Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – Senegal and The Gambia have resumed technical activities aimed at demarcating and densifying their shared border, with authorities from both countries stepping up engagement with communities living along the frontier.
The latest phase of the process, which began on August 15, 2026, has included an awareness and information mission to several border communities to explain the exercise and encourage local cooperation.
The Permanent Secretariat overseeing the process on Tuesday visited Touba Trankil, Dar Salam, Dimbaya, Gambia, and Dimbaya, Senegal, as part of efforts to sensitize residents about the ongoing border work.
The mission was conducted alongside Colonel Gueye, representing the Senegalese Border Management Commission, and a delegation from the Senegalese Embassy in Banjul.
Communities Pledge Support
Residents in the communities visited reportedly welcomed the mission and expressed their readiness to cooperate with the technical teams as they carry out their mandate.
The Permanent Secretariat said the support of local communities would be critical to the success of the demarcation and densification exercise, particularly in areas where the border cuts across communities with long-standing social, cultural, and economic ties.
It thanked border communities on both sides for their cooperation and said it would continue working to promote greater understanding, harmony, and stronger relations between Senegal and The Gambia.
The exercise comes against the backdrop of renewed attention to the management and definition of the two countries’ shared border.
Border Tensions Underscore Importance
The resumption of the technical process also comes weeks after a border-related incident at Bulock Military Camp in The Gambia’s West Coast Region heightened concerns over territorial boundaries between the two neighbors.
On July 16, Gambian authorities said Senegalese soldiers entered the area around Bulock Military Camp and demolished part of a perimeter fence, reportedly on the grounds that the area fell within Senegalese territory.
The Gambian government described the action as “profoundly provocative and totally unacceptable” and said diplomatic engagement with Senegal was underway.
Against this background, the renewed demarcation exercise could provide an important technical framework for addressing questions surrounding the precise location of the international boundary and reducing the risk of similar disputes.
A Technical Process With Wider Implications
Border demarcation involves physically establishing and documenting the agreed boundary, while densification involves reinforcing that boundary through additional markers and related technical work.
The exercise has implications beyond maps and boundary pillars for communities along the frontier. The Senegal-Gambia border cuts through areas where residents routinely cross for farming, trade, family visits, and other social activities.
The Permanent Secretariat’s emphasis on awareness and community participation therefore reflects the importance of ensuring that technical decisions are understood and supported by people living along the border.
The latest mission signals an effort by the two countries to approach border management through technical cooperation and dialogue, even as both sides remain sensitive to issues concerning territorial sovereignty.
The Permanent Secretariat said it remains committed to strengthening mutual understanding and relations between Senegal and The Gambia as the demarcation and densification activities continue.
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