By: Ya Awa Touray
In April 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mamadou Tangara received in the audience the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) based in Dakar to inform him of the service ICRC wants to extend to The Gambia with the permission of the Government. The service included tracing of missing family members, referencing a shipwreck near Italy called the Catania case where close to one thousand migrants perished.
The delegation, who are back in the country to meet with stakeholders and update them on the progress made since their last visit, on Wednesday 16, November paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Tangara in his office in Banjul. The team briefed the Minister about the ongoing process of taking blood samples (DNA) from family members of the victims that embarked on the irregular journey to Europe and never heard from them. The team also disclosed the TRRC recommendation they offered The Gambia Government to help find missing persons. The Minister welcomed the team and applauded them for the outstanding work they have been doing, and assured them of his fullest support.
Ms. Valentina Bernasconi, head of ICRC Regional Delegation, thanked FM Tangara for the support given to them from the onset and also commended the Director of Diaspora and Migration for the excellent cooperation. She further mentioned that The Gambia’s interest in the file of missing migrants shows how important this is to the country.
Ms. Bernasconi said collecting DNA samples from families would give answers. “Their families have the right to know whether the outcome is positive or negative,” posited the head of the delegation.
