By Samsideen Ceesay, Information Officer-MoTIE
The Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MoTIE) in collaboration with United Nations Industrial Development Organisation Friday, signed The Gambia Country Programme (2021-2025) at a ceremony held at Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre, Bijilo.
The Country Program is designed to enhance UNIDO’s support to the Government of The Gambia to implement a roadmap towards inclusive and sustainable industrial development as stated in the Lima Declaration. Through its mandate, UNIDO aims to harness the full potential of industry’s contribution to the achievement of sustainable development and lasting prosperity for The Gambia.
Speaking at the event, the Honorable Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, Seedy Keita said with the coming of the Country Programme, “we envisage smooth implementation of our trade strategies and industrial policies anchored on creation of enabling business environment for private sector led growth.”
He affirmed that: “My Ministry intends to empower the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with emphasis on making agricultural trade more dynamic contributor to GDP to ensure that the benefits of Agri-business is widespread.”
He pointed out that the recognition of inclusive trade through enhanced agribusiness and Agro-industry development in the Country Programme will no doubt enhance such growth. This will however require some form of investment and technological development in the sector.
Mr. Christophe Yvetot, UNIDO Representative to The Gambia noted that the Country Programme’s objective is to enhance The Gambia’s productive and trade capacities towards increased food security, income and employment generation, poverty reduction and economic transformation.
“UNIDO is pleased to report that to date, the Organization has implemented over 90 projects in the country, in collaboration with various partners including the private sector, and development partners in the areas of institutional capacity building, energy and environment, agricultural and agribusiness development, investment promotion and productive skills development,” Mr. Christophe stated.
Juldeh Ceesay, DPS-Projects at the Ministry of Finance, noted that The UNIDO Country Program 2021-2025 is nothing but a stratified guide which when followed will significantly changes the industrial dynamics of The Gambia by supporting private sector development for accelerated industrialization.
“The Country Program is indeed consistent with the NDP Strategic Priority Eight – Making the private sector the engine of growth, transformation, and job creation. This will help improve competitiveness of the business environment for increased domestic production and export performance, and help reverse the country’s long running trade deficit,” DPS Juldeh explained.