A group photo of participants at the training

In the wake of the regime change in The Gambia in January 2017, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General's Peace-Building Fund (PBF) has played a pivotal role in supporting catalytic peace-building initiatives. The PBF's investments have addressed critical areas such as environmental conservation. One notable initiative is the project "Supporting Cross-Border Cooperation for Increased Community Resilience and Social Cohesion in The Gambia and Senegal," lead by the Department of Forestry (DoF) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Addressing Instabilities at Border Communities

The project aims to tackle factors contributing to instability and conflict in borderland communities, particularly those related to inadequate border management, transnational organized crimes, and illegal resource extraction. Among these concerns is the illegal trade of timber, a critical issue that threatens the delicate balance between peace, security, and environmental sustainability.

Training Timber Dealers in Pakalinding Soma, LRR

In pursuit of these objectives, the DoF, recognizing the pressing need to address issues that contribute to instability and conflict including inadequate border management, trans-national organized crimes which may include irregular migration as well as smuggling of arms, timber, drugs and illegal resources extraction leading to environmental degradation in borderland communities undertook the task of training timber dealers and law enforcement officers in October 2023. The programme seeks to enhance participants' understanding of the forest legislative frameworks of The Gambia and Senegal, fostering a cooperative environment among border communities.

Importance of Integrated Border Administration

The success of integrated border administration lies amongst others in addressing the challenges faced by border authorities and communities. Border authorities may face challenges in regulating cross border trade in forest products, misunderstandings about roles and responsibilities, and limited communication between officials and local communities of neighbouring countries. By addressing the causes of these challenges and providing effective communication strategies, the programme bridges gaps, enhances collaboration and builds trust.

The UN Secretary-General's Peace-Building Fund, through collaborative efforts with FAO and DoF, is contributing to peace and stability in The Gambia. By addressing critical issues such as timber trade through targeted training initiatives, the project contributes to building resilience and fostering social cohesion in borderland communities. Going forward, it is crucial to sustain these efforts, replicate successful models, and continue supporting cross-border co-operation for the collective well-being of targeted borderland communities in The Gambia and Senegal.

Similar training sessions were carried out in ten project intervention communities. Additionally, the project offered other trainings covering tree planting, forest fire management, principles of good forest and environmental governance, the formulation of management plans for forest fire management, and the creation of community charters tailored to benefit these recipient communities. The trainings contribute to the realization of the  UN Sustainable Development Goals and promotion of a better environment and a better life. Notably, the strong collaboration between FAO, IOM, DoF and other stakeholders underscores the collective responsibility towards sustainable natural resources management, and promoting nature-based solutions for peace building.