By Special correspondent
A delegation of Gambia Revenue Authority led by Mr. Essa Jallow deputy Commissioner General and Head of Domestic Tax and some heads of the Institution’s departments currently in Guinea Bissau Monday, 7th December commenced a five-day summit with their Bissau Guinean custom officials.
In a welcome remarks delivered by Mr. Diop, the Adviser to the G-Bissau Customs Administration disclosed that the meeting was as a result of their DG’s recent visit to The Gambia. A meeting he said is expected to boost free movement of goods and people and by extension improve the two countries’ economies.
Mr. Diop made an appeal for such an engagement while the CG of GRA wasted no time to honor the request after a set up bilateral meeting of a team of technical experts from the two administrations.
In his turn, Essa Jallow, DCG&HoDT also doubling as Head of Delegation extends his CG’s warm felicitation and further expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to him and his delegation since arrival in the beautiful country of G-Bissau.
The engagement according to Mr. Jallow will spur trade facilitation activities and the free movement of goods and people across the borders.
He reminded the gathering that they owe it to the founding fathers for the socio-economic advancement of their countries through the “appreciation of their cultural and historical heritages such as the same languages, same culinary, dress styles, and physical outlooks that all go together and confirm that we are condemned by nature to be together.”
He also used the opportunity to challenge the experts to work hard and sincerely come up with a proper framework of engagement (MOU) for the mutual benefits of their respective countries and administrations.
He also emphasized that his delegation is more than willing to extend support and collaboration in the area of information sharing, intelligence among others which will go a long way in eliminating hardships that people/traders go through in across our region. Thus, he added, respecting the ECOWAS Protocol for the free movement of people and goods.
He harped that economic integration and cooperation is mutually beneficial for the two countries which also dictates that this cooperation should be taken to tripartite level involving Senegal, The Gambia and Guinea Bissau which will deepen legitimate trade.
He therefore appealed to the gathering to use the “platform to support our two heads of state in achieving their visions of poverty free countries.
For his part DG Customs Administration of G- Bissau equally recognised hard work of the members of the respective technical committees between GRA and Bissau Customs.
The DG used the opportunity to convey the President’s warm regards and the entire people of G-Bissau to the Gambian delegation.
He expressed his sincere appreciation to CG Darbo for the ongoing meeting. He went further to thank the team/delegation for coming over despite the COVID-19.
Hopefully, he said the engagement will give birth to a stronger cooperation and improved trade facilitation between the two countries. And also, he strongly believes that such an engagement has the potential to strengthen cooperation through information sharing and best practices between the two administrations.
The outcome from this meeting will no doubt be of high quality as the eminent experts present will certainly do justice to their assignment (MoU).