Senegal: the country speeds up the delimitation of its border with The Gambia following the Bullock incident.

Senegalese army elements had demolished the fence of a Gambian military post at that time. Banjul denounced the act as “provocative and unacceptable,” while Senegalese authorities cited encroachments that could affect the integrity of their territory. To prevent a further escalation, the two countries decided to revive their joint boundary marking and demarcation operations. These works are set to resume from mid-August, according to the roadmap adopted by both parties.

The demarcation must be accelerated and reinforced by the installation of physical markers in areas where the border remains insufficiently defined. Operations will particularly concern the southern part of the border, where activities will resume starting August 15.

According to Cherno Omar Barry, deputy executive secretary of the Senegalese-Gambian Permanent Secretariat, operations had started in June but were suspended. This interruption was due to a delay in the training of Gambian experts called to participate in the joint works.

The demarcation campaign will be accompanied by an awareness-raising operation among populations living in border areas. Gambian farmers are sometimes stopped by Senegalese soldiers when their crops extend into the buffer zone separating the two countries.

The new delimitation should also help determine whether the Gambian military camp in Bullock is located on Senegalese territory. The results of the works are expected to be known by September, the anticipated date for completing the densification of the border.

The two countries had agreed back in 2015 to proceed with this densification, which involves identifying areas without markers and installing new references there. The process is intended to reduce disputes related to the exact location of the border.

Preferred Dialogue After the Bullock Incident

The Gambian and Senegalese authorities have chosen to resolve the dispute through dialogue, relying on the long-standing consultation mechanisms established between the two countries. They also decided to suspend works that could affect the Bullock camp until the end of the densification operations.

“What happened in Bullock is unfortunate,” said Cherno Omar Barry, noting that the incident could have been avoided. He specified that the resumption of works should allow experts from both countries to jointly determine the exact location of the camp.

The agreement comes in a context where the border between The Gambia and Senegal is closely intertwined, with The Gambia being landlocked within Senegalese territory, except for its Atlantic coastline. The clarification of the path should particularly facilitate the movement and activities of communities located on both sides of the border.