Africa-Press – Gambia. The Gambian government has threatened to repatriate 33 of its citizens who absconded in Spain under a circular migration program, warning that their actions could jeopardize future employment opportunities for Gambians abroad.
Boubacarr O. Joof, the outgoing Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration, and Employment, said the government was working with Spanish and European Union authorities to locate the missing workers.
“Let me make this pronouncement very loud and clear: if they do not come, the Spanish Authority, European Union, and the Gambian Government will continue to pursue and find them and, if possible, repatriate them back to the Gambia,” Mr. Joof said, “but the consequences will be far-reaching because we would have lost an opportunity for all of us to eventually travel to Spain for work.”
The minister said a full investigation would be launched into the incident and pledged that his successor would be tasked with reviving the program, which allows Gambians to travel legally to Spain for seasonal employment.
“We are launching a full investigation. We will go deep down into this; we will dive to the bottom of it. This was a disturbing development,” he said. “I want to get to the bottom of this. I want to know exactly what happened so that we can know what the next step is going to be in relation to the Spanish authorities.”
Mr. Joof stressed that the government would not cover the cost of returning those who fled. “I tell you, my priority now would be to facilitate their return, either voluntarily or by force, and then we renegotiate with the Spanish authority, and then probably we will go back to the selection process, we will go back to the bounding process and other processes,” he said.
The circular migration scheme, introduced as part of bilateral cooperation between Banjul and Madrid, is designed to create legal pathways for Gambians to work abroad while addressing irregular migration. Officials fear that breaches of the agreement, such as workers overstaying or disappearing, could strain relations with Spain and the E.U. and reduce future opportunities for Gambians seeking overseas employment.
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