Fostering Senegambia ties

The Gambia and Senegal are no doubt one for obvious reasons. We share the same religions, tribes and culture since time in memorial. Geopolitics should not be allowed to distance us from one another.

We intermarry and share almost every thing in common though not in the case of governance.

We welcome the recent visit of Mr Mankeur Ndiaye, Senegalese Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was in Banjul on Wednesday as a special envoy of President Macky Sall. We do hope that his visit would further strengthen the ties between the two countries.

Our two governments must work harder to further consolidate the Banjul-Dakar ties for the wellbeing of the people of the two countries.

Boosting trade among the Gambia and Senegal is essential for the growth of the economies of our two countries.

We hope that the forthcoming joint commission meeting between Banjul and Dakar in June in Banjul would among other things look at the cooperation between the two states particularly issues relating to peace in Cassamance, trade, free movement of our people within the two states, etc would be given prominence in the deliberations.

Senegalese nationals should always feel at home just like Gambians in Senegal should. The much talked about regional integration in Africa and the sub-region should start with closer neighbours like The Gambia and Senegal.

The countries are very close and these ties must be strengthened at all cost and the onus now lies with the leadership of the two countries to jealously guide this ties.