The governments of the Gambia and Switzerland have signed two cooperation agreements on civil aviation and migration.

The agreements were signed on Tuesday during the official visit to Bern by a delegation from the Republic of The Gambia, headed by Vice President Isatou Touray.

The agreement on migration allows Switzerland and The Gambia to strengthen their respective efforts in fighting illegal migration.

Many Gambian citizens are leaving their country for other countries in the region, Europe or the United States.

According to figures from the UN, Gambian nationals account for a significant proportion of migrants crossing the Mediterranean each year to reach the Italian or Spanish coasts.