By Fatou Krubally
Lawmakers from across West Africa are meeting in Banjul this week to deliberate on pressing coastal and marine challenges threatening the region’s environment and livelihoods.
The National Assembly of The Gambia is hosting the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Alliance of Local Parliamentarians and Elected Representatives for the Protection of the Environment of West African Littoral Countries (APPEL), alongside a high-level regional workshop on coastal and marine conservation.
The meeting, organized by the Parliamentary Caucus on the Regional Partnership for Coastal and Marine Conservation (PRCM), brings together parliamentarians from nearly eight West African countries. It aims to revitalize APPEL and strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation within the framework of the WACA ResiP2 programme.
Opening the Assembly, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Seedy S.K. Njie, described the environmental situation facing coastal countries as critical. He said The Gambia continues to experience coastal erosion, with the Atlantic Ocean encroaching on beaches and infrastructure, while saltwater intrusion is destroying farmlands, particularly those cultivated by women rice farmers.
According to Hon. Njie, climate change has moved beyond a theoretical concern and now poses a direct threat to human welfare. He highlighted measures taken by The Gambia’s legislature, including the reinforcement of the ban on plastic bags, strengthened parliamentary oversight of environmental agencies, and an ongoing review of the National Environment Management Act to impose stiffer penalties for environmental violations such as illegal sand mining.
For his part, Hon. Saikou Bah, National Assembly Member for Basse and Chairperson of PRCM in The Gambia, said the meeting aligns with recent global environmental commitments, notably outcomes of the United Nations Ocean Conference held in Nice. He noted that the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty has garnered 50 ratifications and 134 signatories, underscoring the need for stronger national and regional action to safeguard oceans that are vital to food security and livelihoods.
Executive Director of PRCM, Ahmed Senhoury, said the Extraordinary General Assembly offers an opportunity to translate dialogue into concrete action. He warned that while West Africa’s coastline supports millions of people, it is under severe pressure from erosion, waste dumping and the overexploitation of marine resources, posing serious risks to marine biodiversity.
The Assembly is expected to strengthen the capacity of local and national actors to address coastal and marine threats, with the goal of enabling West African coastal communities to adapt and remain resilient in the face of growing environmental challenges.
The post West African Lawmakers Meet in Banjul to Address Coastal, Marine Threats appeared first on .
By Fatou Krubally Lawmakers from across West Africa are meeting in Banjul this week to deliberate on pressing coastal and…
The post West African Lawmakers Meet in Banjul to Address Coastal, Marine Threats appeared first on .
