Senegal: Historian Hassoum Ceesay Says Gambia-Senegal Border Has Not Been Demarcated Since 1904-05

What the report says

Hassoum Ceesay, director general of The Gambia’s National Centre for Arts and Culture, said the Gambia-Senegal border has not undergone a formal demarcation exercise since 1904-05, when colonial authorities last marked the boundary. His comments, reported by Foroyaa and distributed by AllAfrica, came as the two countries continue a joint effort to locate and document old border pillars along their shared frontier.

Ceesay said the work is proving difficult because some pillars have been lost, removed or obscured over time, and because the current phase is taking place during the rainy season. He said the teams have so far covered about 30 kilometres of the more than 700-kilometre land border, with disagreements being handled through discussion. The article also says the exercise involves a joint commission from both countries and includes witnesses from Ghana and Burkina Faso, who were invited to share experience from past border disputes.

The renewed focus on demarcation followed a July 2026 confrontation at the Gambian military barracks in Bullock, Foni, after Senegalese troops allegedly bulldozed part of the facility. Ceesay argued that a clearer, earlier boundary process could have prevented such incidents. He also said The Gambia has retained colonial-era boundary records, while Senegal’s inherited documents are less complete, making archival material important for identifying old markers.

Beyond the technical border work, Ceesay said the process highlights the close family, cultural and historical ties between communities on both sides of the frontier. He suggested that a completed demarcation could support better cooperation, peace and future development in border areas.