The Gambia’s Secretary-General for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation of has supported the country’s competency to host the organization’s summit in 2019.
Lamin Sanneh made the comments after a closed-door meeting between President Adama Barrow and a technical team from the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah, which was led by a Special Adviser of the Secretary-General of OIC.
The team is currently in the country to assess the level of readiness and preparation on the ground ahead of the high-level meeting next year.
“The Secretariat’s function is to mobilize resources and to support the government to implement the priority projects; for that one, we are on course. We are mobilizing resources that are why this team is here. So, we are on track. As far as we are concerned, whatever is required from The Gambian part, we are doing’’, he assured.
He added: “If you are talking about the projects, very soon. We are at the prequalification stage for the roads, water, electricity, even the expansion of Bertil Harding [Highway].’’
The projects would not be rushed stressing that getting it right is most important, he said.
On the outcome of the assessment, he told the State House media corps that The Gambia was found to be sticking to the technical guidelines set out for it by the Jeddah Secretariat.
As a result of the satisfactory performance of the preparatory work being carried out on the ground, the visiting team, under the leadership of the Special Adviser of the OIC Secretary, has pledged to strengthen coordination and offer all the necessary logistical and operational support needed. The Heads of State and Government Summit of the OIC is one of the biggest gatherings of world leaders.