Gambia-Venezuela relations

Gambia-Venezuela relation should be nurtured. It is indeed a good relationship.

The saying: "You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you." This was demonstrated recently during the celebration marking Venezuela's 200th year of independence in The Gambia.

The two countries over the years have witnessed fruitful ties in the areas of education, health, agriculture, culture and tourism, among others.

Currently there are several Gambian students pursuing undergraduate degree programmes in agriculture, medical in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Last year many students flew to the South American country to pursue various disciplines, such as civil engineering, science and technology, computer science, sports, etc.

These and many other initiatives between the two countries have consolidated the existing relations that exist between the two countries.

The Venezuela International Students Scholarship Programme has indeed being very generous to The Gambia. This also brings to mind the famous saying: "I like her because she smiles at me and means it."

The need for the consolidation of a legal framework of cooperation in the fields of education, health, energy, environment, culture, science and technology, transportation, communications and tourism is of paramount importance. This is what South-South cooperation is all about!

We are pleased to learn that among the many projects Venezuela is seeking to implement with their African allies is the establishment of the South-South Bank, which was highlighted in the last Africa-South America summit.  Such a gesture is a sign of commitment on the side of the revolutionary and socialist government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, led by President Hugo Chavez, thus guaranteeing the new integration process of South-South co-operation.

The ties between Venezuela and The Gambia, which were established within the framework of the seventh African Union Summit held in The Gambia in 2006, are indeed paying dividends.

The bilateral co-operation agreement signed in 2007 has demonstrated a new kind of integration among South-South countries. On the other hand, The Gambia remains a loyal and true friend of Venezuela since the formalisation of the ties.

The presence at the occasion of the celebration marking Venezuela's 200th year of independence of a high-power government delegation was not only to celebrate, but also to consolidate the fruitful bilateral relations.

We hope that the bilateral co-operation would be further strengthened to a higher level in the future. The achievements registered by the people of Venezuela over the past two centuries are as a result of their hard work and dedication to duty, which we should also emulate.

Once again, we congratulate our Venezuelan brothers for their achievements, and on the occasion of their national day.