Dear All,

This is for your information. After 22 years of dictatorship, The Gambia’s new Coalition government is engrossed in finding ways to better harness the potential of its diverse Diaspora and engage them in meaningful national development. The move is part of President Barrow’s policy initiatives aimed at developing a National Diaspora Engagement Strategy to extend protection to Gambians in the Diaspora, as well as integrate them into the country’s national development agenda. A National Diaspora Strategy aimed at providing a comprehensive framework to manage migration for Gambia’s sustainable development, is currently being crafted by the Gambia government. The strategy is being developed by a team of Gambian professionals, led by Professor Gibril Faal. This research project is part of the Migration and Sustainable Development in The Gambia (MSDG). This is a technical cooperation programme which is being conducted by GK Partners, a reputable consultancy firm based in the United Kingdom, which is co-founded by Gambian-born London School of Economics (LSE) Professor, Gibril Faal.

See the website, which is at an early development stage, for more information:

http://gambiandiaspora.net/about-us/the-team/

http://gambiandiaspora.net<http://gambiandiaspora.net/>

As you may know, it is estimated that a staggering US$200 Million is remitted annually by Gambians in the diaspora to families and communities back home. And apart from the remittances which form a huge part of the nation’s GDP, Gambians in the diaspora are also engaged in several development projects in their regional and home communities. However, it is rather unfortunate that even with an incalculable contribution to national development, a policy framework to engage the diaspora in more effective ways is clearly non-existent in The Gambia.

Therefore, Gambians, both home and aboard, will be engaged on behalf of the government to solicit their inputs as part of the process of developing a National Diaspora Policy. The project is supported by the Gambia government and financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). We will be conducting a global survey shortly; and all Gambians in the diaspora are encouraged to complete and share the link with their contacts and networks. The information obtained will be treated confidentially and only used in statistical form. The global online survey will assist the researchers responsible for this project in gathering unprecedented data and gain deeper understanding and insights into the Gambian diaspora’s thinking and views as key stakeholders in national development - post-Jammeh Gambia, which will then inform the development of the proposed policy.

Below is a list of the people working on the project:

Project Director and Lead Consultant - Professor Gibril Faal, OBE, JP
Research Supervisor - Dr Ebrima Ceesay
Project Researcher - Mr. Mbemba Jabbi
Media and Communications Specialist – Ms. Sainabou Jobe
Technical Director - Mr. Abdoul Salaam Secka
Technical Adviser – Dr Sainabou Taal
Deputy Permanent Secretary and Point Person, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) – Melville Roberts

Gambians in the diaspora are presently being identified to serve as “project champions” in their respective countries. These are Gambians who would be willing to use their influences to help the project succeed in their host countries. The project champions will become “ambassadors” of the project in their respective adopted countries and are to assist in the dissemination of information about the project, particularly when it comes to the online (global) survey to be conducted shortly.

The project champion is an informal role and totally non-partisan (apolitical) venture for that matter. Therefore, the proposed “champions” are going to be taking part in the project in their capacities as concerned/private/ordinary Gambians. Please drop me a private email if you are interested in becoming a project champion or an “ambassador”.

Regards,
Ebrima Ceesay


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