By Fatou Sillah
The Gambia’s Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, has urged Gambians to remain calm and refrain from inflaming tensions following the demolition of part of the perimeter fence surrounding the Gambian military camp in Foni Bullock by Senegalese soldiers.
Speaking in an interview with West Coast Radio, Dr. Ceesay said the government was treating the incident with the utmost seriousness and was working through diplomatic channels to resolve the matter.
He said several institutions, including the Gambia-Senegal Border Commission, the Ministry of Defence and the Senegalo-Gambia Permanent Secretariat, were engaged with their Senegalese counterparts in an effort to reach an amicable settlement.
“It is important in situations like this to allow the state and the government to use diplomatic channels to deal with the situation and not escalate tensions,” Dr. Ceesay said. “That will not be in anybody’s interest.”
He appealed to the public to avoid panic and cautioned against inflammatory reactions, arguing that the issue required careful handling given the close historical, economic, and security ties between The Gambia and Senegal.
The minister said the government remained deeply concerned by the incident and was working “day and night behind the scenes” to resolve it through dialogue rather than confrontation.
Responding to political reactions, Dr. Ceesay commended the United Democratic Party for what he described as a measured response, saying the party had demonstrated an appreciation of the diplomatic sensitivities involved.
“I really commend UDP’s statement because it shows that in this particular incident, they understand complex diplomatic issues and dealt with the issue in a manner that aligns with The Gambia’s position to resolve it amicably through diplomatic channels,” He Said.
At the same time, he criticized comments made by UNITE leader Talib Ahmed Bensouda, describing them as reckless and warning against making public pronouncements on sensitive diplomatic matters before the facts are fully established.
Despite the border incident, Dr. Ceesay said it should not overshadow the broader relationship between The Gambia and Senegal, which he described as one built on longstanding social, economic and security cooperation.
He assured the public that the government would continue engaging Senegalese authorities through diplomatic channels and would provide updates as discussions progressed.
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