EU Presidency Statement on Senegal-Gambia border dispute

Statement by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on the Senegal-Gambia border dispute

With regard to the current border closure affecting Senegal and the Gambia, the European Union welcomes the ECOWAS decision to undertake mediation in the dispute.

The European Union believes that the dispute is in the interests of neither Senegal nor the Gambia, and that its continuation will have a negative economic impact regionally. A well-functioning and efficient transport route over the Gambia River would benefit the entire region economically, and would further be in line with ECOWAS principle of free movement of goods.

The European Union suggests therefore that a swift and amicable settlement is in the interests of all, and would strongly encourage both sides to show restraint and engage seriously in the ECOWAS mediation.

The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey and Croatia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this declaration.


* Croatia continues to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

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• 7th EU-ECOWAS Ministerial Troika Meeting  (19/5/2005)
• EU Presidency declaration on the 'Ezzan' amnesty law in Senegal (11/3/2005)
• EU Presidency declaration on the signing of a peace accord in Senegal (12/1/2005)