By: Malanding Darboe
The National Security Adviser of Senegal, Major General El Hadji Daouda Niang, arrived in The Gambia on Monday for a three-day visit.
Maj. Niang was the guest of his Gambian equivalent Abubakarr S. Jeng.
Major General Niang was at the head of a quartet from the Délégation générale au Renseignementnational (DNR), equivalent to the Gambia’s Office of the National Security (ONS).
The ONS said General Niang’s visit will, no doubt, help in concretizing the already good cordial relationship that exists between Senegal and The Gambia and their security services, a relationship which has been deepening since President Adama Barrow came to power in 2016.
“From that time till now, both The Gambia and Senegal have collaborated and partnered in many areas, especially in defence and security, with Senegal being one of the Gambia’s closest friends that has and still continues to assist in terms of training of personnel and provision of equipment,which are necessary for the modernization of the Gambia’s security services, especially in light of the ongoing Security Sector Reform (SSR) process,” the ONS acknowledged.
“Major General Niang’s visit is therefore seen as pivotal in further strengthening this special relationship and also pushing it forward to the next level. This is his first official visit to The Gambia since his appointment by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye in April last year,” it added.
During his visit, General Niang had a private meeting with his Gambian counterpart Abubakarr Suleiman Jeng, the National Security Adviser (NSA), on Monday. On Tuesday, Major General Niang met with the NSA and security chiefs in a bilateral at the ONS in Banjul before paying two courtesy calls to both the ministers of Defence and the Interior later in the afternoon. General Niang’s visit ended on Wednesday with a courtesy call to the Senegalese Chargé d’Affaires in Pipeline and His Excellency President Adama Barrow at State House in Banjul. His visit culminated in a trip to the Senegalo-Gambia Permanent Secretariat in Cape Point, Bakau.
