By Fatou Sillah
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Gambians Abroad, Sering Modou Njie, says the government is creating employment opportunities for young Gambians while strengthening cooperation with international partners to provide safer and legal alternatives to irregular migration.
Speaking in an interview with West Coast Radio, Njie said the government has introduced measures to expand employment opportunities for young people while working to improve legal pathways for Gambians seeking to travel abroad.
“Government has created a lot of job opportunities for youths, but of course, everybody also has the right to travel, but it depends on the way you travel,” he said.
Njie cited recent recruitment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying positions including undersecretaries, protocol officers, and deputy protocol officers had been filled. He added that recruitment was also taking place in other government institutions.
The foreign minister said the government recognizes Gambians’ right to travel but wants those seeking opportunities abroad to use safe and legal channels.
“Government is employing citizens, but what I’m trying to say is that we are now living in a world where people have the right to travel,” Njie said. “What we are doing as a country is how we can enhance and improve our engagement with our partners to be able to make sure that issues like visas are accessible.”
He described irregular migration as a difficult and dangerous means of traveling and said addressing the problem requires cooperation between countries.
Njie also referred to recent migration developments in Morocco, where large numbers of migrants reportedly moved toward areas near the Spanish border. He said the situation prompted discussions involving Spain and African foreign ministers on migration.
The minister said The Gambia would continue pursuing measures to create employment opportunities at home while working with international partners to expand safe and legal pathways for Gambians seeking opportunities abroad.
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