ECOWAS Begins Field Validation, Monitoring, and Evaluation of Humanitarian Relief in The Gambia

Group Photo of The ECOWAS Team, And Their Partners At A Local Hotel

By Ramatoulie Jawo 

A team of ECOWAS officials has commenced a field validation, monitoring, and evaluation mission for humanitarian relief provided to victims of food crises and flood disasters in The Gambia. The mission, which started at a local hotel in Kololi, is scheduled to run from August 11th to 16th, 2024, in Banjul, The Gambia.

ECOWAS has allocated a total of $10.16 million for humanitarian relief efforts across its member states, with $1.76 million specifically designated for The Gambia. These funds are aimed at addressing the needs of victims affected by food crises and flood disasters.

The mission’s objective is to ensure the effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of the humanitarian aid distributed to the affected communities. It will include comprehensive field visits, stakeholder engagements, and an evaluation of the relief efforts to identify gaps and areas for improvement.

The mission involves representatives from the ECOWAS Commission, the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), the Government of The Gambia, and various implementing partners.

In 2022, The Gambia was devastated by floods, including the capital city. The Government of The Gambia, through the National Disaster Management Agency and partners, responded to the crisis. 

Muhammed Ibrahim, the Head of ECOWAS delegates to The Gambia, expressed optimism that those in need have benefited from the assistance.

“For what we have been listening to and during our courtesy visit to our special representatives of ECOWAS to the Republic of the Gambia, we are not yet in the field, but from listening, observing, and hearing, we are very optimistic that those in need, those that we need to reach out to have been already receiving the benefit and there have been also beneficiaries of this assistance,” he said. 

He added that The Gambia was identified for this implementation, and today they have collectively supported the affected population in view of the humanitarian principles of transparency and accountability.

“We are embarking on this mission to measure the impact of our collective support and efforts to identify the gaps and see how we can do better by leaving no one behind,” he said. 

Speaking at the meeting, Sanna Dahaba, the Executive Director of the National Disaster Management Agency, highlighted that the 2022 flood response project under CRS aims to assist 2,650 households nationwide.

He further thanked ECOWAS for supporting member states in managing the impact of the crisis. He said disasters have significantly affected people’s lives and livelihoods, especially, in 2022 when over fifty thousand people were affected by floods in the Gambia.

“This funding is aimed at facilitating a 6-month response plan to support households affected by the 2022 floods. The National Disaster Management Agency, acting on behalf of the Gambian government, has identified the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), a non-governmental organization and a reliable partner, to implement the project. This initiative is being carried out in close collaboration with the National Disaster Management Agency to ensure effective and timely support for the affected households,” he said. 

He added that the 2022 flood response project under CRS aims to assist 2650 households nationwide and was officially launched on May 30, 2024. We are pleased to welcome the ECOWAS monitoring team to assess the progress made so far.

The Acting Executive Director of the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA), Mr. Malang Fofana, disclosed to the ECOWAS monitoring team that the funds received from ECOWAS were used by NaNA and partners to conduct rapid assessments to verify vulnerable households. Mr. Fofana assured the team that 78% of the funds go directly to beneficiaries.

“While poverty is a rural phenomenon in The Gambia. 76% in 2020, there is a high share of the poor in densely populated urban areas, contributing to international irregular migration due to a lack of economic opportunities. The recent Integrated Household Survey reported an increase in the level of poverty in The Gambia from 48.6% in 2016 to 53.4% in 2020, an indication of increasing vulnerability,” he said.

He said the support received from ECOWAS has been helpful in addressing vulnerability and building resilience of households and communities to shocks and crises, more specifically the 2022 flood victims.

The country representative of CRS, Dr. Amulai Touray, said the NDMA developed four-tier inclusion criteria for participants to ensure transparency in the selection process. 

“CRS, in close collaboration with NDMA has developed four-tier inclusion criteria for participants to ensure transparency in the selection process. These tiers include Households with Persons living with disabilities, Households headed by females, and households that are completely destroyed due to floods. To increase reach and avoid duplication, Households that have received support from other government or development partner interventions, including those reached by NaNA through this ECOWAS project, were excluded,” he added. 

He emphasized that CRS will collaborate with NDMA, ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia and other partners to regularly gather, analyze, and act upon accurate monitoring data for informed decision-making. 

Mr.Ceesay said this will ensure they remain responsive to community feedback, meet donor requirements, and uphold high program quality. 

Mr. Touray reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to ECOWAS, the Government of The Gambia, and our communities to responsible stewardship, transparency, and accountability in managing the funds and achieving the project’s goals and objectives.

The deputy Permanent Secretary at the office of the vice President, Ousman Ceesay, emphasized that the government will also continue working with ECOWAS and other partners to strengthen the capacities of institutions and communities to take measures to minimize people’s vulnerability to disasters. 

“The government of The Gambia has demonstrated a strong dedication to disaster risk reduction and management within the country. This commitment is highlighted in the Recovery-focused National Development Plan 2023-2027, where the first pillar prioritizes addressing community resilience to shocks and crises,” he said. 

He said this emphasis on disaster risk reduction and management underscores the government’s proactive approach to building a more resilient and secure future for its citizens.

According to research, The Gambia is facing frequent natural disasters such as flooding, storms, and droughts. Over the past three decades, there has been at least one such disaster that has struck the country approximately every two years. Flooding accounts for more than half of the events.