Sulayman Saho, the National Assembly member for Central Baddibu, has been appointed Roving Ambassador for the State of African Diaspora, SOAD, a non-profitable organization recognized by the African Union as the 6th region of Africa.
In 2003, at the end of the AU Summit, the Heads of State declared that the African Union has decided to recognize the African diaspora as an effective entity contributing to the economic and social development of the continent. The SOAD has a government, council of ministers and a parliament, representing the regions of the diaspora.
Mr Saho, a member of the Gambian contingent in the Pan African Parliament, was among the Gambian delegation led by NAM Alhagie Mbow of Upper Salloum who on the sidelines of the PAP session, attended a forum organised by SOAD in collaboration with Pen CT, another non-profitable body in the business of ICT, bringing renewable energy solutions, solar, water and wind power technologies.
The discussions with Gambain PAP MPs covered issues dealing with agriculture, climate change, education, reparation and restitution and the need for Africans in the diaspora to be represented in the continental parliament, women in politics as well as a borderless Africa.
On 4 September, 2024 the SOAD officials resident in the Gambia handed over official documents to the Gambia Government departments regarding the development partnership between SOAD and Pen CT, in South Africa.
The founder and CEO of Pen CT, Ambassador Penny Mkhize is working with the Veteran HE. Falai Baldeh – Ambassador at Large in the Gambia in facilitating the diplomatic and commercial engagements.
The project partnership between Pen CT and SOAD are to deliver on Gambian national procurement projects which include, but not limited to: Railways– Agriculture, Agroprocessing and Agribusiness– Tourism development– Fisheries Renewable energy Manufacturing, etc.
The SOAD delegation consisted of Salieu Puye, Minister of Traditional Medicine, Ambassador Luke McKenzie, MP Adrian Ryan and MP Farouq Malik.
