A statement on the occasion of the 53rd Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau delivered by Hon. Lamin Jabbi Esq., Minister of Communications and Digital Economy overseeing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad of the Republic of The Gambia on 29 September 2026 reads:
Your Excellency Mr. Luis Domingos Camara de Barros,
Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau to the Republic of The Gambia,
Honourable Ministers,
Permanent Secretaries,
Excellencies and Members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps,
Senior Government Officials,
Members of the Guinea-Bissau Community in Banjul,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good evening to you all,
It is a great honour and pleasure for me to join you all in commemorating the 53rd Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.
On behalf of His Excellency Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of The Gambia, the Government and the people of the Republic of The Gambia, I extend our warmest congratulations and best wishes to His Excellency General Horta Inta-A, Transitional President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, and to the Government and people of Guinea-Bissau on this important national occasion. I also take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Your Excellency, Ambassador Luis Domingos Camara de Barros and your family, the staff of the Embassy of Guinea-Bissau in Banjul, and the entire Guinea-Bissau community in The Gambia.
We wish you continued peace, stability, prosperity and success as the people of Guinea-Bissau advance their national aspirations.
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, Guinea-Bissau is a faithful friend, a valued neighbour, a responsible partner and a genuine brother to the Government and people of The Gambia. The relationship between our two countries is much deeper than formal diplomatic ties. It is rooted in our shared history, geography, culture, family connections and the longstanding bonds between our peoples.
The struggle for Guinea-Bissau's independence stands as a testament to the courage, sacrifice and determination of its people in their fight to free themselves from colonial rule. Fifty-three years after independence, the sacrifices of those brave men and women continue to shape the destiny of Guinea-Bissau. The freedom you celebrate today remains a powerful
testament to the resilience, dignity and determination of the Bissau-Guinean people.
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
At this moment in our shared history, allow me to recall that we, the people of The Gambia, have always regarded the struggle of the people of Guinea-Bissau as closely connected to our own. During the anti-colonial resistance, some Gambians supported and fought alongside the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) in the struggle for independence. Others moved to Bissau, became part of the newly independent nation and contributed to its public life and administration.
These historical connections help explain the exceptional warmth and affinity that characterize relations between our two countries today.
Our relationship has also been sustained by strong people-to-people ties.
Families, communities, traders, professionals, students and civil servants have for decades maintained close contacts across our borders. The presence of a vibrant Guinea-Bissau community in The Gambia, and of Gambians living and working in Guinea-Bissau, is an important human dimension of our bilateral partnership. We must continue to nurture these bonds through cultural exchanges, educational opportunities, youth engagement, community interaction and greater mobility between our two countries.
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau have, over the years, built a solid framework for bilateral cooperation. Our Joint Commission remains an important mechanism for reviewing our cooperation, identifying new areas of partnership and following up on commitments. The Fourth Gambia-Guinea-Bissau Joint Commission held in Bissau in June 2024 provided another important opportunity to examine strategic areas of cooperation and to further elevate the historic and friendly ties between our two peoples.
Our bilateral relations have gained further momentum through high-level political engagements. President Adama Barrow's State Visit to Guinea-Bissau in September 2025 provided an important opportunity for the two Governments to review the state of our relations and to identify practical areas for deeper cooperation. During that visit, our two countries strengthened cooperation in trade, security, infrastructure, energy, public health, education and public sector reform, and signed Memoranda of Understanding on security and trade cooperation. The two sides also expressed their desire to promote stronger economic and commercial relations between the private sectors, including through joint procurement of essential commodities.
These developments demonstrate that our relationship is evolving from a historic friendship into an increasingly practical and results-oriented partnership. We must therefore continue to remove unnecessary barriers to trade, facilitate the movement of people and goods, encourage investment and strengthen business-to-business linkages. There is considerable scope to expand cooperation in agriculture, food security, fisheries, tourism, transport, health, education, energy, digital transformation and other sectors that can create opportunities for our young people and improve livelihoods.
Security cooperation is another vital pillar of our bilateral relationship. As neighbouring countries, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau share a common interest in maintaining peace, stability and security in our sub-region. Our cooperation continues to address cross-border and transnational security challenges, strengthen information-sharing and institutional coordination, and support the peaceful movement of people and goods. Such cooperation is essential not only to our national interests, but also to peace and stability in West Africa.
Energy and infrastructure also offer significant opportunities for practical cooperation. Our countries share an interest in improving energy access, strengthening infrastructure connectivity and promoting regional development. Through our regional institutions and initiatives, including the Organisation for the Development of the Gambia River Basin (OMVG), we continue to pursue common approaches to energy, water resources and sustainable development.
Education, health, culture and human-capital development remain at the centre of our cooperation. The Gambia welcomes the progress already made in our bilateral relationship.
Our two countries are also partners in the wider West African and African integration project. Through ECOWAS and other regional and continental frameworks, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau share a responsibility to promote peace, stability, economic integration, free movement and sustainable development. Our bilateral partnership can therefore serve as a practical contribution to the broader objectives of regional integration and African solidarity.
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you celebrate your Independence Anniversary today, allow me to wish the Government and people of Guinea-Bissau continued peace, prosperity and progress. The Gambia stands ready to work with the Government and people of Guinea-Bissau in strengthening our brotherhood, consolidating our bilateral relations and advancing our common aspirations for peace, stability and development.
We look forward to working closely with the Government of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau to build an even stronger, broader and more mutually beneficial partnership, one that honours our shared history while creating new opportunities for present and future generations.
Once again, on this joyous occasion, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Government and people of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, and to Your Excellency Ambassador Luis Domingos Camara de Barros, the staff of the Embassy and the Guinea-Bissau community in The Gambia.
May the bond between The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau continue to grow stronger, broader and more fruitful.
Long live The Gambia-Guinea-Bissau friendship and cooperation!
I thank you all for your kind attention.
Guinea-Bissau was declared independent on September 24, 1973 during an armed struggle against Portugal.
