By Lamin Kujabi
His Excellency President Adama Barrow last week received in audience at State House a delegation of an Indian company, Artelia Consulting Engineers. The trade minister Babucarr O Joof accompanied the delegation to the Presidency.
After their audience with the President, Minister Joof told the press that they were at the President’s Office to present to him the first report on the study of the Trans-Gambia Corridor for the development of trade infrastructure
He said since its inception his ministry has commissioned Artelia Mahindra Combination Company for the trans-Gambia Corridor facility as the first potential real Gambian economic zone.
The project, he added, is in line with the economic transformation agenda of President Barrow.
“The President went through what the Indian company gave us and endorsed the idea, as the way forward towards industrialisation”.
Minister Joof informed that they will be meeting with all the stakeholders to share the same experience that they shared with the President.
He explained that they have done a comprehensive study within the country and the first 25 km of the zone around Jarra Soma and 50 km in the economic zone of the corridor are the first targets of this project. The 50 km will stretch from Jangjanbureh, Pakaliba, going beyond Kiang to Bwiam in Foni, as part of the economic zone.
With the economic zone in place, he said industries from all over the world can relocate to the corridor to export as well as sell locally.
The Minister said the concept can be found all over the world now. He pointed out that one cannot go to potential investors and dialogue with them about things that are imaginary; hence with the study anyone who wants to invest will, for instance, know the type of soil, water, and air quality to guide them.
The Trade minister informed that the report will be shared with stakeholders and that the next stage will be resource mobilisation.
