By Alieu Jallow
In a bid to address the growing concern of irregular migration among Gambian youth, the National Youth Council (NYC) convened an intergenerational dialogue on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, that brought together youth leaders, community elders, security personnel, and other key stakeholders.
The forum, held in Gunjur, Kombo South, aimed to foster mutual understanding and collaboration across age groups regarding the root causes and consequences of irregular migration.
The dialogue sought to bridge the generational divide by creating a platform where young people could openly engage with older generations, share experiences, and collectively explore local opportunities to tackle unemployment and other drivers of migration.
Speaking at the event, Omar Bah, Peace, Security, and Justice Officer at the NYC, emphasized the objective of the dialogue as a sensitization effort to better inform youth, stakeholders, and security agencies about the realities of irregular migration and the opportunities that exist within the country.
“The dialogue is very important as it helped to close that gap between the older generation and the youth for people to understand, like this is a concerted effort. Everyone has to put their hands on deck because when it comes to migration, no one in this country can at least tell us that he or she is not affected directly,” he said.
Bah also discussed how similar dialogues held across various regions have helped rebuild trust between the government, communities, and young people, many of whom have grown disillusioned by government efforts due to widespread misconceptions about deportation.
“In all the communities we went to young people, and even the stakeholders have trusted us in any information that we are giving them, because we went with people that have high experience, high knowledge in the subject matter, like we are with an expert from the Gambia Immigration Department under the immigration unit, and also our executive director, who is also discussing some of the opportunities available and we also have other resource persons who are discussing some of the issues that are affecting young people,” he outlined.
The discussions also explored the socio-economic and security impacts of irregular migration. Inspector Lamin Jammeh, a security expert from the Gambia Immigration Department’s Migration Unit, took participants through how trafficking networks prey on desperate youth and highlighted the emotional and financial toll irregular migration imposes on families.
Participants expressed how the insights gained would reshape their perceptions of irregular migration.
Yaya Sowe, District Youth Chairperson of Kombo South, noted the timeliness of the intervention, especially considering Gunjur’s geographical location and the recent migration-related tragedies that have impacted the community. Sowe pledged to use his platforms, both online and through his radio program, to further spread the message.
“As a youth leader and also part of many youth organisations in Kombo South and currently having a radio program at Gunjur Janneh Koto FM, I will use those platforms from Gunjur radio and the youth organisation I’m working with to sensitise people,” he stated.
Amienata Njie, a female representative from Kombo North, clarified that she is not against migration but encouraged young people to take the legal and safer route. She plans to organise a community “bantaba” in her district to extend the conversation locally.
“I will be organising a community Bantaba because I am not a social media type to discuss irregular migration,” she said.
As one of the key outcomes, the NYC pledged to sustain these dialogues nationwide and champion youth-centred, community-driven development models to reduce the allure of risky migration routes.
This intergenerational dialogue represents a significant step forward in addressing The Gambia’s migration crisis through inclusive, locally driven solutions that resonate with both young and old alike.
