation in transit countries, including Libya, Niger, Mauritania have received assistance for safe return and reintegration, while community based reintegration projects have supported livelihoods in areas such as animal husbandry, horticulture, bakery, commercial transport, fashion and millionaires.
Sustainable integration remains a challenge.
However, these efforts have helped many returnees begin the difficult process of rebuilding their lives, reconnecting with their communities, and accessing livelihood opportunities.
The government have also taken steps to strengthen pre departure preparation for Gambians migrant workers with support from IOM, the labor migration strategy, ethical recruitment guidelines, and pre departure training manuals, were developed and validated in 2021.
These tools are intended to prepare Gambian workers before departure by providing guidance on regular migration channels, recruitment procedures, employment contracts, workers' rights and responsibilities, risk of exploitation, counselor assistance, and complaint mechanism.
We acknowledge, however, that monitoring the condition of Gambian migrant workers abroad remains a challenge, particularly for domestic workers and low wage workers in destination countries where access to remedies, labor inspection, and protection from exploitative practices may be limited.
The priority now is to ensure that three departure tools are implemented consistently, especially for workers living through bilateral labor agreements, bilateral labor arrangements, and regulated recruitment channels.
Mr.
Chairperson, members of the committee, On access to justice and remedies, migrant workers and members of their families may access ordinary courts and relevant complaint mechanism in the Gambia.
These include the Department of Labor, the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Human Rights Commission, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Secretariat, and the National Agency for Legal Aid.
Victim of trafficking in person may also receive assistance through the National Agency Against Trafficking in person, which also established a CLTa for trafficking victims in 2024.
The National Human Rights Commission plays a critical role in the protection of human rights, including the right of migrants.
The Commission has a mandate to receive and investigate complaints relating to alleged human rights violations and may receive complaints from both citizens and non citizens.
It has also been granted an A status accusditation by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions confirming its compliance with the Paris principles.
We recognize, however, that the access to justice depends not only on the formal availability of institutions, but also on whether migrant workers can use them in practice.
A worker whose we are withheld, a domestic worker facing abuse or a migrant in an irregular situation may hesitate to report violation because of fear, lack of information, language barrier, cost, retaliation, or uncertainty about their status.
This is why awareness, legal assistance, language support, protection against retaliation, and referral pathways remain important.
Mr.
Chair Passin distinguished members.
Trafficking in person and migrant smuggling.
The Gambia has continued to strengthen its legal, institutional and policy frameworks.
The Trafficking in Parson Act criminalizes trafficking and provides for victim protection and rehabilitation.
The national agency, again, Trafficking in P NTP, remain the lead institution responsible for coordinating national efforts in prevention, protection, investigation, prosecution, victim support, and partnership.
In addition, the Gambia has developed a new national plan, action plan against trafficking in person 2026, we build on the lessons of the 2021 plan.
The new plan provides a renewed framework for prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership, data monitoring and evaluation, research and imagine forms of exploitation.
It also recognizes trafficking, risk linked to irregular migration, poverty, unemployment, gender inequality, transnational organized crime, online recruitment, sport related trafficking, and risk associated with labor migration under bilateral labor agreements.
At the same time, we recognize that trafficking and exploitation are often hidden in informal sectors, including domestic work, agricultural construction, agriculture, construction, informal trade, and other areas where workers may be less visible to authorities.
Labor inspection and protection measures are generally stronger in the formal sector than in the informal setting.
This gap has been recognized and will be addressed through better resourcing, enhanced training, outreach, data collection, stronger coordination, and improved referral pathways.
Practical measures under the new plan include strengthening the national referral mechanism, expanding shelter capacity, including through the establishment of a dedicated only CLA, operationalizing the victim trust fund, improving victim support services, and strengthening coordination between NATIP and civil society organizations providing frontline assistance.
In migration situation require particular protection.
The Childs Act provides safeguards against exploitation, abuse, trafficking, and harmful practices, and these protections apply to all children within our jurisdiction, including migrant children.
The government has also taken steps to strengthen the protection of unaccompanied and separated migrant children, including through standard operating procedures to support identification, referral, temporal care, psychosocial support, and case management.
Case management, family, and reunification where appropriate.
We recognize that Children may be exposed to trafficking, forced begging, domestic servitude, labor exploitation, sexual exploitation, and risk linked to irregular migration.
The government is therefore working to strengthen the child protection framework, including truly national child labor policy, which has been developed and validated and is awaiting cabinet approval.
Mr.
Chairperson, members of the committee, on non discrimination, the Constitution of the Gambia, 1997, and national laws prohibit discrimination and guarantees equality before the law.
The national migration policy also commits the state to right based and non discriminatory migration governance.
In practice, this means that should be treated with dignity when they interact with public institutions, including immigration, labor, law enforcement, health education, and justice services.
At the same time, we recognize that formal guarantees must translate into life protection.
A migrant child may face difficulty accessing school where documentation is unclear, a migrant worker In an irregular situation, may hesitate to seek healthcare or report abuse and a victim of trafficking may not know where to seek assistance or may fear retaliation.
This is where the government is focusing on clearer referral pathways, better guardians for frontline officers, stronger public information for migrants and improved dis aggregation data.
The issue of data remain one of the most important cross cutting challenges in the implementation of the convention.
Migration related data is collected by several institutions, including the Gambia Immigration Department, the Gambia Bureau of Statistics, and other relevant agencies.
However, the data remains fragmented and is not always consistently disaggregated by nationality, sex, age, occupation, migration status, or type of vulnerability.
The government has started taking practical steps to improve the situation.
For example, the migration information and data analysis system has been installed as selected border crossing point and connected to the central database at immigration headquarters in Banjul to support the collection, analysis, and sharing of real time travel information.
The data, policy and legislation thematic working groups under the migration coordination framework, led by the Gamba Bureau of Statistics has also supported the development of the ACS data collection tools.
These measures are important, but more work is still needed to ensure that data on complaints, detention, expulsion, labor protection, counselor services, and Gambian migrant workers abroad is collected more consistently and effectively and used effectively for policy and protection purposes.
The Gambia also recognizes the importance of due process in immigration related proceedings.
Migrant workers and members of their families must be treated with dignity and in accordance with the law.
Safeguard against arbitrary detention, access to legal assistance, and interpretation.
Contact with consular authorities, protection against collective expulsion, and the right to challenge decisions are central to a right based migration system.
Mr.
Chair Persin, members of the committee, the Gambia has also taken steps to address historical violation, including migrants.
In the context of the Truth reconciliation and Reparation Commission, the unlawful killing of West African migrants in July 2005 was recognized as a grave violation.
The TRC determined that 54 West African migrants qualified for final reparation and a total of $32.4 million was allocated to be paid through the victim respective governments as part of the National reparation Program.
This remains an important example of non judicial redress for migrant victims and their families, even as accountability processes continue.
It also reflects a broader principle that guide our approach.
Migrants are not outside the protection of the law.
Mr.
Chairperson, members of the committee, before concluding, allow me to highlight the main areas where the Gambia will continue to focus its efforts.
We will continue to modernize the legal framework on migration, including through the parliamentary consideration of the Gamble Immigration Bill 2026, and if enacted, the development of necessary regulation and implementation measures.
We will strengthen the implementation of the Labor Act 2023, particularly through the labor inspection, dispute resolution, and protection of workers in vulnerable and informal sectors.
We will continue to improve coordination through national coordination mechanism on migration on other relevant platforms while strengthening protection for victims of trafficking, smuggling, exploitation, and gender based violence through better identification, referral, psychosocial support, and legal assistance and reintegration services.
The government will also prioritize improved migration data collection and disaggregation, stronger consular protection and regular labor migration pathways for Gambian workers abroad and continued cooperation with the National Human Rights Commission, civil society, and international partners to improve awareness of the convention and access to the medicine.
Mr.
Chapzin, distinguished members of the committee, The gamble does underestimate the challenges ahead.
We face limitation in financial resources, institutional capacity, data system, consular reach, and implementation consistently.
Some reform are still in process, some policies require stronger operational framework, some protection mechanisms need better funding, wider public awareness, and more consistent applications.
But we are here because we accept the ratification is only the beginning.
The real test lies in the implementation.
The government is therefore committed to using this dialogue as a practical opportunity to strengthen protection for migrant workers and members of their families.
We therefore approve the committee.
We therefore approve the committee's questions in a spirit of openness, seriousness, and cooperation.
My delegation stand ready to engage constructively, respond to issues raised, and provide additional information where available and necessary.
I thank you.
Honorable Minister, I thank you for your presenting the report and very substantive statement clearly laying down the progress you have made and your intention to contribute and to work towards full implementation of the regime and laws that you already have.
More importantly, your intention to use this dialogue, this constructive dialogue as a platform to further improve the quality of implementation in your country so that the migrant workers rights are upheld as best as possible.
Now, as you know, we will now engage in a dialogue and in that dialogue, our intention is the same, that our common objective will be to improve the implementation and in our own way to give you recommendations as to how to get there at the end of our dialogue.
In that spirit, we will be discussing matters with you And first, we will have two reporters who will be will comment on the report and the presentation and the situation in the country after that, members of the delegation, then we will take a small break if you wish, and then you can continue to respond and we have another day tomorrow to continue our dialogue.
And in that context, may I first offer two reporters are miss Jaspinzuma and myself.
Okay.
We will I'll first give the floor to Jasmina Zuma to begin the dialogue, and then we'll open the floor and we'll continue accordingly.
Jasmina, you have the floor.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
Allow me to express my honor to head of delegation of the Republic of Gambia, Mr.
Mode Sza, Minister of Trade Industry, regional Integration and employment, and also welcome to all members of delegation on this constructive dialogue.
It is my pleasure together with chairperson of the committee, Mr.
Karvasam, to be rapporteur for the Gambia.
I would like to thank Gambian authorities that they submitted the report in accordance with Article 73 of the Convention and the suprised reporting procedure adopted by the committee on Protection of the rights of all, migrant workers, and members of their families responding to the list of issues prior to reporting.
I hope that during those two days we have a constructive dialogue through that it will be possible to clarify all dilemmas related to information received by the report of the state.
The Republic of Gambia is located along the river Gambia and almost surrounded by Senegal with a coastline along the Atlantic Acan.
Those geographic elements are very relevant for migration, particularly in the context of the preventing of smuggling.
The population is estimated approximately 2.4 million people.
The population is relatively young.
The Gambia is state of origin, transit and destination.
The committee recognizes that Gambia is primarily a country of origin of migrant workers in particular for Europe, states such as Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom, and West Africa, Ghana, Mali Nigeria, Senegal, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirs and the United States of America, but also a country of transit for states, Cameroon, Dar, Guinea, Liberia, Mali Nigeria, Sierra Leone.
And it is country of destination mainly from Western African countries, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone.
Migrant workers in Gambia are mainly engaged in sectors such as trade, tourism, agriculture, fisheries, and construction.
What is important to take into consideration the fact that those sectors are so often connected with informal work? The Gambia ratified the convention in 2018.
In this context, it is very relevant to see what has been done with aim to ensure implementation of obligations from the convention with particular attention on legislative, administrative, and other measures.
The committee noticed positive measures particularly related to adoption of the Labor Act 2023, Persons with Disabilities Act 2021, and Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act 2023.
B, adoption of policy framework, including the National Immigration Policy 2020 2013, the Labor Migration Strategy and Action Plan 2022, 2026, the National Plan of Action Trafficking in P 2021, 2025, but head of delegation mentioned a new one.
The National return and the Integration Strategy and Igration communication Strategy 2021, 2025, but as I heard now, it is a new one and it is enough issues already for dialogue.
C, establishing and opaling the national coordination mechanism on immigration and SME.
For D, promoting safe labor migration and protection of Gambian migrant workers abroad the process of implementing the recovery focused National Development Plan for P 2023, 2027, which mainstreams the economic community of West African states ECOS, vision 2050 and the African Union Agenda 2063 in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and bteral Labor Agreement with Spain and Saudi Arabia the head of delegation already mentioned this.
Having in mind, now it is question in some way that National Plan for Action on Trafficking in persons and National Eternal integration strategy expired last year.
Maybe you can now give us more information on those two documents which adopted as we heard this year.
Has been also preparation for adoption of a new labor immigration strategy and action plan, having in mind that this document is adopted for P 2022, 2026, and it is already time to start preparation process for a new one.
Taking consideration that National Immigration Policy 2020 2000 and Labor Imigration Strategy and action plan for P 2022 and 2026 and National return and integration strategy incorporate key principles of dignity, non discrimination, and protection of vulnerable migrants.
Could you explain how they define human rights based and gender responsive implementation? Can you give us figura on resources allocated for implementation those documents? The 1997 Constitution guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms for all individuals in the country, including migrant workers and members of their families.
Why the Gambia has not adopted as head of delegation mentioned standalone legislation for the protection of migrant workers and members of their families.
Particularly take into account that the Immigration Act 1965, which regulates migration management is archaic and Part six contains arbitrary and right deficient provisions.
The Children's Act from 2005, Trafficking in Persons Act from 2007, and Women's Act from 2010 provide protection applicable to migrant workers and members of their families.
Those rights are adopted long before ratification of the convention.
Therefore, it is relevant.
It is question how much those laws can answer on migration trends.
Please, could you inform does exist a comprehensive national immigration strategy that includes labor migration issues, if it does exist? What are key elements of this document? The Gambia voted in favor of the Global Compact for safe, orderly irregular immigration, endorsed by General Assembly in the Resolution 72 slash 195 and has taken additional activities in the context of this document.
Please, can you provide information on activities that have been taken based on the Global Compact on immigration? The coordination of immigration is very important, particularly having in mind that areas that are affected by this process.
It already has been mentioned by head of delegation and it is very relevant that authorities recognize the importance of this issue.
The Gambia established as coordination mechanism, the NCM, the Technical Committee on BLA, and the task force for missing migrants.
But could you give us information on these of which legislation those bodies are established and what are resources dedicated for their work? In the state report, you referred that preparation of the report was coordinated by Ministry of Justice through the inter ministerial task force or treaty body reporting.
Could you give information? Is this ad hoc body or permanent body responsible for the reporting toward treaty bodies? Head of delegation mentioned how it's important taking also guidelines from the committee to improve reporting process.
Now this question is really directly for that what was stated in the introduction speech of head of delegation.
Involvement of civil society organizations in the reporting process is very relevant.
The committee noticed that civil society organizations were consulted during the drafting process.
Please, can you explain how the process of consultation was organized and which organizations participated in this process? The committee recognizes efforts of the Gambia to ensure data collection of migrant migration through the Gambian Immigration Department and the Gambia Bureau of Statistics.
But could you provide us with information? How is ensured systematic consolidated collection of data? Is it data disaggregate and based on which parameters is that disaggregation and does exist data on migrant workers abroad and their employment? He delegation already gave remarks on that issue, but we would like to have dialogue and that our concluding observations in some way will be really guidelines for state authorities to take further action.
Article para one and Article 7 of the Convention define prohibition of discrimination and the grounds of non discrimination.
Please, could you inform us which measures have been taken to incorporate those grounds of discrimination to national laws, including Sections 31 and three Par four of the Constitution of 1997.
Which action has been taken the discriminatory provisions in Section 21 and 13 of the Immigration Act 1965 on prohibited immigrants, which restrict the entry into the state party of persons with mental or intellectual disabilities or prostitutes and unserable persons at the unchecked discretion of the minister.
Which measures have been taken to eliminate discrimination aggravated by gender stereotypes affecting women migrant workers.
Also, I would like to ask information on measures taken to prevent cases of abdoment in the Sahara desert or Gambian migrants and migrants transiting on their way to Europe.
Which measures have been taken to strengthen border control, having in mind that Porous border facilitates the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons.
The right of liberty and security of persons and freedom from arbitrary arrest of detention is prescribed in the Constitution of Gambia.
Please, could you provide information on the Immigration Detention Center in Tani that has been labeled as Immigration Transit Center? Which measures have been taken to prevent detention of children? Please provide us with information on resources available for National Human Rights Institution.
Head of delegation mentioned importance that institutions in status A in accordance of G accreditation process.
But it's also very important to see their resources and their capacities.
It is also our question.
Is there additional resources dedicated for this institution to be able to deal with cases of migrants and proper monitor situation in this area.
It is linked with that that this institution is one of those institutions which has a right to deal with complaints with the remedies of migrants.
Dissemination of convention and the training on this document is one of key obligations of state party.
Please, could you provide information which actions have been taken to implement this obligation? Do you have any figuras on trainings for governmental officials have been organized we aim to increase knowledge on the convention? Having boarded a policeman involved in this activity, in this context, can you give information the capacities of inspection organs, particularly labor inspectors? The report indicates that Gambian courts may refer to international human rights instruments as interruptive guidance when interrupting domestic legislation? It is given a concrete case, state versus Yankuba in which the Supreme Court held that unincorporated treaties, particularly those relating to human rights may be relied upon as interpretive aids to clarify domestic legislation and to fill gaps where national legislation is silent.
Please, can you provide us with information? What is with education of judges on international standards, particularly on convention on migrant workers? Is there any strategy approach to increase knowledge on international standards for professionals, which institutions are responsible for this task? The report gives information that migrant workers and members of their families irrespective of migration status have access to the ordinary course directly to administrative and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms such as the Department of Labor, the ombudsman Office, National Human Rights Institution, Alternative Dispute Resolution Secretariat, the National Agency for Legal Aid, which provides legal advice and representation in eligible cases.
Please, could you provide information how often migrants address the courts since the convention was ratified by your state and how often other listed mechanisms have been used? Which measures have been taken to increase awareness of migrants on the rights to remedy? Why Gambia has not yet made the declaration provided under Article 76 and 77 of the convention.
I know that my co reporter will have additional questions and my colleagues and that we have also tomorrow day for dialogue will stop here and definitely I would kindly ask you to take into consideration my questions only in goodwill to have constructive dialogue and having in mind that is very short period since your state has ratified convention and it is very important to have good beginning and to have good strategic approach established immediately and you will have good results on the end.
Thank you once again.
I thank Yasmina for her first round of questions and I will join her now with a few more comments.
First of all, I share her thought that the Gambia is a very unique country, geographical unique by its location.
It is anglophone country in a francophone region and it is surrounded by Senegal opening to Atlantic Ocean.
It's on the Gambia River basin, which is a very lush region.
It's a very special place.
But that special place gives you special challenges, especially in terms of migrants transit.
You are a country that has transit origin and also you are very prominent in trafficking of persons through your land.
All that is affecting migrant workers rights.
Therefore, we recognize fully the challenges you face and our effort is to work with you in giving you some set of recommendations that will help for you to handle this situation as well as for us to be happy about your success.
You are like many Anglophone countries, you are a dualist constitution.
Therefore, just because you sign a convention does not mean it gets into the domestic law.
In situations like that, you have the legal responsibility is bigger.
My question is, do you have plans to incorporate the provisions of the convention into the body of law so that judges will find it part of its legal framework that it is directly reflecting the convention, and if there is an intention, we would like to hear that so that it in other words, con provisions become part of your normal law.
We also I'm very happy to hear that you said that on fourth June, Immigration Bill 2024 was presented to the Parliament.
Now, coming from democracies like you, I'm from Sri Lanka, we know that present to the parliament and getting adopted is two different things.
It's especially with regard to issue like this so comprehensive bill, I believe, B we would like to hear more about a your prediction when it will be adopted and how you plan to implement that, what are the mechanisms you are preparing for its implementation? Because I think it will be a key, it will provide key benefit to the migrant workers and to the government governance system if you can adapt it quickly.
With regard to a Irregular migration.
We know that you face that challenge, given the migration that is not regular.
But as we understand that in your body of law, irregular migration has been criminalized, if I'm right, you have to clarify.
If it is criminalized, do you intend to decriminalize? Because in the convention, Irregular migration or undocumented migration is not a criminal act, but sometimes due to colonial heritage and others, it's get decriminalized in the part of legal regime.
So you have intention to decriminalize? Um, Now, by listening to you and the report clearly explains how serious your government is with regard to making several measures, several legal measures, several organization measures to implement law and regulations for the benefit of the migrant workers.
And for migrants in general.
Now, I'm sure you have resource constraints in that.
This is not an easy task.
Do you have plans to raise resources in a manner that some countries sometimes have a little I'm not asking you tax people, but there are ways of when you have expatriate labor, then the money coming in, there is a way of allocating more funds for benefit of the migrant workers rights.
Do you have any mechanisms like that or you envisage to provide resources in a regular manner for the implementation of the provisions you are voluntarily undertaking now and through your immigration bill and others.
Basically, the question is, how are you going to finance your regulations? How are you going to finance the law? What are the plans you have? One other issue that sometimes happens among every country that's affected by migration, especially when it comes to irregular migration trafficking is corruption.
Corruption at all levels.
So sometimes it can happen at the private sector, the labor agents, sometimes it can be officials, sometimes it can be border.
What are the specific measures that you have been taking with a view to minimize, if not eradicate corruption at various levels, including employment agencies, And on that account, we recognize that you have your country of origin as well, and then you migrant workers are in certain Middle East countries, in several countries.
And you have signed very cretably bilateral agreements in terms of regulating the departure as well as working in those countries.
Now, in such situations, there is always private parties involved.
So what are the specific measures that you have adopted with a view to eliminate any corruption and that all the employment agencies who deal with migrant workers departures are well monitored and regulated.
Um Now, what are the justice mechanisms available for migrant workers are very important.
Migrant workers who are transiting or working in your country must have access to justice system, easy access.
And what are the barriers to that if there are barriers? Have you identified those barriers and are you taking specific measures to eliminate such barriers and language, you are surrounded by Synegal, which is Francophone and you are Angpho.
So how do you handle that situation? What are the facilities you provide? This meeting, we have interpretation, but these UN but how do you handle that, so that the migrants who come from your neighboring countries, from Spanish B countries, Can present themselves easily to your authorities.
That's a very important aspect in terms of providing migrant rights.
Um.
Now, I want to talk about the migrant workers abroad.
I just mentioned that I have read that you have bilateral agreements basically for providing employment with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, and then you have circular agreement with Spain, Spain and maybe a few others.
I can't remember.
But those are good and I believe you have attempted to the extent possible to enshrine right based approach when we are working on that.
But nevertheless, you have a quite a stock of a low paid workers who are engaged mostly in domestic work in some of these countries.
Now they face massive challenges because for them, access to justice, the redress for their problems are always difficult.
What are the special measures you have taken in order to address them because they are so important citizens of your country working hard to bring back money to the country.
What consular representation you have.
What is the criteria when you establish consular posts in such countries? Do you send trained officers for that? Do you have what sort of measures you take for the welfare of those countries in addition to signing the agreement and there are countries that you have no agreements.
What is the outlay you have? That's a very important segment for you to please explain your consular representation mechanism.
And special arrangement you have made in that.
And if somebody is in trouble, how do you handle that? And so that's another issue we would like we would like clarification.
I think my colleague Espen Kasumu mentioned about the detention.
Detention at border is a very key issue.
A Sometimes you may not call it detention, you may call it different name.
That happens sometimes.
But for all practical purposes, it detention.
But we are concerned is not what's the name.
What we are concerned is that what are the facilities in such space you have? Are there special facilities for children? For females, if you have to keep them temporarily at border posts and if you are detaining someone officially, do you do it with current account in the conventions that is applicable under international human rights law.
And what we here and it should be detention should be a question of last resort, not the first resort, and a country like you must have that capacity to do that.
Then my last question before I conclude today, before I give the floor to others is that you are surrounded by Senegal, you have Snegal crossings, then you have opening to the Atlantic Ocean.
You know very well that that opening has been used by traffickers, by illegal operators.
So it's a problem place for you.
We are aware that you are making all efforts to not to let happen, but the number speaks for itself.
I have said the report that 2024, there were thousands who died en route to Europe, thousands, large numbers.
So and that's very disturbing.
Most of them are going for work.
For us, they are migrant workers who are trying to go for work, but they are undocumented regular people, but we have a duty to protect their lives.
If you can explain in detail what measures you have taken by yourself, as well as in coordination with countries that are working with you like Spain or Italy or others to prevent death of migrant workers in Atlantic.
That's very important.
And if we in the modern day, such debts.
When we see that, it is very disturbing and we fully recognize that it is just not you may be doing everything, but what are your plans, we would like to know about that.
I think I will stop this and then open the floor for others.
And as I'm repeating, our questions are in spirit of cooperation, and spirit of dialogue with a view to improve situation at the end of the dialogue.
I have on my list, Mr.
Edgar Khoza Sosa.
You have the floor first.
Okay.
Thank you so much, Mr.
Chairman.
First off, I would like to express my appreciation for the presence of the delegation of the Gambia here in our committee and in particular, for the purpose of undertaking a consultative dialogue on your initial report, for us, it is of particular importance to have constructive dialogues with the states.
It's the only way that we believe we can help more effectively those persons that are in migration.
We hail that your initial report has been submitted a bit after the deadline, but you're presenting it and that's extremely positive.
I wanted to refer to three topics specifically, family reuniting, unification, and illicit trafficking in persons.
Suing human smuggling and also the trafficking and smuggling.
Now, first, family unification.
In some regions of the world, we bear in mind that family separation is the result of deportation detention of the parents or detention of families.
In general, there are some regions where this is widespread.
We do have standards along these lines that address this.
However, Now, I'm seeing that in the case of your country, the Gaba, this is not the nature of the family separation.
According to the information that we've been able to obtain, we are seeing domestic conflict and violence or natural disasters that are the catalysts for these family separations.
We see that there are differences between what happens in one region and what happens in other regions.
It would be helpful for us still to know more about your experience in this matter in reunification of families.
Families that have been separated as a result of the aforementioned items.
Now, the obligation of the state in this area, how far do the obligations go? How much do you do to bring family reunification? Do you have statistics on separated families or successful family reunification? Because here, really, there is an issue of finding these individuals.
There's a conflict, people leave, they depart, and then you have to find the parents and the children, and there's a lot of work that goes into that and that's the nature of cons domestic conflicts to some degree.
In the case of your country, it's not a matter of detaining someone that's undocumented and processing them, but rather here there's a domestic conflict.
Things happen, things get distorted and families get separated.
And then the search process ensues.
One needs to make efforts to prevent this.
We think you're doing so, but perhaps data could help to establish some important standards in this issue of separation and reunification of family members.
As I understand it, you have the support of the Red Cross in these efforts and also a Red Cross network that has helped provide support as well in such matters and civil society organizations as well.
We understand that there has been a working group created in order to try to undertake this search and reunification.
It would be helpful if you could give us quantitative data, what has been achieved, what has been the experience or experiences.
Again, it's very important to look at this type of separation.
Now, the second item I trafficking in persons.
You mentioned this in the report.
You said this is a serious problem.
Illicit person smuggling retize the interpreter because in such cases, in many cases, they want to come to Europe, their organizations, their networks that work in human smuggling, illicit human smuggling, transporting them to other countries.
According to the information that we have this phenomenon, or rather, your authorities have strengthened their capacity or their authority, border patrol and oversight, particularly along the coastal regions such as Karan and Tangi there it seems that you have intercepted migrants and you have broken that chain of human smuggling.
And that's very important.
So in the context in your country, human smuggling is a concern, illegal human smuggling.
Despite this There is no legislation in place specific to this item.
There is to some degree with trafficking.
But there's not a specific law on smuggling.
And in your report, you indicate that you have drafted a bill on smuggling illicit smuggling, and that that's being reviewed together with other reforms that are underway.
So it'd be important for us to see in what state that bill is.
Will it be passed? Will there be implementing regulation? What will the result be? Because, of course, as much needs to be articulated and put together to make that effective.
But we've seen that you have also been making efforts Meaningful efforts along these lines.
My attention was drawn in particular to a document on standards in the operational procedures for handling illegal human smuggling with the support of the EU.
They have an office that has a manual for addressing this.
A country of origin, a country transit of return as well.
But this document, however, indicates that the Gambia is a country of origin, transit and destination for human migrant smuggling.
It has already been identified in the document.
That's to say migrant smuggling specifically.
That's underscored.
It's important to look at that document and it's a manual.
It's not a law, this is a manual.
That's why I was saying it's important to have it as a law too because this addresses the rights of the migrants, but also the rights of those that are undertaking the human smuggling.
It's an interesting vision.
It's not just the migrants themselves that are addressed, but also those conducting this smuggling.
It'd be important to see how you end up weighing these two different situations, which is none too easy.
The document also indicates that the migrants subjected to human smuggling are not liable.
Of course, they're not, but it says that they could be if at some point during the smuggling, they commit some other illicit act.
If the trafficker, the smuggler rather convinces them to help the smugglers, for example.
Now, we have the presence of the Deputy Director of the General Office for Immigration, Commissioner Sula ano Javi, I believe, is with you.
And so I would like to ask him two questions specifically.
In the procedure set forth in this document, there is a phase that is listed as consular services.
So once a smuggler is detained and the victim as well, then they have to go then you have to bring the case before their consular office to indicate that those individuals have been indicated.
So what has the practice been? That's my question.
Do you immediately notify the consular office of having detained someone from their country or do you undertake investigations? First, and then notify the consular office subsequently.
It's a detail that might seem minor, but it's not.
Consular assistance is very important.
So really, how is that implemented? Now, lastly, another question for the deputy director.
What would be well, if you've had enough experience in this, I see that smuggling is one of the bigger risks we have their networks.
In Mexico, I might find people from Asia or Africa and aren't these aren't people who said, I'm going to Mexico.
These are people that through the smuggling networks.
Are taken to the United States, but they end up in Mexico.
It's international.
It's not a matter of just involving two or three countries.
So if you have had this experience, well, it's just that it's clear that illegal smuggling in your country is on the rise.
So what would be key pillars are strong arguments, three keys to successfully combating human smuggling.
What are the 3.3 experiences you've had that are pillars that you can say, in our fight against illicit smuggling or illegal smuggling, these three things are key.
Now, enforced disappearances, I will refer here to or I am referring to the dialogue that you held in May of last year, 2025 with the Committee against enforced Disappearance.
In that dialogue that you had, With the sister committee, in this case, the committee on enforced disappearances, there is a concern expressed by the committee regarding the lack of progress in the search for an investigation of those responsible for the death and enforced disappearance in 2025 of more than 50 African migrants from West Africa.
This is a very specific case that was mentioned that you brought before the Committee on enforced disappearances.
No information has been provided that committee that committee says that they don't have any more information on that.
So we would like to ask the same question.
What information is there on this? What progress has been made on this? The reporting.
Has there been reporting? Has there been prosecution and adjudication and conviction? Then lastly, I just want to note what the chair mentioned at the beginning that there's a dualist system, even though the state ratified the convention on the protection of all migrant workers and workers and their family members, those provisions are not applicable directly because you need implementing legislation a law.
However, there are some laws in place that could be implemented.
What's missing then? What is needed for the convention to be directly reflected in legislation with that law that you've said is already in the pipeline or what has to be done by the courts in their rulings addressing provisions in the convention without there being a law in place to insist that that happens because it really does have to do with the implementation of our convention.
I apologize for speaking at such great length.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Chairman.
Thank you, Edgar, Mr.
Mohammed Sharif.
Thank you, Chair.
To join my colleague and thank you for being here.
I have to say how very much we appreciate this opportunity to have an exchange with you.
I'm certain that this will be open and constructive and fruitful.
I will look at three quick items quickly.
The Gambia has known for quite some years the migratory phenomenon.
A really.
But without going back too far, you're a departure point for Europe or at least a transit point.
For quite a while.
In the Commonwealth, there are many Gambians that studied abroad.
Universities opened in in the Commonwealth countries and then the United States, in the 80s, the end of the 80s and 90s in the United States.
There's a very meaningful Gambian diaspora in Bristol in Chicago and other places.
You're a country in the sub region on the continent continent level and internationally.
It's important to note that you are one of the champions in Africa when it comes to the implementation of the Marrakesh Pact.
I hope that it will be implemented with the vision that we as a committee see it in the spirit of general observation six.
For you, immigration is part of history and the future of Gambia, it's not me that it's the Minister of information and media in your country that spoke of migration in such terms as being of great import for your country.
I also noted, I welcome that there is a national immigration policy 2020 2030s.
I'm not sure what has happened so far in the first six years.
So there's a national coordination mechanism on migration.
What does this involve? What does it do? What are its prerogatives? That's the national mechanism for the coordination of migration, and you also integrated migration, and I commend you for having done so into your development plan focused on 2023, 2027 economic launch program.
What have you done nationally, regionally? What have the results been? Have you already taken stock of the results? You also implemented an immigration strategy in the labor field.
The delegation spoke to this, as well as employment policy.
You also noted that there are numerous professional mobility bilateral agreements that help to open up alternative paths for the youth that wish to set off.
Now, data.
I know that you have an information and data analysis system meet for migration.
What is that program or the system involved and what are the results so far? I haven't seen that.
I didn't see that in the report.
You also Again, less than 200,000 in diaspora, but as a proportion of your total population, that's 3-7% of the total mas population.
What's most interesting there is that brings 32% of GDP with remittances, if my data is correct.
So in the diaspora, we see an enormous contribution to the public coffers through remittances and the foreign currency flowing into the country.
Now, I know that you've tried to leverage diaspora.
You have national dialogues on the diaspora.
There have been two, I believe.
It allows you to show what's been done, what the investments look like.
Might you tell us what was really done? What the true results when it comes to integrating the migrant population as they return from abroad and that are investing in the development of the country.
This is something that I read is very important for your office.
I spoke about this with my colleagues, including in the Gambian universities.
This is not just a matter of individuals, but also associations that seek to invest, for example, in the energy sector and other sectors as well.
As the chairperson mentioned, you also have the issue of irregular migration.
Your country has cooperation agreements with a number of other countries for migration governance, such as Spain, as you've said.
As far as I've read, there is close collaboration with your Spanish partners so that you can work together to break down networks of migrants, smugglers and traffickers who are behind a lot of this irregular migration.
Can you tell us about the results of that thus far in terms of networks broken down, people arrested? Because when I see the figures and even the most recent official data from IOM, the trip across the ocean somehow it can goes around the Mediterranean.
You've got Senegal, you've got Mauritania, Morocco, the pathways that are becoming more and more important towards the canaries and then towards Europe.
The figures from 2024 was a record.
There were around 47,000 people who came through these illegal channels to the canaries and There were over 1,700 deaths, not to mention those who haven't been found.
I was going to ask a question about migrant domestic workers, but the chair touched upon that already.
I just wanted to add to that and see what measures you have to assist and support victims and to bridge gaps in the legislation and its implementation.
You mentioned agreement with Saudi Arabia and other countries because that's where they tend to end up.
An organized system that was doing that unlawfully, you're trying to get a handle on these unlawful networks to try and monitor and ensure the security of these women who sometimes are in very difficult situations indeed.
The last question is, how in all of these projects do you involve civil society in Gambia? I look forward to your answers very much indeed.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Sharif.
I now offer the floor to Mr.
Fabian Tobana.
Thank you very much, Chairman, for having given me the floor.
I'd like to warmly welcome the delegation of Gambia headed by the distinguished Minister and commend them on their commitment to participating in this constructive dialogue.
I'd also voice my satisfaction at Gambia's commitment to presenting this report as part of implementation of the Convention for the protection of migrant workers and members of their families.
My first question pertains to the drafting of the report.
I'd like to better understand Gambia's experience in compiling the report.
Has the delegation been able to explain measures taken in establishing the brush strokes of the report.
The government entity tasked with drafting the report, is that created by legislation? Can you share any additional information about this government entity? Can you clarify the human resources and the financial resources that it has available? How does it work and how is it able to effectively discharge its mandate? On this mandate, could the delegation clarify whether this entity is able to follow up and monitor implementation of recommendations from human rights protection mechanisms, particularly those on the protection of the rights of migrant workers.
My second question is on combating human trafficking.
We've heard an awful lot about this phenomenon.
I'd like to have some additional information, please, regarding the scope, the scale of human trafficking in Gambia, particularly women and children, and also for purposes of sexual exploitation and economic exploitation.
How do you adapt? How do you identify victims, what measures do you have in place to identify victims by the competent authorities? Thank you, Chair.
Thank you, Fabian.
Thanks for being brief.
I have Mr.
Khaled Babaka and Mr.
Maman Omaria, I think with these two, we will this round of questions will conclude and then we'll give you the floor.
I give the floor to Mr.
Khaled Babaka.
A please.
Thank you, Chairman.
I should also like to extend warm greetings to the delegation of Gambia and thank them very much for having come to Geneva to take part in this dialogue that we do hope will be constructive.
I would have a number of questions.
Across four main themes.
The first would be on child labor.
I know that Gambit is a party to Convention 182 on the prohibition of the worst forms of child labor of the ILO.
In light of that is supposed to publish a list of hazardous work that is incompatible with the physical and mental development of children.
What's the status of that list? Does that list exist in your country? Do you have one? Does it take account of sexual exploitation of children, which is one of the worst forms of labor, most hazardous forms.
My second question relates to labor inspections.
I listened very carefully to the statement by His Excellency, the Minister, and I'd like to know whether labor inspections It's not such a big country as mine, which is 1,200,000 square kilometers, but Gambian territory, do you cover the whole country when you undertake labor inspections? Can you do that? Is there a particular status as an incumbent upon labor inspectors under the relevant Convention? The labor inspectors are meant to be given a particular status so as to ensure that they can be impartial and independent? My third question is on trade union freedom and freedom of association more generally.
Migrant workers, are they able to join trade union organizations? Are they able to exercise any functions therein? My fourth question is on child labor.
Again, in the Gambia, are children authorized to be employed, I believe at 16? I know that in line with international labor regulations, the Gambia can has a derogation accorded to it by the LO for countries that do not have sufficient infrastructure in place in terms of schools.
So they can work the children.
I know there is an exception in place, a waiver, but these tasks should not be undertaken to the detriment of their schooling and their physical and mental education.
This is the basis of childhood.
Do Gambia have a law on compulsory schooling? When I say law on compulsory schooling, that law that would oblige the parents to keep children in schools.
To acquire basic skills and knowledge and receive education which may then ensure that they have a good start in life.
The next question is one that I will actually skip over because it's something that at least three of my colleagues have touched on, the Chair, Edgardo Sosa, and Mr.
Sheriff as well.
It's a topical question.
There is a shift in migratory routes.
If you follow the news, recent news, the Mediterranean is no longer the most used channel to get to Europe.
We know that with the European Agreements, That route has shifted as less through Morocco, less through Mauritania, less through Senegal and today, the Gambia and Mauritania have been quite shaken by the numbers of migrants coming, the migratory routes are shifting, they're changing.
You can confirm, just to confirm what my colleagues were saying, what measures is the Gambia taking to ensure that these migrants When they're repatriated, the care can be provided for them, that support can be provided for them and what measures are you taking to combat? Trafficking in persons.
This is on the rise whenever we see a shift in migratory routes, it goes hand in hand with human smuggling and trafficking.
My last question is on ratification of relevant ILO conventions.
The ones that all relate to the Gambia situation, would you be envisaging ratifying the Convention on Labor Inspection? I touched upon that already, the Convention 122 on employment policy, the relevant Conventions on migration that you haven't yet ratified 97 and 143, which are all on migration.
The two last conventions, namely domestic workers.
The chair hasn't heard already asked about that and Mr.
Sheriff as well had touched upon that and 190 on violence and harassment in the workplace.
Thank you very much, indeed, Chairman.
Thank you, Mr.
Babaka.
I now give the floor to Mr.
Omaria Mai, Mr.
Maman Omar.
Thank you very much, Chairman.
I would also like to thank the delegation of the Gambla for the efforts they have taken to come to Pali Wilson to undertake this constructive interactive dialogue with our committee.
I have visited your beautiful country several times in sessions of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights.
I'm delighted to see that you have a National Human Rights Commission.
I'm sure it's very active because it has a status with Ganry In addition to the questions surrounding the resources that it has that mur mentioned, and this is some encouragement that we always give to states parties to make sure that the national human rights institutions are fully equipped with the necessary means and resources.
There's also the question of capacity building to make sure that the mission can be properly undertaken.
The National Human Rights Institution deals with almost all branches of law and The convention, the agreement that has been signed with RND, which is the African network, of course, on human rights.
The idea there was to strengthen the capacity of the African national institutions so that they can better protect the rights of migrant workers.
You mentioned In your opening remarks that it's difficult for people to access migrants in particular to access justice.
This is a thorny issue, of course, because generally speaking, before filing a complaint with the justice system before introducing an application, you have the application to the courts themselves so they can investigate.
It's difficult often for foreigners to understand the proceedings The suggestion that we would make is that the National Human Rights Commission be able to remedy this difficulty somewhat by being able to file applications with the administrative bodies to ascertain whether People's migrants rights indeed effectively being exercised as would apply under our convention and to help them file proceedings.
The National Human Rights Commission has quasi jurisdictional competence and so is often able to do so.
The other issue that I wanted to raise was the fact that your country is a country of origin of migration.
Particularly young people.
Young people tend to want to leave to go to countries of the North.
I saw when I went quite frequently, I used to go quite frequently from 5:00.
Young people, they sit alone in Internet cafes.
They chat with people from the north in the hope of going north.
I wanted to know I mean, this is something that I've seen that's very worrying at the time when I was going often.
What measures is your country taking to better protect the rights of this category of migrants, their return and their social reintegration, and maybe even measures that are taken to make sure they're more interested in being able to carry out activities in the Gambia or to be able to transfer funds and to be able to invest so as to contribute to the sustainable development of your country.
Thank you, Chairman.
These are just a few questions that I wanted to raise with the delegation and at the same time, I thank them very much for having come to Geneva for this conversation.
Thank you.
Thank you, Omaria.
I now give the floor to miss Sabrina.
Thank you very much.
Chair for giving me the floor.
I'd also like to extend a warm welcome to the distinguished delegation headed by His Excellency, the minister.
I really wanted to commend you on the submission of your report.
And said that we have a constructive dialogue.
Now my concerns and comments relate to protection of children who are on the move.
You have said in various reports that your country has a benchmark, a reference mechanism when it comes to non discrimination.
As part of that mechanism, It includes protection of children, protection of children of migrants and refugees.
I'd like to know how that mechanism actually works.
How does it protect children? What measures do you have? Is there an action plan? Is access to identity to birth registration, which can be a huge challenge, I think it's a huge challenge for you.
Is birth registration something that is accessible for the children of migrant workers? Another question is on FGM female genital mutilation.
We have seen that huge progress has been made in this subject area.
In 2024, your government maintained the prohibition on female genital mutilation despite and following the rejection by Parliament, which had before it a draft bill seeking to repeal the law prohibiting FGM.
The Parliament's position reflects to what extent traditions are deeply rooted in the social cultural representation, maybe religious as well, how deeply rooted that really is within society.
My concern, well, first of all, I really want to congratulate you For the position that you have taken, it clearly shows that you are committed to eradicating the scourge under the different conventions and ours as well.
What I'd really like to know is what measures have you taken to change the perception of it in society and the way it is viewed in undertaken in society.
Have you undertaken work to do this? What have you done at the different levels in the different social systems in collaboration, for example, traditional or religious leaders? Are there any specific measures to protect girls of Gambians abroad, bearing in mind that the legislative provisions do not, they don't make provision for that protection.
What do consular services do to protect children or citizens.
That's everything, Chair.
Thank you.
Thank you, Sabrina.
We have to give time to the delegation to respond at least today.
Therefore, I have two speakers.
Of course, all of you have time tomorrow to second round.
Having that in mind still since you have raised the flags, I still give the floor.
My first is Francisco Carrion Mio.
Thank you, Chairman.
Like my colleagues, I would very much like to welcome the delegation of the Cambia here this afternoon.
In being here, you've shown how interested you are in participating and in contributing.
To improving the situation of migrant workers.
This is what our committee is doing with a number of countries now, please, you're very welcome.
Rest assured that the dialogue that we're having that we're going to have is one that we hope will be productive and useful for you.
We hope that we will in having this dialogue help improve implementation of the Convention and consequently, The situation of migrant workers, which is, of course, a very delicate issue in and of itself.
I have one single concern or question really.
I don't think it's something that we have heard thus far.
It's on remittances.
Has the government of Gambia set up any mechanism to ensure that resources that you receive that are received from workers abroad, that they are well used and that they don't just end up being something that is used for consumption alone, but rather for investment? Is there any proposal from the government to Try and transfer or translate those remittances towards investment, something that would be more positive for the recipients rather than just simply consumption.
Thank you, Chair.
Thank you, Francisco for being brief.
Mr.
Shan you have the floor.
Thank you, Chair.
Welcome to the high level delegation from the Gambia in our committee.
I just want to remind a few years ago, I had the opportunity to address the Parliament of the Gambia, giving some information about the convention.
With the very valuable assistance of our colleague, Nikolas Schulz.
I remember that the parliamentarians, the MPs were very engaged and very well they posed questions and for the first time during my mandate in this committee, I have experienced that parliament of states party was so interested in the governance of migration in the country.
And so my question is, I just want to be brief and it was very impressive.
I remember the questions, not in detail, of course, some years have passed and my memory will not help me to remember all the details.
But, it was a nice presentation from my side.
Again, it was very impressive to see the engagement of your parliament.
My question is, how far is cooperation of the government with the parliament the migration governance issues in your country.
Thank you so much.
Thank you, Shan.
In fact, that comment and the question relates directly to the government intention to get through immigration bill, which they have presented.
I think we'll perhaps hear from Honorable.
Honorable Minister, such a large number of questions indicate our interest in your country and the presentation you made.
You have we will take a break for about 15 minutes.
There will be a room for you to discuss among you.
And to decide how you want to respond, which expert will respond to what.
Of course, you can tomorrow morning tomorrow afternoon.
Again, we have time.
So questions that you want to you can address other questions tomorrow.
So it's up to you to decide as to how to proceed.
So we'll take a break now and meet in about 15 minutes back in the room, and then we'll continue our discussion.
Meeting is suspended for a moment.
15 15.
Are we seated? Yeah, you know, there's room.
They they will guide you.
Dear members, ladies and gentlemen, audible.
We will resume the meeting, and I have the honor to give the floor to His Excellency, Mr.
Mok Sis, Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and employment, Head of delegation of the Republic of the Gambia to follow up with our constructive dialogue and to present some of the responses.
Thank you.
I want to register my appreciation on behalf of His Excelly President of the Republic of Gambia and the Gambian people, and of course, on behalf of my team.
We are grateful to have this strong interest and also this strong guardian from participating distinguished members.
We have taken note of all the suggestions, the recommendations, and also, of course, the follow up questions that we have the privilege to put together.
We will not be able to access everything today.
We'll follow up by tomorrow.
But having said that, let me attempt to respond some of what have been asked and I will also ask my colleagues to fill in some of the areas that have left for their attention.
Chair, on the question relating to Article 76 and 77 status, the situation currently is that the gangway has not yet met the declaration accepting the committee's competence to receive individual communications.
Of course, this is an important matter, but it will require national consultations and which the government would look into.
On National Human Rights Commission, the National Human Rights Commission has a broad mandate to promote and protect human rights in the Gambia.
This includes receiving and investigating complaints, monitoring human rights situation, recommending remedial action, and reporting to the relevant national authorities.
Importantly, its mandate is not limited to citizens.
It cover all persons within the Gamba jurisdiction, including migrant workers, members of their families, refugees, asylum seekers, detainees, victims of trafficking, and other vulnerable persons.
So in particular terms, a migrant worker or a member of his or her family may bring a complaint to the Commission where there are allegations of discrimination, abuse, exploitation, unlawful detention, denial of due process, or other human rights violations.
The commission also monitors places of detention, which is relevant for non nationals who may be in prison or remain or otherwise deprived of liberty.
In terms of capacity, the commission has a status accreditation, which reflects its compliance with the PRS principles.
It also received a dedicated allocation from the national budget.
In 2024, for example, the approved allocation was about 74 million and in 2025, it was about 74.16 million.
Criminalization of irregular migration.
Irregular migration may attract immigration related legal consequences, including removal, deportation or offenses under immigration law.
However, the law also recognizes important safeguards.
In particular, smuggled migrant should not be liable merely because they were smuggled and persons with person with protections need to be referred to the relevant authorities.
The Gamble's position is that the immigration enforcement must be balanced with protection, due process, and non discrimination.
On financing the laws, On financing, the government approach is to combine national budgetary allocation with targeted support from partners.
Under the proposed immigration bill, the Gamble Immigration Service would be financed through monies appropriated by the National Assembly and lawful sources and other lawful sources.
The bill also proposes a smuggling of migrants trust fund, which would support operational needs such as equipment and training.
The fund would draw from sources such as court fines, fees, forfeited assets linked to migrant smuggling, grants and donations.
In the anti trafficking areas, the National Action Plan again trafficking in persons in 2026 to 20 2030 is costed at Gambl D 70637500/5 years period.
Its financing model combines government contribution, development partner support, and the victim trust fund, and private sector support.
The plan also recognizes the risk of the nation or dontig and therefore proposes diversifying funds funding sources, increasing government ownership, and operationalizing the victim trust fund.
So Mr.
Chair, the message is that implementation will not rely only on the donor support.
The aim is to combine domestic resources, partner support, and dedicated financing mechanism while strengthening monitoring and accountability.
On corruption management, on measures to minimize corruption, the gamble recognizes that migration governance depend heavily on trust in frontline institutions, immigration officers, border officials, labor inspectors, and law enforcement officers must act lawfully, transparently, and without abuse of authority.
At the broader national level, the Gamble has enacted an anti corruption Act in 2023, which establishes the Gambanti corruption Commission.
In 2025, the government moved to operationalize the commission by identifying and appointing commissioners in December 2025.
In the migrations sector specifically, the proposed immigration bill also contain internal accountability safeguards.
It establishes oversight structures, including an immigration Council and a disciplinary committee.
A person who is actri by an illegal act or professional misconduct allegedly committed by an immigration officer may petition the disciplinary committee.
The committee may hear a complaint and recommend sanctions including reprimand, fine, dismissal, and compensation to the complainant.
I invite Aj to talk on the ad hoc nature of inter ministerial tax force.
Yeah.
Thank you very much, Honorable Minister.
Thank you, the Chair and members of the committee.
On the issue of how we have the intermediial task force that do the combined reports, they are ad hoc in nature.
They are not permanent.
It's coordinated by the Ministry of Justice and it brings together relevant ministries, departments and agencies for treaty body reporting.
As the head of the human rights units, I'm the one who do the coordination on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
And our role is to collect information, coordinate inputs, prepare state reports, support validation processes, and care prepared delegations for constructive dialogues like these ones.
We describe it as an ad hoc committee because it's usually activated at a specific treaty body reporting process rather than functioning as a permanent institution with its own dedicated Secretariat and budget.
We recognize, however, that the ad hoc approach has limitations, especially for continuity and follow up, and that is why the game recognized the importance of establishing a more institutional national mechanism for implementation, reporting, and follow up.
This was reflected in recommendations received and accepted our 2025 UPR review, and the government takes that recommendation seriously, and we have accepted that we will implement same.
On issue of the training of judges and on international regulations and international conventions for them to be more aware of it when dealing with this matter in the courts.
Yes, we have capacity building for judges and legal practitioners.
We have the judicial training institutes that judges have continuous legal education, and we also have continuous legal education for all the legal council with continuous train legal practitioners on all these international treaties and local laws on how they are done, implemented and enforced in our courts.
We can give a decent example in which the Ekowas Court of Justice had a training for all the judicial officers in the Gambia, from the magistrate all the way to the Supreme Court judges, in which we had trainings on regional instruments and all other instruments that have the Ekowas court mandate in which they invoke their jurisdictions.
So, indeed, we have continuous legal training for judges and legal professionals in trying to implement these international treaties and convention in our domestic courts.
I'll stop there for now, Honorable Minister.
Thank you, Aj.
We'll move on to the involvement of theatres on rights protections of migrants.
Mr.
Chair, Civil Society Park participation is an important part of the Gambs approach to human rights reporting and implementation since 2017.
In the preparation of this initial report, the process was not limited to government institution.
It included the ombudsman, the National Human Rights Commission, the Red Cross, the National Assembly, the Gamble Press Union, the Gambia Bar Association, Female Lawyers Association, and the African Migration Advisory Center, among others.
This was important because migration governance is not handled by one institution alone.
Civil society organization often work directly with communities, returnees, vulnerable migrants, victims of trafficking, children and person in need of protection.
Their contribution helped make the reporting process more grounded and more practical.
More generally, civil society continues to play an important role in the gang human right landscape, including in awareness raising, legal aid, child protection, trafficking prevention, support returns, access to justice, and public accountability.
The broader civil space has also improved significantly since the democratic transition led by His Excelleny President Ad Mabo.
Although challenges remain, for example, the Gambia was ranked 58 out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Pres Freedom Index by reporters without borders with a score of 65.486.
This reflects a comparatively open media environment in the region while also showing that further reforms are still needed.
So, Mr.
Chaffperson, the Honest position is that the Gambia has made important progress in opening civic space and engaging civil society, but we do not claim that all challenges have disappeared.
The government recognizes the need to continue strengthening participation, accountability, and protection of civic space, including for organization working with migrant workers and members of their families.
On why we need to have standalone laws, We are aware that existing laws provide important protection, but they are spread across different sectors.
Labor issues are handled under the labor law, immigration statutes on the immigration law, trafficking under the anti trafficking law, children under the child protection law, and criminal offenses under the Criminal Code.
The gap is that there is no single migrant workers framework that bring all these protection together and clearly explain the right of migrant workers.
The duties of institutions, complaint channel, referral pathways, data responsibilities and safeguards for vulnerable or the undocumented migrants.
So the issue is not that migrant workers have no protection.
The issue is that the protection is fragmented.
Standalone law could make the system clearer and more focused and accessible and easier to implement.
But with all the other national framework, the issue would be subjected to a national consultation process and the outcome would guide the authorities on the next steps to follow.
U at this stage, I would like to invite my colleagues to also provide some guidance and answers to specific issues relating to their departments.
With respect to Gambi immigration issue of migrant support mechanism and immigration control mechanism to be followed by P Malik, who will talk on national coordination mechanism and measures taken in the implementation of global compact on migration.
We start with immigration.
First, I will start on the questions on detention of migrants, which was raised here, whether migrants detained at the BLA or at some of our facilities.
We don't detain migrants at the BLA.
The only last result is when the migrants are intercepted.
We normally keep them at our reception center in Tangi where we have to consult their maybe consulate office for profiling and documentation before they were sent to their countries.
But normally, they are not put in an enclosed place.
It is semi detention center where it's open and it is accessible to relatives and they separated from they are not treated as criminals except the smugglers who we suspect are part of the smuggling network.
Maybe for them.
Sometimes it takes more than 72 hours based on the constitutional requirement for us to be able to detain them.
For them, we normally detain them at some of the police stations where we can further do our investigation.
On the measures taken, what are the measures taken when migrants are repatriated? Normally, we provide them with the reception at the entry points, and we equally also take part in identifying them and documenting them.
Equally coordinate with other relevant authorities that may provide psychosocial support for the migrants before we will allow them to reintegrate.
But on the issue of the trend of migration, yes, it is true.
We have observed a shift before it was at the Meritraan and now it is coming down to the Gambia.
One of one reason might be because of the laws that criminalized smuggling is not available.
The second reason is based on the support that those West African countries like Mauritania, Senegal was getting from other partners in terms of logistic to fight the networks of smuggling.
So Knowing that there is no law of criminalizing the trend now is shifting and Gambia is becoming a transit point for irregular migration.
Maybe there are some other issues like the manual of smuggling that was a with the help of our partners, the Spanish and IOM, Though we do not have the smuggling of migrants law enacted, but we are guided by that manual that we use to ensure that migrants are treated with a dignified way.
So on that note, I will stop here for follow up questions might be provided and some statistics that were asked regarding to migration will be provided maybe in our subsequent meeting.
The the force then followed by the director and then it's okay.
Yeah.
Thank you, Minister, Niker.
I want to respond to some questions concerning labor inspections.
Labor inspection is one of the funds, in fact, is the core functions of the Department of Labor that looks into the activities and look at the terms and conditions of employment at workplaces.
Labor inspection, in fact, is a unit of its own and the importance of it is very important to our function.
Labor inspection is done across the country.
It's not that there is only one part, mostly, we look at where the employment is concentrated, especially when you come to the urban area in Gambia.
Inspections are constantly done every week, but it also is done across the country.
That means every quarter, the labor inspectors will go around the country and inspect anywhere where there are workers.
So this is something that is important.
Migrant workers are also considered.
There's no such discrimination when it comes to inspections of workplaces.
We do not look at whether this particular person is a migrant worker or is a citizen.
All what we look at is the terms and conditions of employment of those workers, including the migrant workers.
Labor inspection for 2025, we have covered about 248 inspections.
That is, 248 inspections have been conducted and about 198 workplaces.
That means some workplaces have been inspected twice.
So workplaces have been inspected twice.
This is something that's done every quarter or in fact every week.
Yeah.
The other issue that I want to talk about is response to is the migrant workers rights.
Migrant workers are treated the same as any other employee in the gamer.
The legislation does not discriminate the migrant workers.
The law covers them as it covers the other citizens that are workers.
So migrant workers have all the rights to be part of unions.
They can be any union, though, they will not form their own union to say a migrant workers union, but they can be part of any union and they can be leaders of any union and or they can be members or being a member of the executive of any union.
So they have that right and there's no discrimination as far as migrant workers concerned.
They are just treated like any other employee in the Gambia.
The other one I want to talk about is the ratification of ILO conventions.
Of course, the Gambia has already ratified the eight core conventions of IO.
In fact, there is another one that is the Occupational Safety and Health, which will also be ratified very soon we are working on it.
And the other conventions about almost 14 that we are yet to ratify, but we are right now working on them.
Yeah, because there is a triparid committee that has to look on these things before we advise the Horrible Minister to ratify those conventions.
So that aparte committee will sit over these conventions and look at it whether there is any need for any conventions to be ratified.
And if that is done, then we will let the ministry know.
We put it before the Horrible Minister for those conventions to be ratified.
So that includes the convention that we have mentioned here.
Convention 97 convention 143, that is migrant workers convention Convention 189, convention 190 and many order convention.
I think it went on to 12 to 13 conventions that we'll be looking at in order to ratify those conventions.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Honorable Minister, Chair, Steamed committee members, and my fellow delegates.
I'm responding on the questions which specifies what special measures are being taken to protect Gambians Gambian migrant workers abroad, particularly domestic workers in the Middle East and other destination countries.
We have a bilateral labor agreement with Saudi and also a bilateral labor agreement with Spain and other countries.
But right now, we're implementing the BLA with Sauda and also the BLA with Spain.
For the domestic workers going to the Middle East, normally, Before they are recruited, the ministry has a committee called the Bilateral Labor Agreement committee who sits over biillateral labor agreements.
When that happens, we also have a sample employment contract from Saudi where the committee will review and make sure it suits the Gambian standard.
Those Gmbans going into the Middle East to work, it's just like they are working in the Cory because the employment contract we review suits exactly as those who work in the Gamble.
Also, prior to their departure to the Middle East, we developed some documents.
One is the pre departure training manual where migrants are inducted and trained on their rights, their dos and don'ts while they are in the Gamble and also when they are in another country working, let's say in the Middle East.
Also, we have another document called the P guidelines on ethical recruitment for Gambian migrants.
They also will help migrants to family with what they're supposed to do.
And also with this, The ministry has licensed some private recruitment agencies who does the recruitment, and this recruitment does not discriminate male or female domestic workers.
It depends on the demand from Saudi Arabia.
Right for now, we are implementing the domestic workers and the Saudi authorities or Companies there, they prefer more of male domestic workers right now than male domestic workers.
Because in the BLA with Saudi, it is in two components.
One is down skilled workers, which is the domestic one and also the skilled workers.
Right now we are implementing the unskilled worker, which is the female domestic workers.
So we make so before they go, they are trained with the pre training manual, and of course, they are made accorded with the policy guidelines on ethical recruitment, to make the private recruitment agency in the Gambia.
While they do this recruitment, they in collaboration with the Ministry of trade.
The best of the recruitment is done in non discriminatory manner.
Both anybody who applies and fit the requirements, you are eligible to be hired to be recruited to go and work in the Middle East.
And we'll make sure those who are going to work there as well, like a gamble working in the Gambia, you will have your annual leave, you'll have your off days, you'll have your sick leaves, and also at the end of the year, your employer will give you a ticket to come and spend your holidays in the gamble if you want to come at no cost to wages or salary because those are all included in the employment contract on the BLA.
The next part of this question is, How does the government support workers facing abuse, exploitation, unpaid wages, quantification of documents, or lack of access to justice? In the new Labor Act called Labor Act 2020, there is a clause that states that any employer who employs a worker, being a gambl or non Gambian, the employer has a right to get his employment contract.
And that employment contract will specify your work days, your off days, your sick leaves, your annual leaves, and of course, your time of work.
And if any employer breaks this agreement from the Labor Act, the employee will take you to the Department of Labor and he's the one responsible for that.
And the employer will be prosecuted according to the laws.
So you will see that the government has enacted the law to protect all workers in the gamble, whether you're in gambling or non gambling, the Labor Act is protecting you.
So and also there was another question on migration data, what is called? I will want to wait until tomorrow and I'll give more on that because we have upgraded our labor market system and now including company of labor market and migration systems to make sure the migration component is is being widened to make the declaration is done properly, and tomorrow I will elaborate on that particular one.
For now, I thank you.
Mr.
Parmalik talked on the issue of national coordination mechanism and measures taken implementation of Global Compact on migration.
Park.
Okay.
Thank you very much, honorable, for giving me the floor.
Regarding the NCM, the national coordination mechanism, it's a mechanism initially at the level of the vice president's office, but currently is at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It is established in 2019 to ensure complementarity, coordination, and synergy among government interventions and programs.
It has about 8:10 working groups that sit on a regular basis to discuss migration related programs and intervention.
It also has NCM political that sits bi annually that involves the political class, that is the ministers relevant in migration intervention.
The NCM is not established through legislation, but it was an initiative from the Office of the Vice President to establish a structure that ensures coordination at the national level.
It derives its operational mandate from the national migration policy, which establishes the operations of migration operations in the Gambia.
Coming down to the GCM question regarding the measures that we took as a country, the implementation of the Global Compact on safe, orderly and regular migration, I would want to reduce it to objective number five, objective seven, objective 14, objective 19, and objective 23.
These are the objectives that are relevant to the protection of migrant workers as far as the GCM is concerned.
The Gamer has been admitted as a champion of the GCM because we are taking the initiative to implement all 23 objectives of the Global Combat on safe, orderly and regular migration.
This has been a direct and a directive by the government to ensure that the 23 objectives has been implemented.
Two, the national coordination mechanism on migration, that is the NCM.
Looking at objective five on regular pathways, as my colleague mentioned here, the government has developed the ethical recruitment guidelines, the pre departure training manuals, and also the labor migration strategy.
And on objective 14, regarding protection of migrant workers and their families, the country has developed standard or operational procedures on the protection return integration of unaccopanied migrants and members of their families, and also has taken initiative to give them access to education and psychosocial support.
On objective 14 on consular protection, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has designated officials at different levels of our missions to serve as focal persons on migration matters, and they've conducted different interventions on different consular visits to different places like conducted different consular visits in Europe here.
To ensure that migrants are empowered and also enlightened on different interventions.
On Objective 23, on strengthening cooperation on migration management, the Gambia has signed different BLAs with countries as mentioned, and also are part of different international processes like the robot process, the Samoa Agreement between EU and then the Joint Valtia Action Plan.
These are all platforms that the Gambia took part to strengthen cooperation in migration management.
And on objective 19, regarding the diaspora engagement and enhancing the role of diaspora in national development, the Gamber has set up the National Director the Gamber Diaspora Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that diasporaans access to invest in the country and also to transfer skills to different agencies in the country and also to enhance the investment portfolio of the country.
In transferring of skills, different mentorship programs have been conducted in the Gambia, whereby different Gambians in different jurisdiction in the diaspora uh, came to the Gambia and are placed in different institutions, and they were able to transfer competence and skills to different institutions based on their competent areas.
This shows that Gambia has taken serious regarding enhancing the role of government diaspora in national development.
Thank you very much, Honorable, for giving me the floor.
Yes Chair, I have you back.
Hoping we'll provide by tomorrow.
Thank you, Excellency.
We have had a good first day of discussions, and we will continue the dialogue tomorrow afternoon and you can start the dialogue by further presentations and then we'll follow up with seeking further clarifications.
Meeting adjourned meeting is adjourned and we will meet tomorrow at 3:00.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you, G.