By Lamin Kujabi
His Excellency President Adama Barrow on Saturday, April 20th 2024 received his counterpart from the sister Republic of Senegal, His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, who was visiting The Gambia for the first time since his assumption of power early this month.
The Senegalese president and his delegation had an eventful day’s trip in The Gambia following a tête-à-tête with President Barrow upon his arrival, and signing of a communiqué.
Speaking to the press shortly after President Faye’s day-long engagement and return to Dakar, President Barrow described the visit by the Senegalese leader as a very significant one. “The visit is historic; is a family visit and a traditional one,” he remarked. He explained that it is a tradition that whenever a new president assumes office either in The Gambia or Senegal, the first place of visit by either president is the neighboring country, between the two.
He reminded that his first point of call internationally after his first installation as president was Senegal. However, he clarified that the reason President Faye visited Mauritania first in this instance is because the Mauritanian President is the chair of the Africa Union; thus his visit there was symbolic of a visit to the whole of Africa.
President Barrow revealed that the Senegalese leader has accepted the invitation to attend the Organisation of Islamic Corporation (OIC) summit to be held in May 4th and 5th 2024 in Banjul.
He said they had discussed lot of bilateral issues; such as trade, security, strengthening of the historical Senegalo-Gambian Secretariat, as well as Senegal’s support to the OIC Summit.
“The Gambia and Senegal are geographically, traditionally, and culturally linked. You cannot find any two countries like The Gambia and Senegal anywhere in the world. We are very special. It is also important for us to strengthen that relationship,” President Barrow remarked.
Communiqué
Presided over by Presidents Barrow and Faye, the joint communiqué was signed at State House by the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, and witnessed by members of Senegalo-Gambian Secretariat and senior government officials of both countries.
The Gambian leader expressed appreciation and gratitude to Bassiru Diomaye Faye for the visit and assured him of his Government’s will and commitment to continue to work with him with respect, and in peace.
His Excellency Faye thanked his Gambian counterpart for the reception he accorded to him and his delegation from Senegal. He praised the people of Senegal and The Gambia for the cordial ties and advised that the unity continues.
