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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Feb 2022 : 12:38:21
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https://standard.gm/gambia-news/govt-explains-deportation-agreement-with-eu/
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GOV'T EXPLAINS ‘DEPORTATION AGREEMENT’ WITH EU
February 14, 2022
By Omar Bah & Tabora Bojang
The minister for the Interior Ousman Sonko Friday told lawmakers that government had signed a “Good Practice Document” with the European Union in 2017 to repatriate Gambians who failed in their asylum applications.
It is the first time a senior government official publicly admitted to such a deal.
In October 2021, the government in a statement issued by its spokesperson denied signing any agreement with the EU or its member states to deport its citizens after coming under severe criticism for agreeing to such a deportation deal.
But responding to questions from members of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs chaired by Sidia Jatta on government’s response to the situation of Gambians deported or waiting to be deported from Germany, Minister Sonko acknowledged that the government had signed a “cooperation” agreement with EU and certain good practices were identified in the repatriation process.
Minister Sonko said the government didn’t establish the number and magnitude of Gambians who failed in their asylum applications in Europe.
“There was a technical team established comprising of all stakeholders in the country who after consultation agreed on certain procedures or modalities that the EU and The Gambia could consider in the repatriation process and one of this modalities is for The Gambia to receive notification regarding the returnees. This is to help the country to prepare for reception to avoid excessive reception capacity,” he said.
He said the other issue was for The Gambia to conduct verifications on the returnees to establish their nationality knowing full well that some people have dubiously acquired Gambian documents and had filed applications in the name of The Gambia. Also, for The Gambia to provide emergency certificates to the returnees to facilitate their return and to establish that our returnees have exhausted all the legal means, the modalities on the reintegration of the returnees and periodic reviews of those modalities,” he said.
Minister Sonko said after signing the agreement, EU started deporting Gambians in small numbers without any issues but the moment they started deporting in large numbers there was public outcry.
“That was the time we advised the technical team to look at the agreement and come up with an operational conclusion on it and in the operational conclusion some areas were identified and this include the potential vulnerability and medical needs of the returnees, and whether the person they are deporting has any criminal record for safety purposes,” he said.
The Good Practice Document, Minister Sonko added, provides among other things that the EU should ensure coordination of return operations from EU member states to avoid exceeding receiving capability, support government to establish strategic communication on migration management and implement certain projects in The Gambia to support reintegration. He said although the EU has made tremendous efforts to fulfill the agreement, there are challenges which include exceeding the deportation numbers and also lack of provision of documentation establishing that the deportees have exhausted all legal means. He said this necessitated the imposition of a moratorium on deportations which is still in force.
Also commenting on the issue, foreign affairs minister Momodou Tangara said: “As far as the Good Practice Document is concerned, we have written to the EU to notify them to review it …. and that is why they were open to review it.
All these deportations were fuelled by the rise of populism in Europe. [They] believe that all the problems in Europe are caused by the migrants which is not true,” Tangara said.
However, Minister Tangara stressed that the country cannot continue to refuse the deportation of its citizens.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2022 : 20:50:02
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MINISTERS CLASH OVER GERMANY ‘DEPORTATION AGREEMENT’
The Standard: FEBRUARY 15, 2022
By Omar Bah
https://standard.gm/gambia-news/ministers-clash-over-germany-deportation-agreement/
The ministers of foreign affairs and the interior on Friday clashed at the National Assembly over a “deportation agreement” signed between the Ministry for the Interior and Baden-Württemberg, a state in southwest Germany bordering France and Switzerland.
The Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs on Friday invited VP Isatou Touray, ministers Mamadou Tangara of foreign affairs and Yankuba Sonko of the Interior to provide updates on the response of the government to the situation of Gambians being deported from Germany as well as those awaiting deportation.
The lawmakers wanted specific answers on the first 25 and second 20 undocumented Gambians deported from Germany.
Responding to the lawmakers, Minister Tangara said: “When it comes to the first 25, that was a condition laid by the Germans before they started supporting us but the other 20 that came we didn’t know how they came because the mission in Brussels covering Germany was not aware of it. I think I heard it here so we didn’t know how they came into the country and where they are.
“…[A]nd as far as the discussion on migration is concerned, we have to make a difference between the Good Practice Document and the bilateral agreement with Germany and there we have to speak with one voice. I think that is very important and that’s why when the 20 came, we all could have been in the picture but that didn’t happen,” he said.
Minister Tangara said a deal was entered between the Ministry for the Interior and Baden-Württemberg without the knowledge of his ministry.
“To my surprise, I have seen that an agreement was entered between Baden-Württemberg and the Ministry of Interior. I don’t know whether you saw it. I have the document I can give it to you,” he posted, referring to the Minister of Interior.
That prompted the Minister for the Interior to intervene to ask Mr Tangara who was the minister for the interior at the time the agreement was signed?
Tangara responded: “You were the minister”.
Minister Sonko further posted: “But I didn’t remember signing it.”
But Tangara swiftly responded: “It was not signed by you because I have seen that document”.
Minister Tangara further revealed that two immigration liaison officers are stationed in Germany and Italy who are issuing travelling documents without the knowledge of The Gambia’s mission in Brussels.
“We should also know who gave those migrants, documents to be able to come back because Germany doesn’t have the right to bundle them just like that and put them into a plane and I know certainly our mission didn’t give them the documents,” he said.
Minister Sonko admitted that immigration officers were in Italy.
The vice president tried to intervene on several occasions to bring an end to the exchanges.
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‘DEPORTATION AGREEMENT’
