By Lamin B. Darboe
The Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia Badara A Joof has stated that Gambia Government is on the verge of economic and digital transitioning to respond to techno-development partnerships and networking globally, for economic development.
This was contained in a speech delivered by the new Minister of Trade Industry Regional Integration and Employment (MoTIE), Hon. Babucarr O. Joof, on behalf of the Vice President, Hon. Badara Joof, during the recent official opening of the maiden edition of the Gambia-Nigeria Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME)exhibition held at Brusubi Turntable. The theme for the event was, “Ahead of AfCFTA: Strengthening West African MSMEs Capacity to Boost Intra-Regional Trade”. The nine-day event was organised by the Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA), in partnership with the Nigerian High Commission in Banjul.
It is funded by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
According to Minister Joof, the event will test the international market for their products and services as well as reinforce the economic relations between business operators and counterpart agencies in both countries for effective and profitable participation in the Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as well as global trade markets.
Hon. Joof therefore explained that the collateral benefit of the event will include the local entrepreneurs and businesses in The Gambia having the opportunity to exchange business norms and values with their Nigerian counterparts which will ultimately strengthen the bilateral relationship that so happily existed between the two countries for long.
“Since the change to democratic Government in 2017, Government has not only focused on re-directing and re-structuring the country’s human and material resource bases, but we have also directed our efforts towards boosting Inter-African trade and promoting values inherent to our believes, product and services,” Hon. Joof explained.
Trade Minister Joof said The Gambia needs effective networking, facilitation and coordination mechanisms to harness its individual competencies to initiate the positive change, and that there is need to evolve from food and energy dependency.
