Press Release
Following friendly discussions between President Adama Barrow and Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye to amicably address issues affecting trade relations for the mutual benefit of their peoples, Gambia’s Trade Minister, Baboucarr Ousmaila Joof on Wednesday 8th May, 2024, led a successful delegation to Senegal.
Together with his Senegalese counterpart, Dr. Serigne Gueye Diop, Minister of Commerce and Industry, they discussed bilateral trade facilitations and reaffirmed their commitment to fostering a conducive environment for trade, transit and investment opportunities between the two neighbouring countries that enjoy a common socio-historical heritage.
The two also, agreed among other things, to strengthen collaboration in supporting industrial development for increased production and productivity, to encourage value addition and to create employment opportunities for the two countries’ youthful populations.
While visiting Diamniadio and Sandiara Industrial Zones in the suburbs of Dakar, in appreciation of the Senegalese industrial experience, Minister Joof outlined The Gambia’s own plans in setting up Special Economic and Industrial Zones with Agro-poles to encourage agro processing.
The two Ministers agreed to meet in July, 2024 in the Senegalese town of Sally. The July meeting will bring together experts and technicians from their respective ministries, Customs, Standard Bureaus, food safety institutions, Weight and Measures, investment promotion agencies and the Chambers of Commerce of the two countries. The meeting hopes to discuss and adopt tangible measures to facilitate cross-border trade, trade and transit barriers, promotion of investment and the development of joint industrial zones to facilitate economic development in the two countries.
In advancing tripartite trade among neighbours, Ministers Joof and Gueye Diop also, agreed to extend an invitation to Guinea Bissau to finalise the development of a Tripartite Trade and Transit Cooperation Agreement for the three countries during the proposed Sally meeting.
Minister Joof was accompanied by Trade Permanent Secretary, Mr Lamin Dampha, the Commissioner General of The Gambia Revenue Authority, Mr. Yankuba Darboe and several other senior Government officials.
Ebrima G. Sankareh
The Government Spokesperson & Presidential Diaspora Adviser
