By: Dawda Baldeh
Yahya Sonko, a Gambian migration and human rights activist residing in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, has called for the Gambian government to clarify the whereabouts of millions of euros allocated by the European Union (EU) for the purpose of reintegrating Gambian deportees.
During a recent press briefing by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Activist Sonko criticized the lack of proper information provided to Gambian migrants in Europe and their families. He referred to the briefing as a missed opportunity.
“I always asked: where are the millions of euros the Barrow government received from the European Union for the reintegration of deportees?
“Hundreds of deportees reunited with their families with zero hope, offers, or support from the government that deported them,” Sonko said.
Sonko expressed his disappointment towards Minister of Foreign Affairs Mamadou Tangara for neglecting to bring up the deportation of Gambian migrants that his ministry collaborated on with the European Union.
He believes the government continuously ignores the importance of deportees’ reintegration.
Sonko believed that during the press conference, Tangara missed an opportunity to update Gambians on the actions taken by his ministry and the government to assist the deportees, noting that it would have been beneficial to also share information on the sustainable reintegration plans for the hundreds of Gambians who have been deported from Europe.
Meanwhile, the foreign minister Tangara stated that it is solely the responsibility and authority of any European Union Member State to allow the return of Gambian nationals, noting that according to International Customary Law, if any Gambian national has exhausted all their legal options to stay in another country, it becomes The Gambia’s obligation to readmit them as it is their country of origin.
“But he forgot that as a responsible government, accepting mass deportation equally goes with taking full responsibility for deportees.
“[The] Gambia accepts hundreds of youths from Europe, and upon arrival at the Airport, that is usually where their last contact with the government,” Sonko stated.
However, Tangara has announced that Cabinet has discussed the issue and the government will engage in bilateral negotiations with the Federal Republic of Germany regarding the new law on residence permits. This law enables migrants who have lived in Germany for at least five years by 31st October 2022 to apply for a temporary German residence permit, and it came into effect on 1st January 2023.
This permit is temporary and grants holders 18 months to regulate their status while in Germany so that they can become holders of a “regular” German residence permit.
In response to Minister Tangara’s remarks, Sonko stated that it appears the Gambian Cabinet may not have a clear understanding of the issue at hand.
“The law they are talking about is called the new “Chancen-Aufenthaltsrecht” (Opportunity Residence Act) stipulated in §104c Residence Act”.
Sonko believes it would be pointless for the Gambia to send a delegation to Germany to negotiate this new law, as all Gambians residing in Germany are already aware of it.
According to him, Stakeholders, NGOs, and Gambian associations in Germany are working tirelessly to educate Gambian migrants about how they can acquire their residence permit through this opportunity and that the German government is unlikely to heed the Borrow government’s request on this matter.
For activist Sonko, Germany would welcome the Gambia government delegation for possible talks but must be based on continuity of discussion and plans of cooperation they started a few years ago.
“As far as I know, the government of Germany wouldn’t entertain any new discussions from the Gambia,” he said.
At the beginning of 2023, Joachim Stamp was designated as the new German Commissioner for Migration by the German Federal government. In his initial interview, he openly expressed his backing and eagerness to establish a partnership with The Gambia.
In June and July of 2019, ESI European Stability Initiative, a think tank based in Berlin, made two trips to The Gambia. They subsequently published a policy proposal called “THE GAMBIA PLAN” that outlined steps to prevent migrant deaths in the Mediterranean, alleviate the suffering of migrants in Libyan detention centres, and take a realistic approach to the return and deportation of Gambians who do not receive asylum in EU countries.
The goal was a real paradigm shift, creating a win-win solution for The Gambia and Germany, and replacing dangerous irregular migration with regular migration.
Sonko suggested that Germany should provide opportunities for legal migration that are connected to skills training in The Gambia. Additionally, he recommended expanding scholarship and exchange options.
