Gambia’s gov’t downgraded from Tier 2 Watch list to Tier 3
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - The Government of The Gambia has received the 2018/201919 US State Department’s Report which shows that the west African nation has been downgraded from a Tier 2 Watch list to Tier 3.
According to a statement made available PANA here on Tuesday by National Agency against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP) Ministry of Justice, the government expressed its disappointment for this recent downgrade, which the Report attributes to several factors across several Government departments.
The National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP) was created in 2007 by an Act of the National Assembly. The Agency started Operations proper on 1st December 2011 and has since then made remarkable progress in terms of operations and actions.
It now has a well-developed Plan of Action, a fully functioning Board of Directors, and has recently released its Annual Report in 2018 and shared this widely with its regional and international partners including ECOWAS.
In addition, The Gambia has signed and ratified the Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish the act of Trafficking in Persons especially women and children, and is only one of three ECOWAS Member State to establish a Trafficking in Persons Agency, with Nigeria and Niger being the other two.
“Notwithstanding, the Government takes note of the recommendations contained in the Report and re-assures the Government of the United States of its continued commitment to fight against the increasing menace and dangers of trafficking in persons.
NAATIP will use these recommendations as a launch pad to re-focus its efforts in order to properly identify problems and find comprehensive solutions .
In this regard, NAATIP will continue to work with all stakeholders in Government a concerted and coordinated effort in this fight,” the statement pointed out.
The statement said that it is to be noted that The Gambia’s unwavering commitment to pursuing culprits, creating awareness and deterring the practice in and across the country’s borders speaks volume of government’s commitment to combat the menace of trafficking in human beings.
“As a Country, The Gambia has been working at all levels, nationally, regionally and internationally to fight against trafficking in persons and the Country’s preventive measures shows that we are positively responding to the fight against this menace to our society.
The Government of the Gambia is grateful to the US Government through the US State Department for providing much needed funding through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in order to complement Government’s effort in combating trafficking in persons,” the statement noted.
-0- PANA MSS/VAO 23July2019
