Gambian President, Yahyah Jammeh
The Gambian authorities have issued a notice to all Banjul-bound airlines not to pick up passengers from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.
A letter announcing the decision is signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, A.O Camara and dated 10 April 2014. Addressed to the country's civil aviation and airport authorities, among others, it reads: "I am directed to write and inform you that with immediate effect and until further notice, airlines serving Banjul and the sub-region are not to pick up passengers in Freetown, Monrovia and Conakry respectively, as inbound passengers to Banjul".
No reasons are stated in the letter but Gambian airline authorities and senior government officials told Politico that the indefinite ban is in response to the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus which has killed over 100 in Guinea and Liberia with a threat hanging over Sierra Leone because of its proximity and cultural ties with especially Guinea which is the epicentre of the viral infection.
The ban left dozens of passengers stranded at the Freetown International Airport as Gambia Bird airline left for Banjul without passengers who have now been told by the airline to report to their Freetown office on Monday for further information.
Sierra Leone's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Samoura Kamara says "Gambia has the right to protect its territory and its people which is what it has done". He cited the fact that Senegal has also closed its border with Guinea.
Speaking to Politico Dr Kamara however said that in such situations of "a natural thing the best thing to do is to work with your regional colleague governments to fight it and not to isolate them".
(C) Politico Online 12/04/14
