The Gambian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Crispin Grey-Johnson and the Senegalese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Gadio have signed a Joint Communiqué on Saturday, November 3, at the end of the 4th session of the Senegalo-Gambian Joint Ministerial commission held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.
The meeting was in accordance with directives of the two heads of state and issues discussed included trade, customs, transport, the environment, agriculture, forestry, wildlife, fisheries, education, energy, gender, culture, security and defence, immigration, health, tourism and the Senegalo - Gambian Permanent Secretariat.
On trade, the Gambia and Senegal have agreed to exchange information on trade matters and a draft trade agreement between the two countries was submitted by the Gambia to the Senegalese authorities and their reaction will be forthcoming in due course.
The two countries have also agreed and recommended that a meeting be convened between the two customs institutions as soon as possible in order to give adequate response to pertinent matters.
The communiqué reads: "Pertaining to the transport sector, the Gambian side proposed the signing of a new road transport agreement before the end of 2007 given that the agreement signed in 2004 is not adequately implemented. It was agreed that a meeting be held in Dakar on 20th November, 2007 to finalise a new agreement."
The question of the bridge was raised. "It was decided that the matter be referred to the forthcoming Joint Consultative meeting."
On the environment, the delegations indicated their long standing cooperation in sharing information based on the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing. "Future collaboration will include coastal and marine environment management, enhancing environmental monitoring systems, and the strengthening of chemical management, including the control of obsolete and/or banned pesticides in the two countries," the communiqué states.
In the area of forestry, delegates of both countries agreed to strengthen collaboration by implementing joint activities and exchange of experiences in fire prevention, protection and monitoring techniques, community forestry, the management of mangroves and mangrove die-back, especially the Bintang Bolong.
"The two countries will strengthen the control of the cross - border movement of forest products; exchange of research, trial results, data and documentations and sharing information on reforestation and afforestation, as well as collaborate on the implementation of regional and international agreements," the communiqué states.
On protected areas and wildlife management, the two governments are implementing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) of 2001 for the trans - frontier management of Niumi National Park and Delta du Saloum National Park.
"In addition to these two areas of cooperation, the delegations of both countries agreed to the establishment of more trans-boundary protected areas, harmonization of regulation on sport hunting, wildlife management and cooperation on illegal poaching," the communiqué reads.
On climate change, the delegates have agreed to develop policies and regulations in implementing joint mitigation and adaptation plans and programmes.
In the agriculture sector, the two sides underscored the need for the implementation of common policies and programmes geared towards poverty alleviation and agreed to cooperate in the harmonization of their regulations on phytosanitary, seeds, genetically modified organisms and movement of pesticides. "They also agreed to prevent invasion of locust and other migratory pests and improve on exchange of research, training and experiences. The countries will endeavour to share experience in research in the agro-sylvo-pastoral area," the communiqué indicated.
The existing reciprocal fisheries agreement between the two countries will be reviewed in January 2008 in Banjul, in accordance with article thirteen of the agreement.
On gender, the Women's Bureau in the Gambia and the Ministry of Family Affairs in Senegal have initiated action for an effective and coordinated collaboration between them, and to that end the two countries are about to sign a bilateral agreement. The two countries agreed to factor and fully integrate children's issues in their respective national policies and programmes. "The Senegalese side has invited children and teachers from the Gambia to attend the 3rd Children's Week Celebration from the 11th - 16th December, 2007. The Senegalese delegation proposes that the Gambia considers the establishment of a "Hut for Children" programme with the logistics, funded by Senegal," the communiqué shows.
In the area of education, they agreed to establish links between the University of the Gambia and other institutions of higher education in Senegal and exchange experiences in vocational training.
Culled from Foroyaa NewsPaper.
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