About 200 Small-Scale Cross-Border Traders had been awarded certificates after successfully participating in a 6week intensive training on Trade Facilitation West Africa (TFWA) Program.
The certificate presentation was held during the official closing ceremony of the Training Program alongside an Experience Exchange Workshops on 20th and 21st November, 2024 in Soma, Lower River Region (LRR) and Basse in Upper River Region (URR) respectively.
The occasion brought together delegates from the World Bank, Doorways gGmbH and officials from the Gambia Immigration Department, Customs, Regional Governors as well as Representatives of regional youth offices.
The workshops facilitated meaningful exchanges between traders and border authorities, addressing systemic barriers like documentation challenges, taxation, and abuse. These discussions highlighted the successes of the training program while fostering mutual understanding and collaboration to enhance trade facilitation.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the World Bank Group Trade and Gender Specialist, Jessica Marguerite Antista, Trade and Gender Specialist, underscored the significance of the Trade Facilitation West Africa (TFWA) Program and its impact on small-scale cross-border traders in The Gambia.
She pointed out the power of trade as a driver of employment, growth, development, and poverty reduction, while lamenting the challenges faced by Gambian traders, particularly their limited knowledge of trade rules and regulations, which hinder their potential to contribute fully to their families and the national economy.
She then introduced the TFWA Program, a collaborative effort created by the European Union, USAID, the Netherlands, and the German Development Cooperation Agency. The program, according to her, aims to improve the region’s free and efficient movement of goods by reducing trade costs and strengthening regional trading networks. Being implemented by the World Bank Group and GIZ, the program operates under the strategic oversight of a Steering Committee chaired by the ECOWAS Commission.
Commenting, Ms. Antista applauded the participants for their dedication and perseverance throughout the training.
She further called on them to apply their newly acquired knowledge, respect their obligations, and stand up for their rights, while encouraging collaboration between traders and border authorities to create a safe and efficient trade environment.
Finally, she expressed optimism about the program’s potential to help overcome business challenges and drive broader positive impacts on families, communities, and the nation as a whole.
Ms. Antista finally said the capacity built here will help the traders to overcome challenges to their businesses, to benefit their families, their communities and as a result, the nation of the Gambia.
Also speaking at the closing ceremonies in Soma and Basse, Mrs. Ida LB Ceesay, Logistics Expert for the TFWA Program in The Gambia and Business Development Officer of GYIN Gambia Chapter extended gratitude to Customs and The Gambia Immigration Department for their participations on the TFWA Program.
Mrs. Ceesay extended special recognition to Jessica, the World Bank Group representative, for witnessing both the experience exchange workshops and the closing ceremonies. She noted that her presence showed the World Bank Group’s commitment as an implementing partner to the TFWA Program in The Gambia.
Furthermore, Mrs. Ceesay commended Benjamin from Doorways for his attendance at the experience exchange workshop and the official closing. She highlighted Doorways’ significant contribution as an implementing partner throughout the program.
Mamadou Edrisa Njie, Team Leader of the TFWA Program in The Gambia and Executive Director of GYIN Gambia Chapter acknowledged the collective efforts of all partners involved in the program’s implementation. He gave special recognition to the trainers- Mr. Ousman Ndow, Omar Jabang and Ndey Awa Ceesay for their outstanding work. Finally, he congratulated all the small-scale cross-border traders who successfully completed the intensive 6-week training sessions.
The workshop is part of a 5-month project funded by Trade Facilitation West Africa (TFWA) and implemented by GYIN Gambia Chapter in partnership with Doorways gGmbH. TFWA, a collaborative effort funded by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Netherlands, the European Union, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), is implemented by the World Bank Group and GIZ. The program operates under the strategic oversight of a Steering Committee chaired by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with the Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine (UEMOA) as Deputy Chair.
