A sudden policy shift by Mauritanian authorities has rendered recent efforts by the Gambian government to issue national identity cards to its citizens in Mauritania futile, leaving hundreds of Gambian migrants vulnerable to arrest and deportation.
According to impeccable sources and members of the Gambian community in Mauritania, the requirement for obtaining residential permits has changed from accepting Gambian ID cards to mandating passports, catching many undocumented migrants off guard and sparking widespread concern.
The Gambian Immigration Department (GID) recently dispatched a mobile team to Mauritania to issue national identity cards to 531 Gambian residents as part of a bilateral initiative to regularize their immigration status. The move was hailed as a breakthrough following diplomatic engagements between The Gambia and Mauritania, aimed at addressing the plight of undocumented Gambians, many of whom faced challenges due to Mauritania’s increasingly stringent migration policies. However, shortly after the GID team returned, Mauritanian authorities reportedly reversed their stance, declaring that only passports would now be accepted for residency permit applications.
Dawda Nasso, Secretary General of the Gambian Community in Mauritania, confirmed the development in an exclusive interview with The African Times (TAT). “Shortly after the Gambian Immigration officials left, Mauritania took a U-turn. They now demand passports for residential permits, leaving our people in a precarious situation,” Nasso said. He expressed frustration over the abrupt change, noting that the initial agreement with Mauritanian authorities had explicitly recognized Gambian ID cards as valid for regularization.
The policy reversal has heightened tensions among Gambian migrants, many of whom lack passports and cannot afford to obtain them. According to Nasso, Mauritanian authorities have warned all immigrants without valid residency permits to leave the country voluntarily or face severe consequences, including indefinite detention. “The situation is very tense. Security forces have launched a massive crackdown, targeting immigrants, including Gambian children attending madrasas,” he revealed.
The roots of this crisis trace back to 2024, when Mauritania tightened its residency requirements amid pressure from the European Union to curb migration flows through its territory, a key transit point for migrants attempting the perilous Atlantic crossing to Europe. At the time, the Gambian Community in Mauritania approached the Gambian Embassy in Nouakchott to address the plight of over 300 undocumented Gambians, many of whom lacked both passports and ID cards. Nasso recounted the community’s initial plan to repatriate these individuals. Still, the Gambian Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated it could only facilitate their return without guaranteeing re-entry to Mauritania due to financial constraints.
Diplomatic efforts led by former Gambian Foreign Minister Momodou Tangara and the Mauritanian Prime Minister culminated in an agreement allowing Gambian Immigration officials to issue ID cards in Mauritania. The initiative was seen as a lifeline for undocumented migrants, including Arab-Islamic students and children born to Gambian parents in Mauritania. However, the recent policy shift has undermined these efforts, leaving many Gambians stranded.
Bakary Jarju, Social Secretary of the Gambian Community in Mauritania, painted a grim picture of the situation. “Mauritanian authorities are no longer accepting ID cards for residency permits. Even children as young as 9, 10, and 11 attending madrasas have been rounded up and detained,” Jarju told TAT. He revealed that his son was among dozens of Gambian children recently detained for lacking residency permits. “This is heartbreaking. These are innocent children studying, yet they’re being treated like criminals,” he said.
Jarju noted that the community, with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), facilitated the voluntary return of over 150 Gambians to The Gambia. However, he warned that if the situation persists, many more will face the risk of arrest and detention. “We’ve informed the Gambian Embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and even the Vice President, who recently visited Mauritania with other ministers. They tell us to be patient, but how can we be patient when our people can’t work or move freely for fear of arrest?” he questioned.
The policy change has raised suspicions among Gambian opposition groups, who view the initial ID card issuance as a potential ploy to manipulate voter rolls ahead of upcoming elections. The United Democratic Party (UDP) and other critics have questioned the legality and transparency of the GID’s operations in Mauritania, arguing that national ID cards are meant for citizens within The Gambia. In contrast, consular IDs or emergency passports should suffice for those abroad.
For now, the Gambian community in Mauritania remains in limbo, caught between diplomatic promises and a harsh new reality. As Mauritanian authorities intensify their crackdown on undocumented migrants, the future of hundreds of Gambians hangs in the balance, with many unable to afford passports or return home. “We feel abandoned,” Nasso said. “After all the efforts, we’re back to square one, and our people are suffering.”
The post Mauritania’s Policy Reversal Leaves Gambian Migrants Stranded as ID Cards No Longer Valid for Residency Permits appeared first on The Alkamba Times.
