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Friday, February 28, 2025
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Foreign Affairs ministry updates NA on plans to open new embassies

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By Arret Jatta

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The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Momodou Tangara yesterday, updated the National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee on the ministry’s plan to open new embassies in Berlin, Stockholm, and Tokyo.

Minister Tangara told the committee that the fact-finding missions for the proposed embassies in Berlin, Stockholm, and Tokyo have been “successfully conducted” and that reports from these missions have been compiled and approved and sent to the Office of the President for further directives.

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He said the fact-finding mission members comprise officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Office of the President, Ministry of Finance, and Accountant General’s Department.

He further explained: “We’ll send a chargé d’affaires with a finance attaché and one staff support staff, and then after maybe a period of one year, we’ll be able to appoint an ambassador, seek an agreement, and then it will become a fully-fledged embassy.”

Minister Tangara said they are committed to implementing these decisions this year and budgetary challenges thwarted the efforts last year.

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He also updated the committee on the Foreign Service Bill which he said will be tabled in parliament this year.

“The Foreign Service Bill has been shared with the Gambia’s diplomatic missions for review and feedback. Once inputs are incorporated, the bill will be submitted to the Ministry of Justice for legal review, followed by presentation to cabinet for consideration and approval. It is expected to be finalised before the end of 2025, at which stage a copy will be submitted for enactment by the National Assembly,” he said.

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