𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐉𝐔𝐋, 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad convened the quarterly meeting of the National Coordination Mechanism on Migration (NCM) at the Bakadaji Hotel, bringing together representatives from government ministries, departments and agencies, development partners, civil society organizations, academia, and other key stakeholders.

Delivering the opening remarks, Ambassador Lang Yabou, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, welcomed participants and commended their continued commitment to strengthening migration governance in The Gambia through dialogue, coordination, and partnership.

He described the NCM as the Government’s principal platform for coordinating migration governance, promoting a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach by fostering meaningful collaboration among government institutions, civil society, development partners, academia, and diaspora stakeholders.

Ambassador Yabou also reflected on The Gambia’s recent participation in the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), describing it as an important opportunity to showcase the country’s progress in implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM). He commended the Technical Working Group Leads and NCM members for their sustained collaboration and expressed appreciation to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for its continued technical and financial support, describing the Organization as a trusted partner in strengthening national migration governance.

Delivering a statement on behalf of IOM, Mr. George Andrews, National Programme Officer for Labour Mobility and Social Inclusion, reaffirmed the Organization’s appreciation for the Ministry’s leadership and unwavering commitment to advancing migration governance in The Gambia.

He noted that the quarterly meeting provides an important opportunity to reflect on the outcomes of the IMRF, review progress achieved by the Thematic Working Groups, and identify priorities for the months ahead. He also welcomed discussions on the review of the NCM structure, the proposed Cabinet Paper, and the Draft Gender-Responsive GCM Implementation Plan.

The meeting brought together representatives from government institutions, security services, regional administration bodies, development partners, academia, and civil society organizations, underscoring The Gambia’s whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to migration governance.

The two-day meeting will continue with technical sessions focusing on national migration priorities, capacity needs assessments, and discussions on the way forward to further strengthen the institutional framework of the National Coordination Mechanism on Migration.