September - October 2014

THE EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORTS
THE EMPOWERMENT OF GAMBIAN
WOMEN
The European Union has recently launched the new project “Women’s Empowerment for Change”, which is one of
three EU funded projects to improve women’s rights in The Gambia. The official launching ceremony of the project
took place on the 11 September 2014.
Project stakeholders
Speech by EU Chargée d’Affaires a.i. Ms Agnès Guillaud
Women’s Empowerment for Change is one of the EU’s
latest initiatives to improve women’s rights in The Gambia.
The initiative is part of EU’s commitment to fighting poverty
and promoting women’s rights and fundamental freedoms
in the context of sustainable development, including the
pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Women’s Empowerment for Change has a specific focus on
the economic empowerment of women, reducing violence
against women, and eliminating female genital mutilation.
tangible results, foster women’s rights here in Foni Jarrol
District and provide social and economic empowerment to
vulnerable women in the region and beyond.”
“Women’s Empowerment for Change” is implemented by
SOS Children’s Villages UK in close collaboration with SOS
Children’s Villages The Gambia, ChildFund The Gambia,
and the Foundation for Research on Women’s Health,
Productivity and the Environment (BAFROW). The project
will specifically target the communities of Sintet, Kalagi, Kan
Mamadou, Jarrol and Kampassa in the Foni Jarrol District.
The initiative is financed by the European Union to the tune
of 200,000 euros (approximately 11 million dalasis) and
will be implemented over 36 months. It is one of three EU
funded programmes donating more than 800,000 euros (44
million dalasis) to improve women’s rights in The Gambia.
During the project launching on the 11 September 2014 in
Kalaji, Ms Agnès Guillaud, Chargée d’Affaires a.i. at the EU
delegation in Banjul spoke about the commitment of the
European Union to gender equality, the important role of
women in Sub-Saharan Africa and the link between poverty
and gender inequality. The EU representative underlined
that “the European Union is committed to gender equality
which is the key to sustainable development … We deeply
believe that our contribution of 200,000 euros … will bring
“Equal opportunities and access to resources for both
men and women are essential to eradicate poverty and to
achieve all MDGs. Women play a critical role in addressing
the main challenges humanity faces today, such as health,
education, agriculture and nutritional issues as well as
climate change.”
Ms Agnès Guillaud
Chargée d’Affaires a.i., Delegation of the European Union
to The Gambia
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: THE NATIONAL AUTHORISING OFFICER SUPPORT UNIT (NAOSU)
Tel: (+220) 439 9626/5 or Email: [email protected] | DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO THE GAMBIA
74, Atlantic Road Fajara, P.O. Box 512, Banjul, The Gambia. Tel: +220 4495 146 / 4497 846. Website: www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/gambia/index_en.htm
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The Gambia-
EU Cooperation
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER EDITION, 2014
A BI-MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE GAMBIA - EU COOPERATION.
INAUGURATION OF THE
SOFANYAMA BRIDGE IN
PAKALIBA
Honourable Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure,
Mr Ousman Badjie commissioning the Bridge
The European Union has invested more than 4 billion
dalasis (76.5 million euros) in The Gambia’s Road
Networks.
On 30th October 2014, the Honourable Minister of
Transport, Works and Infrastructure, Mr Ousman Badjie
inaugurated the Sofanyama Bridge in Pakaliba in the
Lower River Region on behalf of H.E. President of the
Republic of The Gambia, Sheikh Professor Dr. Alhaji
Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh Babali Mansa.
The Sofanyama Bridge is a crucial part of the SomaBasse road providing access to the Eastern part of The
Gambia. In the roads sector alone, the European Union
through the 9th and 10th EDF has financed a total sum
of 76.5 million euros for 276 km of trunk roads. The roads
concerned are Barra-Amdallai (19.9 km); Madina BaSeleti (12.7 km); the Trans-Gambia Highway (25 km),
and Soma-Basse (193 km) including the Sofanyama
Bridge. This is nearly 50% of the paved road network in
The Gambia.
In his inaugural statement, Minister Badjie expressed
gratitude to the European Union for not only funding the
Sofanyama Bridge but also for rehabilitating national and
regional roads of The Gambia. The minister underlined
the commitment of the Gambian government to working
closely with the European Union as one of its leading
development partners.
Sofanyama Bridge in Pakaliba
In her speech, the Chargée d’Affaires a.i. of the Delegation
of the European Union in Banjul, Ms Agnès Guillaud, gave
a detailed overview of the EU’s contributions to the road
and transport sector in The Gambia. Among other things
she mentioned that “this project would not be possible
without the generosity of all 28 member states of the
European Union and the many hard-working European
tax payers. Allow me to thank them for their important
contribution to the improvement of the road network in
The Gambia.”
The ceremony was also graced by the Honourable
Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Ms Fatou
Lamin Faye, Honourable Minister of Lands and Regional
Governments, Momodou Aki Bayo, Ambassador of the
United Kingdom, H.E. Colin Crorkin, and the Spanish
Chargée d’Affaires, Ms Laura Mayoral.
Governor of the Lower River Region, Salieu Pouye,
as well as Permanent Secretaries from the Ministry of
Transport, Works and Infrastructure and from the Office
of the President along with representatives from the EU
Delegation, the National Authorising Officer’s Support
Unit and the National Roads Authority were also present
at the ceremony.
The Gambia-
EU Cooperation
THE GAMBIA INTENSIFIES
ITS FIGHT AGAINST DRUG
TRAFFICKING
On 23 October 2014 the European Union and the Gambian Minister of Interior Honorable Ousman Sonko
inaugurated the Joint Airport Interdiction Task Force (JAITF) at the International Airport in Banjul which aims at
improving the Gambian capacity to fight drug trafficking.
Inauguration ceremony at Banjul Int. Airport
On 23 October 2014 the Joint Airport Interdiction
Task Force (JAITF) was officially inaugurated by
Honourable Minister of Interior Mr Ousman Sonko and
the EU Chargée d’Affaires a.i. Ms Agnès Guillaud. The
ceremony took place at the Banjul International Airport
in the presence of AIRCOP Programme Manager Ms
Elena Abbati as well as representatives of all security
agencies involved in the programme and two trainers for
the Guardia di Finanza from Italy. The establishment of
the JAITF is part of the Airport Communication Project
(AIRCOP), which aims to build drug-interdiction capacity
at 24 selected international airports in Africa, Latin
America and the Caribbean. The JAITF will connect the
participating airports to international law enforcement
databases and communication systems allowing realtime transmission of operational information aimed at
intercepting illicit shipments such as drug trafficking
to other international airports. The JAITF will shortly
be connected to INTERPOL’s I-24/7 Global Police
Communications System.
In her speech at the inauguration ceremony EU
Chargée d’Affaires a.i. Agnès Guillaud underlined
that transnational organized crime is one of the major
threats to human security, affecting the social, economic,
political and cultural developments of many societies.
Ms Guillaud also made it clear that The European Union
is fully committed to support the fight against organized
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Speech by EU Chargée d’Affaires a.i. Agnès Guillaud
crime and drug trafficking. “In order to fight it, we have
to fight back together at a national, regional and global
level”, she said.
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION HELPS
GAMBIANS MEET THEIR FOOD AND
NUTRITION NEEDS
The European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO) donated 400,000 euros to
food insecure households in The Gambia through the WFP. An ECHO team led by Sophie Battas recently visited
the cash transfer project in one of the country’s most vulnerable regions.
By donating 400,000 euros ECHO has helped implement a
cash transfer project in the Central River Region, which seeks
to stabilize food consumption of vulnerable households in
the most at-risk communities during the peak of the lean
season. Through cash vouchers, these funds enable families
in the districts of Niamina Dankunku and Niamina West to
meet their daily food and nutrition needs. A total of 1,205
households, mainly poor, elderly and female headed, have
each received GMD 3,350 during the first of three rounds
of cash distribution. This amount is enough to cover the
monthly nutritional requirement of a family of eight people.
Along with the cash, beneficiaries also receive nutrition
education through the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA).
The cash transfer project is being implemented by the United
Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in collaboration with
the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA).
The Central River Region is particularly vulnerable when
it comes to food insecurity indicators: over 20% of the
households in this region suffer moderate to severe food
insecurity as compared to a national average of 18%. This
is one of the main reasons why the cash transfer project has
been implemented in this particularly exposed region.
From 22nd to 26th of September an ECHO team led by
Sophie Battas was visiting the Central River Region and
the cash transfer project. The purpose of the visit was to
oversee the food security and nutrition activities supported
by ECHO in The Gambia and to gain a better understanding
of the opportunities and constraints faced by partners in
implementing the programme.
“I am convinced that this initiative will be valuable to
The Gambia and will help the Gambian authorities in
the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking.
The Gambian authorities have shown a strong
commitment to this work, which is essential in order for
the programme to be successfully implemented.”
EU Chargée d’Affaires a.i. Ms Agnès Guillaud
The JAITF project in The Gambia is funded by the
European Union’s Instrument contributing to Stability and
Peace under the so-called Cocaine Route Programme.
The project is being implemented by the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in partnership with
the World Customs Organization (WOC) and INTERPOL.
The task force operating in The Gambia is composed of
officials from the National Drug Enforcement Agency, the
Gambia Civil Aviation Authority, the Gambia Police Force,
the Gambia Revenue Authority, the National Intelligence
Agency, the National Immigration Department, and the
Gambia Armed Forces.
Sophie Battas visits the Central River Region
About ECHO
The European Commission’s Humanitarian aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO) aims to save and preserve life,
prevent and alleviate human suffering and safeguard the integrity and dignity of populations affected by natural disasters
and man-made crises. Headquartered in Brussels with a global network of field offices, ECHO ensures rapid and effective
delivery of EU relief assistance through its two main instruments: humanitarian aid and civil protection.
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