The European Union’s CompACT Gambia project gets underway

The Gambia has hosted the launch of the European Union projects CompACT Gambia and COP II, at which the main objectives and lines of action for both projects were presented.

Whilst the COP II project takes a more operational approach and focuses primarily on joint fieldwork by investigative teams, CompACT Gambia – implemented by FIAP with the expertise of the National Police – is geared more towards strengthening institutional capacities, contributing to the sustainability of results through training, improving tools and strengthening inter-institutional coordination.

The event also served as a forum for dialogue between the various stakeholders involved, fostering the exchange of experiences and the identification of synergies to improve the effectiveness of the response to the fight against the smuggling of migrants and human trafficking. Furthermore, it highlighted the importance of a comprehensive approach that combines prevention, investigation, law enforcement and victim protection.

The event brought together representatives from key Gambian institutions, including the Ministry of the Interior, the Gambian Immigration Department (GID), the Gambian Police Force (GPF), the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP) and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, as well as representatives from the European Union, the Spanish Embassy, and the Embassies of France and Germany. The event also saw the participation of various international organisations and stakeholders operating in the country, such as the Red Cross, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), amongst other organisations, thereby enriching the exchange of perspectives and strengthening coordination in the field of migration and victim protection.

This launch marks the formal start of the implementation of both projects in The Gambia, reaffirming the joint commitment of national institutions and European partners to strengthening security and migration management in the country, based on an approach that respects human rights.