Germany notify Gambia on Deportation: The German government through its Embassy in Senegal has notified Gambia the ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambian Abroad about a non- scheduled charter, it is planned to repatriate up to 25 Gambian nationals from different EU-Member States to The Gambia.
When is the deportation going to take place?
In a letter from Germany Embassy in Dakar said: “The Embassy of the federal Republic of Germany wishes to inform the esteem Delegation about the German authorities intention to operate a non-scheduled flight on 08 June 2022 to arrive at Banjul International Airport on 09 June 2022 (a detailed flight scheduled is annexed to this Note Verbale). With the non- scheduled charter, it is planned to repatriate up to 25 Gambian nationals from different EU-Member States to The Gambia.”
The letter added “ In application of the regulation set out in the ‘Good Practices’ and its ‘Operational Conclusion’ of February 2020, required information about the persons to be repatriated will be in due course.”
“Following the formal request of the ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambian Abroad of the Republic of The Gambia submitted to the Delegation on 19 November 2020, the Embassy ask the delegation to announced the planned return operation to the Gambian authorities according to the stipulations set out in the ‘Operational Conclusions’. With this, the Embassy would be grateful if the delegation could request a diplomatic landing clearance for the non-scheduled flight that is going to be operated by the government of Germany and to inform this mission about the Gambian government’s consent to the return operation as well as clearance number.”
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Musa Camara, director for Diaspora and Migration at the Gambia’s Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambian Abroad has said his office has not received any information about reports of the European Union’s plans to restart deporting Gambians.
Mr Camara said: “This is not to my attention.”
Yahya Sonko, member of Gambia Refugees Association Europe stressed that : “The government should start engaging their European partners regarding this deportation matter and they should start taking their responsibilities as a government. They cannot continue running away from their responsibilities – the government for years has been running from their responsibilities when it comes to issues of deportation and migration. They can do better, and we hope they will have better negotiations with the EU that would be a win-win for both.”
More than 2,000 Gambian migrants who have exhausted their asylum appeals in Germany are awaiting repatriation.
In 2017, the European Union and The Gambia government agreed on a ‘Good Practice’ Document to accept deportation of Gambians from Germany.
According to initial plans, the first batch of “failed Gambian asylum-seekers” was expected to arrive in Banjul in September last year. But an official from Gambia’s foreign ministry told local media that Gambia’s new position is not to accept requests for deportations. Gambia has cited security concerns and the inability to reintegrate as reasons for its decision.
The European Union has since decided to temporarily suspend the application of certain provisions in the visa code to nationals of The Gambia. It said the decision was taken due to the country’s lack of cooperation on readmission of third-country nationals illegally staying in the European Union.
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