Turkey-Gambia Business Delegation Meets President Barrow

By Bakary Ceesay

Members of the Turkey- Gambia Business Council on Wednesday, October 09, 2019 paid a courtesy call on President Adama Barrow at the State House to discuss various areas of mutual interests to both countries including the Banjul seaport, solar energy ventures, agriculture, and fisheries, among others.

The delegation, comprising leading Turkish private sector operators and industrialists including the Mayor of Ezurum city, Honourable Mehmet Sekmen was led to the State House by the Turkish Ambassador to The Gambia, H.E. Ismael Yusuf.

 Ambassador Yusuf told the State House Press Crops that their discussions with the president also centered on the need for energy stabilisation in The Gambia,  agricultural mechanization, value addition, and commercial production as well as tourism development.

The council, which was established after President Barrow’s State Visit to Ankara in 2017, is currently holding its third meeting in Banjul to discuss areas of mutual benefit with their Gambian counterparts.

Honourable Sekmen, the Mayor of Ezurum city – one of the biggest cities in Turkey, said Turkey has also realised that it can work with The Gambia in urban planning at the level of the municipalities.

“Turkey is ready to share experiences with Kanifing in terms of municipal management and development. We have many experiences that we can utilize in the cities of The Gambia in many aspects of cities’ problems,” he said.   

President Barrow expressed delight that the council is building on the cooperation that he and President Erdogan rekindled during his historic visit to Ankara two years ago. He stated that the two countries share a strong bond of friendship, which is evident in the level of cooperation being pursued by both governments. He thanked Turkey for standing by The Gambia through challenging times and assured them of Gambia’s fraternal solidarity.