By Lamin Cham
Mayor Bensouda has said his recent trip to the Dakar municipality of Parcelles was a political mission motivated to design a partnership and connection between the two municipalities at both political and cultural levels, all in the spirit of the existing good relations between the two countries.
The mayor was speaking to The Standard on whether his visit and subsequent meeting with Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko is not an indication of a rapprochement between him and the new Senegalese government which can discomfort the Gambia government, him being a member of the opposition.
Bensouda explained that the visit was inspired by the relationship he enjoys with Mayor Jamil Sane and a mutual desire for the two communities to forge a partnership. “It was during my leave and I paid the trip from my personal funds. I went with 3 NAMs, 4 councillors and support staff and we had fruitful discussions and exchange of ideas on various areas of partnership. The NAMs too had discussion with their counterparts and agreed on common matters because Gambia and Senegal share similar demography, languages, cultures and many other things,” he said.
He said they had an opportunity to meet Ousmane Sonko who is much revered for his Pan Africanism and connection with youths. “So, our visit though political in nature was also for the betterment of the Gambia and our two communities in particular,” he said.
