Your
Excellency and Dear Brother Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal;
Honourable
Ministers on both the Gambian and Senegalese sides here present;
Executive
Secretary of the Senegalo-Gambian Permanent Secretariat;
Senior
Officials and members of the delegations of The Gambia and Senegal to this
Presidential Council Meeting;
Ladies
and gentlemen,
As
we come to the close of the Second Edition of the Presidential Council Meeting
between the Republic of The Gambia and the Republic of Senegal, I express my
sincere thanks and appreciation to Your Excellency and your Government for the
cordial welcome accorded to me and my delegation and for generously hosting us
for this meeting. I also thank you for the excellent facilities put at our
disposal.
It
was a delight to co-chair the Second Edition of the Presidential Council
Meeting, as it gave us the opportunity to discuss salient matters bordering on
the bilateral cooperation between our two countries, besides the opportunity to
consult on international affairs of common concern relative to our sub-region
and the continent of Africa. The meeting facilitated a candid exchange of views
and adopting concrete positions on common objectives.
With
reference to our bilateral relations, regional integration and global issues, I am happy to express my
satisfaction with the fruitful discussions we had. They allowed us to review the cooperation
agreements between our two countries and our common desire to strengthen them.
I
welcome our resolve to heighten the bilateral relations between us and to
broaden multilateral collaboration through South-South Cooperation
arrangements.
I
strongly support the push to foster genuine economic growth on the African
continent for greater human development.
Your
Excellency;
Honourable
Ministers;
Ladies
and gentlemen,
I
congratulate our Ministers and senior officials on the sterling work they
undertook these past two days, culminating in the comprehensive documents
tabled before us today for endorsement.
I
commend them further for diligently finalizing the various important agreements
signed in our presence. I remain
confident that the various tasks we have set ourselves through the action
points in the Report of the Second Edition of the Presidential Council Meeting,
and the various objectives contained in the signed agreements will be pursued
before convening the Third Edition of the Presidential Council in Banjul.
Your
Excellency;
Honourable
Ministers;
Ladies
and gentlemen,
I
will conclude by applauding the manner in which this Presidential Council
Meeting has been conducted in an atmosphere of fraternity and cooperation.
The
meeting characterizes the special bond of unity between The Gambia and Senegal,
and which goes on to signify that our two countries are indeed one people divided
into two nations, but with a common heritage and destiny.
I
thank everyone present for a job well done, and I am pleased to express my
eagerness to welcome and host Your Excellency and delegation in Banjul for the
Third Edition of the Presidential Council Meeting on dates to be mutually
agreed.
May
the Almighty Allah continue to bless our endeavours and continue to guide and
protect us and our peoples.
I
thank you.
