In a series of diplomatic engagements at the State House in Banjul, President Adama Barrow received credentials from three diplomats, namely Excellencies, British High Commissioner Catherine King, Mauritania Ambassador Hamoud Abdi and the Qatari Ambassador Muhammad Ali Salim Ali Al-Kawari.
Receiving the Credentials, President Barrow extended congratulations to the High Commissioner and Ambassadors and expressed his gratitude to their leaders, His Majesty King Charles the III of the United Kingdom, H.E Mohamed OuldCheikh El Ghazouani of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar.
The Gambia’s relation with the UK has been a long-standing one, and the bilateral ties focus on Defence, Higher Education, in particular, TVET and providing Chevening scholarships to Gambian Students. Other areas of mutual interest include promoting Human Rights and addressing the impact of Climate Change.
High Commissioner King pledged to strengthen UK support in health through the work of the Medical Research Council -MRC. The British diplomat also shared her passion for Women’s Economic Empowerment. The Gambia is a leading destination for British tourists, and it is estimated that about 70,000 British want to visit The Gambia, thus the promotion of Eco-Tourism.
The Gambian Leader expressed the country’s desire to partner with Britain in implementing the Security Sector Reforms, strengthening the country’s infrastructure, and building the capacity of the youth in skills training as a more permanent solution to combat irregular migration.
In the relationship with Mauritania, trade and partnership in clean energy were identified, along with strengthening cultural ties through the education sector. The Gambia and Mauritania have a shared history of ethno-linguistic characteristics and religious attributes that bound their peoples. The new Mauritanian Ambassador and Plenipotentiary, H.E. HamoudAbdi, assured Mauritania’s support to The Gambia as it prepares to host the OIC Summit 2024. He also promised to provide a quota of scholarships to Gambian students to attend Mauritanian Universities.
The Qatar – Gambia relationship is expected to be further reinforced during Ambassador Al-Kawari’s tenure through trade and investment. Also, the Qatari Ambassador said he committed to take the bilateral relations with The Gambia to a higher height and pledged his country’s readiness to support the upcoming OIC Summit in May next year.
President Barrow used the opportunity to congratulate the State of Qatar for a successful World Cup and said it proved that small countries can host significant global events.