Nigeria, Gambia agree to revive joint commission, deepen bilateral ties

Africa, Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Nigeria and The Gambia have agreed to strengthen their longstanding bilateral relations by reviving the Nigeria-Gambia Joint Commission and expanding cooperation in key areas of mutual interest.

The agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaye, and The Gambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Serign Modou Njie, on the sidelines of the ongoing ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to deepening diplomatic ties and enhancing collaboration in areas that would promote shared development and regional integration.

Speaking during the meeting, Ambassador Enikanolaye commended the cordial relationship between Nigeria and The Gambia, describing cooperation between the two countries at both bilateral and multilateral levels as strong and productive.

He said there remained significant opportunities further to strengthen collaboration for the mutual benefit of both nations.

The Gambian Foreign Minister congratulated Enikanolaye on his recent appointment and praised the enduring friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Njie also acknowledged Nigeria’s longstanding contribution to The Gambia’s development through the Technical Aid Corps (TAC) scheme, which was established in 1987.

According to him, the programme has played a significant role in building human capacity in The Gambia, with many beneficiaries now occupying senior positions across various sectors of the country’s economy.

Responding, Enikanolaye expressed satisfaction with the continued deployment of Nigerian Technical Aid Corps volunteers to The Gambia, reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to supporting the country’s development, capacity building and manpower needs.

He also assured the Gambian government that Nigeria would continue to sustain the Technical Aid Corps programme, which deploys highly qualified Nigerian professionals, at the request of African and Caribbean countries, to support human capital development.

The minister thanked his Gambian counterpart for the cordial relationship between both countries and reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Both ministers agreed on the need to revive the Nigeria-Gambia Joint Commission, describing it as an important mechanism for reviewing dormant agreements and identifying new areas of cooperation.

The meeting took place on the margins of the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit currently underway in Freetown, Sierra Leone.