Five National Assembly members (NAMs) and delegates from the civil society, recently returned from the Kedougou in southern Senegal, where they particpated in a campaign against the EU’s infamous Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) for the Africa Carribean Pacific (ACP) countries.

The NAMs were Hon Borry Colley, NAM for Foni Jarrol, Hon Fafanding Daffeh, NAM for Kiang West, Hon Sheriff Abba Hydara, NAM for Foni Kansala, Hon Lamin Kebba Jammeh, NAM for Iliassa, and Hon Seedy Njie, a nominated member.

The campaign was organised by the African Youth Coalition Against Hunger (Aycah) Gambia Chapter, in collaboration with the Directorate of the Senegalese NGOs, attracting delegates from the neighbouring countries. The event was convened at a time, when civil organisation and rights groups around the world were joining forces to express their objection to the ongoing negotiation for the signing of the agreement with the EU, which put ACP countries, including Africa at a gross disadvantage.

The EU offices in Geneva saw a huge crowd protest against the EPAs. The Action Aids The Gambia-backed campaign attracted hundreds of women, members of the Senegalese civil society, youth, and farmers, who gathered and demonstrated their solidarity with the cause against the EPAs - expected to be signed in December 2007. Addressing the gathering, Hon Borry Colley stressed the importance of partnership between the legislature and the civil society, saying that it is always formidable when they work together for the interest of the people.

The Foni NAM warned against the EPAs, noting that the agreements were not tailored in the interest of Africa and Africans. He observed that it is premature to accommodate the EPAs, in the face of challenges of integration confronting the sub-region. According to him, the sub-region should be obsessed with finding ways to enforce the Ecowas protocol on the free movement of people and services, to eventually achieve integration.

He then questioned the relevance of the EPAs to Africa, maintaining that the EU should help strengthen the capacity of West African countries before clamouring for the signing of the agreement. He added that the business establishments in the sub-region do not have a firm footing and technological advancement to trade with their counterparts in the EU. He then said “this will enable countries in the sub-region to have a solid ground to be in par with the EU”.

Hon Colley warned that the sub-region will lose excess revenue, if it signs the agreement, noting that The Gambia will incur a loss in revenue amounting to US$40.7 million. He, therefore, strongly urged Ecowas negotiators not to sign the agreements, warning that countless business people will be kicked out of business, if the agreements are signed. Sanna Bah, National Coordinator of Aycah Gambia, who welcomed delegates to the event, described the EPAs as “cumbersome and overdosed with convolution”.

Mr Bah condemned the agreements as another product of neocolonialism, which seeks to exploit ACP countries and further deepen poverty in Africa. He warned that the EPAs will bring about untold sufferings, spreading across various sectors, if they are signed, noting that they do not reflect the interest of African countries. He commended the delegates for their determination and then urged the people to stay on course. The Aycah’s National Coordinator used the opportunity to implore the people to stick to simple languages in their crusade against the EPAs, emphasising that it is crucial to help everyone understand the limitation of the agreements.

Mr Bah commended Action Aid The Gambia and their Senegalese counterparts for their partnership and then renewed Aycah’s resolve to make sure that the EPAs do not stand in the common struggle of the sub-region towards integration and economic progress. Minyan Dioup, Director of the Senegalese NGOs, said the local farmers cannot compete with the contemporaries in EU who, according to him, are highly subsidised and technologically advance.

Mousier Dioup told the gathering that the agricultural and industrial sectors of the countries in the sub-region will be destroyed, if the EPAs are signed in their current form. Michel Anglande, Campaigns, Policy and Communication Regional Manager of Oxfam West Africa Regional Centre, said the basic social services, including health, education and agriculture in West Africa must be developed first in the spirit of partnership, before any EPAs. He said it is “fundamentally wrong” for the EU to call for an agreement when the gaps are largely obvious.

Mr Anglande said the pressure is ongoing against the EPAs, expressing hope that those efforts pay dividend. At the end of the ceremony, Hon Borry Colley led the crowd to the Administrative District Office in Kedougou, where he presented a declaration to Momodou Mboge, Head of the District Office, who promised to urgently transmit it to the relevant authorities.