By: Mariama Njie
The African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK) with Oakwood Green Africa and the Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GiEPA), started a two-day trade roadshow in the Gambia to develop the capacity of financial institutions, empower Gambian businesses and the African economy.
The ceremony which was held under the theme “Supporting the Africa trade agenda- Ensuring the last mile,” was attended by officials from Central of The Gambia and commercial banks in the Gambia on Wednesday February 2, 2022 at held at OIC Gambia.
Mr. Ousainou Senghore, Chief Executive Officer of Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) stated that the Africa export -import bank on the other hand is the tree finance bank for Africa.
“It has supported a wide range of clients that are direct operators in the trade ecosystem and was established in 1993 by African governments, African private and institutional investors.
The Africa export-import bank provides financing solutions, advisory services for the expansion, promotion and development of inter and extra African trade,” he pointed out.
He added that the theme of the Gambia Roadshow is in line with the advent of the Africa continental free trade agreement.
He further said The Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) is the country’s national agency established by an act of Parliament in 2015, responsible for the promotion and facilitation of investment, export and enterprise support development. It also acts as the private sector of the government.
Senghore emphasized that GIEPA aims to promote a conducive business environment, attract investment, develop exports and support businesses with the overriding objective of contributing towards value addition, employment creation and wealth generation.
“Oakwood green Africa aspires to be the factor architect of capital, investments and remittance flows into and across the Africa continent. It pursues inter-Africa trade while leaving an open line to everyone seeking to do business on the continent,” he said.
He urged all businesses to take advantage of the roadshow in order to understand AFREXIMBANK products and the trade finance facilitation that it has resources to help businesses successfully enter and expand into the African market.
For his part, Mr. Erik Moncho on behalf of AFREXIMBANK said the roadshow is in line with AFREXIMBANK mandate to promote and finance inter and extra African trade.
“For the Gambia economic transformative agenda to be achieved there needs to be a strong, viable and sustainable financial sector, which is the reason that the roadshow is important to financial institutions in the Gambia.
AFREXIMBANK mandate enables the bank to complement what financial institutions do in financing key sectors in the country to foster economic growth,” he explained.
“We have developed and implemented innovative instruments to support and expand financial institutions in various member countries of the bank. Which we now believe it is now time we expand our financial support in the Gambia,” he added.
He noted that it is their expectation that at the end of the roadshow the banking community will take advantage of AFREXIMBANK trade finance to contribute their own quota to the growth of the Gambian economy.
However, deputy governor of Central Bank Gambia, Seeku Jaabi also said that the roadshow fosters opportunities for the banking community.
