Press release – Canada: “At the start of his ten-day visit to Canada, Gibbi Mballow, member of the National Assembly for Lower Fulladu West on Tuesday met with Greg Fergus, Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada.
“The two men exchanged ideas focusing on strengthening the already cordial relations between The Gambia and Canada, particularly in the areas of democracy, governance, climate change, and parliamentary cooperation.
“Mballow conveyed greetings from the government of The Gambia and Speaker Fabakary Tombong Jatta and congratulated Speaker Fergus on his historic election as the first black Speaker in the history of Canada’s House of Commons.
“He furnished the Canadian House of Commons Speaker with an update on the progress made by The Gambia’s National Assembly in strengthening democracy and good governance, advances in parliamentary practices, and also noted some of the challenges that remain.
“The Gambian NAM highlighted the need for capacity building for the non-elected parliamentary staff, in view of the crucial role such personnel play in the day-to-day operations of parliament.
“Receiving the Gambian NAM, Speaker Fergus expressed his deep gratitude to Mballow and the National Assembly of The Gambia for their commitment to advancing democracy and human rights in the country.
“He commended The Gambia for its ongoing efforts to reinforce democratic institutions and governance, noting that the work of The Gambia’s parliament is integral to the broader goals of democratic consolidation in Africa.
“Speaker Fergus also extended an offer of assistance, informing Mballow that the Canada Parliamentary Centre, an institution that supports parliamentary development and capacity building across various African nations, is open to collaborating with The Gambia. He emphasised that the centre is particularly focused on assisting in the capacity building of non-elected staff members, an area which Mballow had identified as a key priority.
“Both parties agreed that continuous dialogue and collaboration between their respective parliaments would be mutually beneficial, further cementing the enduring friendship between Canada and The Gambia. The meeting concluded on a positive note, with a shared commitment to advancing democratic values, good governance, and the strengthening of parliamentary systems.
“Mballow was accompanied to the meeting by Mr Ousman Conteh, the founder and CEO of BT Global Access, a Canada-based social enterprise and international education service company that promotes Canada-Africa cooperation, and long-term Gambian Canada resident Ahmad Gitteh.
“On Wednesday, Mr Mballow was scheduled to meet Anita Vandenbeld, member of parliament for Ottawa-West.”
