The handover ceremony took place at the Presidential seat in Banjul, marking a milestone in the bilateral relations between the two nations.
The advanced military equipment intended for the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), aimed at enhancing their contributions to UN peacekeeping operations, was acquired through the Military Financial Cooperation Agreement (MFCA) signed between Ankara and Banjul.
In his keynote address, His Excellency Adama Barrow, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, expressed his gratitude to the Government and people of Turkiye for providing essential resources in the form of APCs through the MFCA.
He asserted that this support will greatly enhance the military capabilities of the GAF, allowing it to effectively fulfill its constitutional duty of safeguarding the nation's territorial integrity. Furthermore, it will empower the GAF to engage meaningfully in international peacekeeping missions.
The President emphasised that the integration of these donated Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) into the Gambia Armed Forces' inventory will significantly simplify the deployment of personnel for peacekeeping missions.
He further emphasised that his Government places a high premium on national defence and security which includes defence and security resource generation as already enshrined in the national Security Sector Reforms agenda.
During the handover of the APCs to the Commander-in-Chief, His Excellency Fahri Türker Oba, the Turkish ambassador to The Gambia, asserted that the enduring bilateral relationship and exceptional military collaboration between Turkiye and The Gambia are rooted in mutual respect and a strategic partnership that has flourished since 1991.
The vibrant and historic handover ceremony was graced by the presence of several dignitaries, including the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Honorable Seedy S.K. Njie; the Minister for Defence, Ambassador Sering Modou Njie; and various cabinet ministers along with members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps.
Present at the event were Lieutenant General Mamat O. Cham, the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Fethi Oltulu, the Chief of the Logistic Division at the Turkish General Staff, along with the Services Chiefs, members of the Armed Forces High Command, and leaders of other security services.
