Cassa-Gambia Association in Kombo Central, Western Region, in collaboration with their Senegalese counterparts recently ended a three-day cross-border integration forum, held at Marakisa Village, Kombo Central.

The forum was geared towards promoting mutual integration between the three border regions of the Gambia, Senegal and Guinea Bissau, through trade and other legal activities.

During the three day's forum, the participants from both sides brainstormed on three areas of interventions: culture in service of the people, concerted management of natural resources and the free movement of people and their goods across the three border regions.

Declaring the forum opened, Sunkari Badjie, chairman of Brikama Area Council, called on the people to unite. He emphasised that without unity, no peace and development could be maintained. He outlined that The Gambia and Senegal are inter-related countries, noting that, if there was no peace in Senegal, Gambians should not think that they are safe because must Gambians have their relatives in Senegal.

Culture in service of the people

Mr Badjie implored the participants to be steadfast in reviving the virtually lost Senegambian culture. He noted that the young ones must emulate their elders in maintaining their cultures. He urged the elders to sensitise the young ones on the Senegambian norms and values.

Concerted management of natural resources

Addressing the participants on the management of African natural resources, Mr Badjie stressed that, strict measures must be taken to curb illegal tree cutting and the creation of bush fires, which he said, are caused through human activities. Mr Badjie then advised participants to change their attitudes towards the forest in order to keep the environment healthy.

Free movement of people and goods

According to chairman Badjie, there could be free movement of people and goods across the three border regions, but only when the people are united. "We cannot enjoy free movements  of goods and services if we are not united" he noted.

Chairman Badjie then thanked the Cassa-Gambia Association and their Senegalese counterparts, noting that, the forum would create an avenue to collaborate with other groups. He then appealed to the two governments and other agencies to come out and support the noble association.

Tabally Bojang, assistant coordinator of Cassa-Gambia association, gave an account of the efforts the two counterpart associations are doing. He outlined that over the years, the association had been engaged in road maintenance, digging gutters on the side of the roads to creat passage for waters, to allow vehicles to circulate without much disturbance among others.

"The association also engages in tree planting on the roadsides from Dululu in Cassamance to Dasilami in The Gambia. During those activities, over three thousand, five hundred different trees were planted.

Through this, we were able to have a mini-forest at Kujube in Cassamance where over 2000 seedlings were planted and about 1000 were planted at Dasilami Upper basic school in The Gambia" Bojang confirmed.

The forum was characterised by cultural dance and a presentation by Omar Sidibeh from Western Region Forestry Department, who deliberated on the topic environment.

Fabakary Kalleh of Youth Ambassadors and Momodou Gassama of Western Region Peace Mediation Center, both presented on the topics 'conflict resolution and mediation' respectively.