By Ramatoulie Jawo
The World Bank Group on Monday launched a five-day workshop on its Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center in Bijilo. The training is designed to enhance the knowledge of government officials and project staff on environmental and social standards to ensure projects are sustainable, safe, and community-focused.
Participants include government officials, staff from project implementation units, and central project coordination units managing World Bank-supported initiatives in The Gambia.
In his opening remarks, Matarr Touray, the Acting Country Representative of the World Bank Group in The Gambia, outlined the importance of integrating environmental and social sustainability into development projects. He noted that the World Bank’s portfolio in The Gambia has shifted, with regional projects now accounting for over half a billion US dollars. These projects span key sectors such as infrastructure, transport, energy, governance, environmental resource management, agriculture, and human development, including health and education.
Touray shared insights into the portfolio’s risk classification: eight projects are considered substantial risk, five moderate risk, one low risk, and one high risk. While most projects adhere to the Environmental and Social Framework, a few still operate under the previous safeguards policy.
“This growing and diverse portfolio continues to attract new staff including some of the participants present here today this is particularly critical to ensure the complete application of environmental and social framework standards. We are aware that the assessment and consideration of environmental and social issues facilitates the implementation of projects and ensures their sustainability although partners possess expertise in environmental and social development with various capacities and experiences it is widely recognized that projects often face significant challenges in implementing environmental and social measures during execution,” he said.
He stated that the training would create numerous opportunities to deepen participants’ understanding of the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and its associated standards. Key discussions and insights will also be shared with participants during the sessions.
He further explained that the program includes three days of general workshops and two days dedicated to in-depth exploration of specific topics. Environmental and social specialists will guide participants through the World Bank’s ESF requirements, focusing on planning, monitoring, and evaluation during project implementation. They will also address critical issues such as incident reporting, child labor, hygiene, health, and safety.
Mariama Ndow, Director of the Central Project Coordination Unit, stated that the training aligns closely with The Gambia’s National Development Plan, which emphasizes the importance of environmental management and safeguarding.
She highlighted that the training is both timely and aligned with the nation’s development priorities, reaffirming their commitment to maintaining the highest standards of environmental stewardship in accordance with national laws, policies, and regulations.
“The Gambia has made significant progress in environmental management and this training will further enhance our capacity to implement projects that are environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive I understand that during the five days, you will engage in comprehensive sessions that will cover various aspects of environmental and social management framework including its standards and instrument, objectives and scope of apparition. You will have the opportunity to deepen your understanding with the framework shared loc experience in environmental and social management framework implementation and learn from experts in this field.,” she explained.
She emphasized that the training aims to equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure their projects not only meet the World Bank’s standards but also contribute meaningfully to The Gambia’s sustainable development.
She highlighted the crucial role of the project implementation and central coordination units in guaranteeing that projects are executed effectively and sustainably while adhering to the safeguard requirements agreed upon by the Government of The Gambia and the World Bank.
She urged participants to actively engage throughout the sessions to gain a comprehensive understanding of the training content.
World Bank officials reaffirmed their mission to end poverty and promote sustainable development, emphasizing their continued commitment to building a better future for all.