Press Release: The Gambia and Senegal Reach Significant Bilateral Agreement on Transit Trade Facilitation

The Gambia Government Spokesperson

Press Release Dated: 31st March, 2021

Re: The Gambia and Senegal Reach Significant Bilateral Agreement on Transit Trade Facilitation

Consistent with the objectives of the revised ECOWAS Treaty, Convention on Interstate Road Transit and the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme as well as the Trade and Transit Cooperation Agreement between The Gambia and Senegal on the 12th March 2020 in Dakar, the Governments of the two counties on Tuesday, 30th March 2021, made significant progress towards the facilitation of the transit trade across their respective territories.

At a meeting held in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, officials of both Governments discussed and agreed to adopt strategies for combatting transit fraud through information sharing, eliminating all non-tariff barriers particularly on petroleum products destined to Mali and accelerating the handling of goods in transit to Guinea Bissau and the Republic of Guinea. 

The two countries also agreed to codify transit procedures between Gambian and Senegalese Customs Administrations by mid-2021, and adopting the Automated Management of Transit Merchandise (SIGMAT) as well as upgrading strategic border posts.

The high-level talks were led by the Senegalese Minister of Finance and Budget, Abdoulaye Daouda Diallo and his Gambian counterpart, Mambury Njie.  

During the high profile talks, both Finance Ministers echoed similar sentiments that Senegal and The Gambia were inextricably interconnected by geography, history, culture and ethno-linguistic realities; forces too powerful to ignore in our geo-political and economic existence as neighbouring states.

Senegalese Finance Minister Diallo was assisted by Ambassador BasiruSaine, High Commissioner of Senegal to The Gambia, AbdourahmanJaye, Director General of the Senegalese Customs and several experts. 

Finance Minister Njie was accompanied by Gambia’s Minister of Justice, Dawda A. Jallow, Secretary General Nuha Touray, The Gambia’s High Commissioner to Senegal, His Excellency HadrammehSidibeh and Director General of The Gambia Revenue Authority, Yankuba Darboe.