IJCentral: International Justice Central

The newly appointed chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, has called on Gambians in the Diaspora to contribute meaningfully to the country’s development aspirations.

Mrs Bensouda made the remarks while delivering the keynote address on behalf of Gambians in the Diaspora at a two-day consultative meeting between the Government of the Gambia and Gambians in the Diaspora at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.

‘‘All over the world, from Latin America to closer home - Cape Verde, Ghana, and Senegal for instance – countries have making strenuous and concerted efforts to harness the potential of their Diasporas, and we are therefore appreciative that the Gambia can now be counted as one of those countries,’’ she said.

Taking into consideration the fact that a large percentage of Gambian graduates now live and study abroad, Ms Bensouda lifted a corner of the veil on the areas in which Gambians ‘could make a meaningful contribution towards national development.

According to her, Gambians working in international development organisations could provide meaningful input during the shaping of national and sectoral development policies and programs, and help pave the way towards access to the requisite resources – human and financial- for the successful implementation of development objectives.

“ Gambian professors and lecturers can play similar roles as they could also be more directly useful to our budding university by contributing to the development of curricula and study programs, facilitation of student and staff exchanges with universities of international repute, and through sabbaticals come to The Gambia to deliver lectures and share their experiences’‘.

Mrs Bensouda also said that Gambian surgeons, doctors and nurses practising abroad can be instrumental in boosting the country’s health services as they can organise themselves with government support to visit the Gambia and deliver medical and health services.

‘‘In fact, in many of these areas, Gambians are already making their own individual contributions, but perhaps the missing link is the full deployment of government resources for better planning, coordination and execution’‘.

While balancing responsibilities and setting priorities, she reminded the conference participants that the recent expansion of the mandate of the Ministry of Foreign to underscore the ‘Gambians Abroad’ has alerted Diaspora Gambians to the fact that there now exists a formal institution directly charged with the responsibility of their affairs.

In this regard, she expressed hope that there will be a greater space for Diaspora Gambians to be able to partake of and contribute to the country’s political developments and agenda.

She then outlined that special consideration must be given to Gambians abroad in relation to housing schemes, job opportunities coupled with special programs geared towards encouraging and facilitating the return and resettlement of any Diaspora Gambians who may wish to return home.

Source: http://www.jollofnews.com/20120104iccs-bensouda-calls-on-diaspora-gambians-to-contribute-to-national-development.html