Ousman Badjie, Gambia’s Ambassador to France, has been transferred to Dakar, Senegal, as Gambia’s new High Commissioner, The Point has reliably learnt.
A bilingual, well trained security officer and a seasoned diplomat, Badjie replaces Mass Axi Gai, who was last month recalled and appointed as Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources.
Badjie, who did his secondary education at the Military High School in Saint- Louis/Senegal from 1980-1987, started his career with the defunct Gambia National Gendarmerie set up in 1984, where he served in various units from 1990 to 1994.
In August 1994, Badjie was transferred to the Gambia National Army, from where he was then transferred to the Gambia Police Force as Assistant Inspector General of Police Operations in September 1994.
In January 1999, Ousman Badjie was appointed Minister of the Interior, a post he held until 2003.
From 2007 to 2011, Badjie served as Gambia’s ambassador to Rabat, Morocco. From 2011 until last week, he was Gambia’s ambassador to France.
Analyst believe that with his vast experience in the diplomatic circles, Badjie’s move to Dakar as new High Commissioner will help to better improve the relationship between the two countries.
Among Gambia’s diplomatic missions yet to be filled are the United Nations, France, Spain and Venezuela.
It should be noted that late last month, Senegalese President Macky Sall also appointed a veteran broadcaster as Senegal’s new ambassador to The Gambia.
Babacar Diagne, Director General of Radio Television Senegal (RTS), was named as Senegal’s top diplomat to Banjul, according to Senegalese newspaper Liberation.
Diagne will replace Diame Signate, who was until May this year Senegal’s ambassador to Banjul.
