Feature: Gambia encourages grassroots soccer as one way to halt irregular migration

BANJUL, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- A new soccer (football) tournament started last weekend in the Gambia's most populous West Coast region targeting 20 under-15 teams to pave an alternative way to irregular migration, which continues to claim the lives of many young Gambians.

The Gambia is witnessing a record surge in irregular migration. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad revealed last month that its collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency, led to the interception and return of at least 475 Gambians from Senegal, Niger and Libya between October and November alone.