Gambia: FJC Speaks On Bilateral Ties As She Submits Credentials to SA President

Dr. Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay, the current ambassador covering nine South African Development Community (SADC) countries, spoke to this medium in an interview after submitting her credentials to the President of South Africa on Tuesday, Cyril Ramaphosay.

Speaking on the bilateral ties between the Gambia and South Africa, Ambassador Ceesay said that there have been ongoing relations between the Gambia and South Africa, which she will continue.

She added that one of the bilateral relations she currently negotiates is the reciprocity of government development programmes while saying that other countries have it except the Gambia. She further highlighted that the South African Department of International Cooperation asked her to further discuss it with the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior of the Gambia in order to further continue the process.

“The government of South Africa through their Foreign Ministry is ready to execute that aspect of the bilateral relations between the two countries. There are also Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) on agriculture, education and the judiciary which we will continue to work on as well as look for potential investors from South Africa to invest in our country’s agriculture.”

FJC vowed that she would make sure that she leaves a legacy that will indicate that her tenure has done something in the country’s agricultural sector, especially on mechanization.

Botswana, she stated, has a very good policy programme on youth initiatives and that she will engage the youth minister of Botswana in order to have a replica of a similar youth initiative programme in The Gambia.

“We will also look into whether there is any Gambian who is in the SADC countries and has a problem,” she said, adding that her embassy will look forward to having data on Gambians staying in the SADC countries.

“We will create a website where we will have all Gambian experts that are working in the SADC countries to have a common ground to see their inputs and development in contributing to the Gambia.”