Delegates to the ‘Big Noise Campaign’ against the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) for the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, recently paid a courtesy call on Gambian authorities to marshal support for the rejection of EPAs.

About 25 international youth delegates from Senegal, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, United States, Germany, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Ghana, Mauritania, among others, arrived in Banjul on anti-EPAs’ trail.

Mamadou Diop Decroix, former Senegalese Trade Minister, and Mariano Isiosa, Trade Policy Adviser of Action Aid International, were also in attendance.

The Action Aid The Gambia-backed campaign was organised by the African Youth Coalition Against Hunger (Aycah) to increase awareness on the limitations, imbalances, and ambiguities contained in the infamous agreements.

The delegates, alongside their Gambian counterparts, paid a courtesy call on Kanja Sanneh, Secretary of State for Agriculture, Sheikh Omar Faye, Secretary of State for Youth Sports and Religious Affairs, Hon Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay, Speaker of the National Assembly, and the Charge d’Affaires of the EU Office in The Gambia.

Lobby

During a meeting with the EU’s Charge d’Affaires, the delegates’ deliberated on the harm the EPAs would bring about for ACP countries, its inequalities, and the bad effects it could have on local industries and farmers of the ACP countries. At the meeting, the delegates warned that the EPAs, if implemented will undermine the global strides to the attainment of MDGs’ goal of reducing extreme poverty and hunger, as well as loss of revenue for the governments, since the EPAs call for the cancellation of tariffs. The delegates condemned neocolonialism, arguing that Africa’s integration is sacrosanct to the development of the continent. It was therefore, pointed out that December 2007, scheduled for the signing of the agreements, is unattainable. During a meeting with the Secretary of State for Agriculture, similar sentiments were expressed and the delegates urged African governments to form a united force in order to reject the EPAs. The delegates extended invitation to President Yahya Jammeh, through SoS Kanja Sanneh, for the Gambian leader to address a youth gathering in Ghana, during the AU Summit in July.

In his reaction, SoS Sanneh told the delegates that Africa is “tired” of leaning its progress on foreign dependence. Mr Sanneh affirmed The Gambia Government’s commitment for Gambians to feed themselves.

He affirmed that the government will not append its signature on EPAs current form. He assured the delegates that efforts would be made through diplomatic channels for African governments not to sign the agreements.

SoS Sanneh then urged the African youth leaders to take charge of the future and rewrite African history. He assured his department’s support to Gambian youths, especially in the area of agriculture.

At a meeting held at the National Assembly, the delegates highlighted the role of the National Assembly as crucial in the ongoing efforts. Speaker Jahumpa-Ceesay embraced the concerns of the youth leaders and affirmed government’s commitment towards eradicating hunger.

Similar commitments emerged during a meeting at the Department of State for Youth, Sports and Religious Affairs.

At a debriefing session held at the Baoba Holiday and Resort, Alagie Kebbeh, President of Aycah International, stressed that the campaign must be sustained in order to protect farmers, African economies, and the future against the envisaged disaster the EPAs bear. Mr. Kebbeh, who is also the Chairperson of the National Youth Council of The Gambia, renewed Aycah’s commitment to see to it that Africa is salvaged from the clutches of poverty and hunger.

Buba Khan, Food Right Campaign Coordinator of Action Aid The Gambia, said the current efforts against the EPAs signal that the agreement is unfavorable to Africa and its economic advancement.

Recommendations

The session, which was characterized by a string of presentations, saw delegates passing recommendation for the outcome of the Banjul campaign, be shared in other African countries; and highly involved key ministries and international organisations to always engage the media in order to reach out to the masses.