By Kebba AF Touray
The Gambia’s Trade Minister, Baboucarr Joof, informed parliamentarians on Wednesday that 30 Gambian migrant workers are set to depart for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the country’s circular migration agreements.
Joof’s remarks came in response to a query from Hon. Madi Ceesay, the Member of Parliament for Serrekunda West, regarding the status of Gambian migrants recruited to work in Spain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the parliamentary question and answer session.
The Minister clarified that, at present, recruitment efforts have been focused on Saudi Arabia and Spain, while the UAE agreement is still in the process of being finalized.
“Currently, 30 domestic workers have been recruited and issued visas under the Saudi Arabian agreement,” Joof said. “Of these, 22 are already in Saudi Arabia to begin their employment contracts. A second batch of eight workers, who have received their visas and air tickets, are awaiting government clearance before traveling.”
Joof also provided details of the recruitment process for Spain. He explained that the recruitment campaign was launched from February 3 to 14, 2025, and that the pre-selection of candidates for interviews is now underway to ensure the selection of the most qualified applicants.
When asked by Hon. Ceesay about the delay in government clearance for the second batch of workers, Joof explained that the clearance had been intentionally delayed to allow the workers to travel together in a group.
“We want to ensure that these workers, some of whom are traveling for the first time, are properly received by the embassy and integrated into their new environment,” he explained. “That’s why the eight workers are scheduled to travel together next week.”
Hon. Ceesay also raised concerns about the slow progress with the UAE agreement. Joof responded that while the Gambian government has made several efforts to initiate recruitment, including sending multiple reminders to the Gambian Embassy in the UAE, no concrete response has yet been received.
“We have provided all necessary documentation, but we are still waiting for a substantial reaction from the UAE,” he said.
Hon. Abdoulie Njai, the Member for Banjul Central, then inquired about the legal protections for Gambian workers under the newly ratified Gambia-Spain Circular Migration Agreement, specifically in relation to wages, working conditions, and the prevention of exploitation by recruitment agencies.
Joof explained that while Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are not legally binding, they represent formal commitments by the two governments to cooperate in good faith. He said that both Spain and The Gambia are members of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and have ratified numerous conventions aimed at protecting workers’ rights.
“These conventions include those addressing freedom of association, collective bargaining, forced labor, minimum wage, and discrimination in employment,” Joof stated. “Spain has also ratified additional conventions to ensure that workers are provided with safe working conditions and a minimum wage.”
Addressing concerns over the role of recruitment agencies, Joof clarified that the process is government-to-government, with no private intermediaries involved. “The Gambia government is recruiting for the government of Spain, not for individual employers,” he said. “Workers will sign binding employment contracts before departure, and in the event of a breach, legal action can be taken.”
