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Establish a state of law and freedoms, establish a democracy for the Gambian people, fight terrorism in close collaboration with the African region, subregions and the international community, call our partners to support Development in the fields of agriculture, ecotourism, energy, health, but also education, training, governance, security, water sanitation, outline of the political action and will to be implemented, expressed by the new President of the Republic of the Gambia, His Excellency Adama Barrow, on the occasion of his visit to the ACP Secretariat in Brussels.
After being democratically elected by the people, Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of The Gambia, made his first visit to Europe from 14 to 16 March 2017. He began his visit to France ( On 14 and 15 March), where he met the French authorities, including Francois Hollande, President of the Republic, as well as the French employers, to report on the socio-political and economic situation of his country, but more to plea on the revival of the economy of his country. The meeting of 16 March with the senior leaders of the European institutions: Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini, Vice-President of the European Commission and Donald Tusk, President of the Council of Europe, Officially the partnership between The Gambia and the European Union. The EU, which suspended its € 22 million budget support in 2010 due to the disastrous human rights situation and bad governance in The Gambia, will surely put a lot of support back on the table More important. Announced in early January, EU budget support of 75 million euros will finance measures for vulnerable populations, road rehabilitation and democratic reforms in The Gambia. This financial aid will enable the Gambia to absorb the endemic social situation of a large part of the vulnerable population. The Gambia has about 2 million inhabitants.
The visit of Adam Barrow continued at the ACP Secretariat in Brussels at 3 pm precise, where he was first received one by one by ACP Secretary General Dr. Patrick Ingatius Gomes. After this exchange with the Secretary-General of the ACP Group, he was warmly welcomed by the ACP Secretariat and the diplomatic corps of the African Caribbean and Pacific Group (ACP Group), mobilized for the occasion.
Honors to the new President of the Republic of The Gambia, who traveled for the first time, the ACP House: the performance of the ACP group anthem, welcoming remarks by the Ambassador of Ethiopia HE Mr. Tsehome Toga Chanaka and Chairman of the Special Session of the Committee of Ambassadors.
Dr. Patrick Ignatius Gomes will then present, the route of the current tenant of the presidential palace (State house) located in the capital Banjul. A notable historical fact of this West African country, the election of Adama Barrow, is a victory for democracy in spite of the months of political impasse that the new president had to face, before moving to State house. Indeed, it was the first effective political transition after the putsch and the seizure of power in 1994 by outgoing President Yahya Jammeh.
The first words addressed to the ACP Secretariat during the intervention of the President of Gambia, Adama Barrow, were the will and the hope of the Gambian people to establish a democracy and to fight for it to be effective, with the help Neighboring countries and the international community. The President underlined the main lines of his political action, including the establishment of a State of law and freedoms, the fight against terrorism, a major challenge which must concern all States in the region, the subregions and the international community. He called on partners and cooperation to support his country’s development in the fields of agriculture, ecotourism, energy, health, as well as education, training, governance , Security, water purification and many other sectors. It must be remembered that at the time of Adama Barrow’s installation in the presidential chair, the economy of the Gambia is totally asphyxiated and the social situation is deleterious.
President Adama Barrow also appealed to the ACP Secretariat to accompany the future-oriented « New Gambia » with its major development and poverty reduction challenges by targeting three main sectors: the agri-food industry, Transport and tourism. The Chairperson also mentioned the importance of taking into account, in cooperation with partners, the inherent needs of the Gambian woman, for its economic empowerment, whatever the sector. « We can achieve these wishes only through a real cooperation. The New Gambia is back in business, in an environment of democracy and security and you are welcome, « concluded the President of the Gambia.
Before closing the visit of the President of the Gambia to the ACP Secretariat and as is the tradition, the Committee of ACP Ambassadors through the voice of H.E Daniel Evina ABE’E Ambassador of Cameroon in Brussels, addressed a vote of thanks to the host of the day and to all his delegation. He congratulated the President of Gambia on the leadership he had demonstrated since his election on 1st December 2016 and the political stalemate in the Gambia before his final presidential election. He also congratulated him on returning to the International Criminal Court and the Commonwealth, the two international institutions with which the outgoing President Yahya Jammeh had broken off.
At the end of this visit to the ACP Secretariat, President Adama Barrow greeted all ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of the group and signed the ACP Golden Book. A family photo completed his visit.
This tour of the President of the Gambia in Europe, will have marked the spirits in more ways than one. His visit to the top leaders of the three EU institutions, the ACP Secretariat, France and Belgium attests to the new head of state’s willingness to open up and normalize relations with the outside world, With development partners, to rebuild his country and give a hope of a better life to his people. This is proof that The New Gambia is back. Ghislain Zobiyo
