Our
President left Banjul yesterday for a three-day working visit to Dakar,
Senegal.
We
understand that his mission involves signing a new agreement of cooperation in
the fields of security, transport, trade, the Senegambia bridge and other areas
of interest.
This
sounds good, as these aspects are salient in holding together a thriving
economy.
Security
is paramount in upholding a peaceful and just society that provides the
parameters for confluences of development activities to take place or thrive in
nation-building.
Therefore,
it is not bad at all that Mr President is letting security takes pride of place
in the set of issues to be discussed in his meeting with his counterpart in
Senegal. As a matter of fact, Senegal presently has a serious stake in our
security realm.
As
for the Senegambia bridge, it has been a long-time issue, with people holding
different views about its construction or realisation. This deserves thorough
consideration and proper arrangement in trying to bring it into fruition. After
all, bridges are connecting points to facilitating movement of people and
goods, hence the aspect of transport fits neatly into it.
As
regards trade, this is one area a responsible government should invest adequate
interest and effort in, to ensure the country maintains optimal commerce,
growing revenue, enough international trading currencies or foreign exchange
and improving per capita income via consistent trade growth.
So
it is essential that Mr President is carrying along that portfolio for
discussion with his brother and friend in our sister republic.
As
reported, there are other issues that will be discussed by both leaders and
state machineries.
So
we wish them well and a successful mission!
The
Gambia and Senegal are one, and one can say there are no two neighbouring
countries that have similar traditions, family mix, interdependence and other
attributes than Senegal and The Gambia.
This
has been emphasised by especially the two leaders of both nations, even in
their current three-day meeting in Dakar.
We,
therefore, expect positive outcome from that meeting, which entails signing a
security treaty, more trade cooperation and actualising the transnational
bridge between the two nations.
“The Gambia and Senegal are one.”
President Adama Barrow
