State House, Banjul, 28th October 2022: His Excellency President Barrow held an audience with a team from the World Bank led by the Resident Representative for The Gambia Ms. Feyi Boroffice, on Friday, 28th October 2022. The team discussed areas of support for the Government focusing on Education and a new project that will support the country’s Human Capital development.
President Barrow said his Government’s policy is to prepare the youth for the job market through skills development at the central and decentralised levels. The President noted with concern that most skilled jobs in the informal sector are with non-Gambians. He was, however, optimistic as access to electricity in rural areas has enhanced opportunities for some youths and contributes to controlling irregular migration.
The Gambian leader thanked the World Bank for its continuous support and cooperation while indicating that priority goes to skills training and 65% of scholarships go to science and technology, emphasising, “Government jobs are limited, but the private sector can always expand and could create jobs, as it is the engine of growth.”
Ms Feyi Boroffice, reaffirmed the Bank’s support to The Gambia through the ongoing projects under its portfolio and would develop new projects to support the country’s development agenda. She said the new Human capital development project is to ensure that Gambian citizens have the productive skills needed to lay the foundation for future jobs.
