By Makutu Manneh
Panelists on Kerr Fatou’s The Brunch have criticized Senegal’s handling of recent developments along the Gambia-Senegal border, arguing that the dispute should have been addressed through diplomatic and legal mechanisms rather than unilateral action.
Speaking during the program, National Unity Party (NUP) leader and lawyer Lamin J. Darboe said the border issue raises both legal and diplomatic questions, emphasizing that diplomacy should have been the preferred course of action given the longstanding ties between the two neighboring countries.
“The Senegalese should at least have respect for The Gambia and not embark on the course of action they are embarking on now. Open up the diplomatic channels. Instead, they are engaging in propaganda. They could have done that before attacking the military camp and affecting other territories around the border,” Darboe said.
He suggested that perceptions of a power imbalance between the two countries may have influenced Senegal’s approach, arguing that stronger states often behave differently toward weaker neighbors.
Darboe also observed that Senegal currently appears to hold a military advantage, which, he said, may have contributed to what he described as a degree of recklessness. While noting that relations between The Gambia and Senegal have generally improved in recent years, he added that there may be underlying factors behind the current situation that have not yet been made public.
Former Information Minister and veteran journalist Demba Ali Jawo echoed Darboe’s views, saying Senegal had several diplomatic avenues available before resorting to direct action.
He cited the Senegalo-Gambia Secretariat and the Boundary Commission as established bilateral mechanisms designed to address border-related disputes, arguing that those institutions should have been engaged before any unilateral measures were taken.
Political analyst Brian Gai took a more critical stance, describing Senegal’s actions as part of what he characterized as a recurring pattern of incursions into Gambian sovereign territory during the administration of President Adama Barrow.
According to Gai, the incidents reflect what he sees as the Gambian government’s failure to confront Senegal firmly over border disputes.
“Somebody asked why they were not doing this under former President Yahya Jammeh. They were not because they knew his approach was militaristic. If you came to The Gambia with that mindset, you expected a similar response,” Gai said.
Gai maintained that safeguarding the country’s territorial integrity is one of the government’s foremost responsibilities and expressed concern over what he described as an inadequate response to repeated border incidents.
He concluded that, in his view, Senegal has remained consistent in pursuing its objectives regardless of changes in government, while The Gambia has yet to demonstrate the same level of resolve in addressing the issue.
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