CAIRO, Dec 17 (MENA) – Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Minister Badr Abdelatty reviewed with his Gambian counterpart Sering Modou Njie ways to strengthen relations and coordinate positions on issues of mutual concern.
During a meeting with Njie on Wednesday, Abdelatty congratulated the Gambian diplomat on assuming his new position as Gambia’s foreign minister, reiterating Egypt’s commitment to supporting and furthering bilateral relations and enhancing mutual coordination on various issues of mutual interest at bilateral and regional levels.
He said Egypt looks forward to the upcoming session of the Egyptian-Gambian Committee, stressing the importance of promoting economic cooperation and increasing the volume of bilateral trade and investment by capitalizing on the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
Abdelatty also emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation in the tourism, housing, and infrastructure sectors, while leveraging the private sector’s role in supporting joint trade and investments.
Abdelatty affirmed Egypt’s readiness to meet Gambia’s needs, especially in the fields of construction, energy, and infrastructure, expressing Cairo’s interest in enhancing security cooperation.
Egypt also looks forward to engaging Egyptian companies with expertise in implementing development plans in Gambia, the minister noted.
Abdelatty also underlined the importance of maintaining cooperation in the health sector, pointing to a project to build and equip an Egyptian hospital in Banjul with Egyptian staff.
He also expressed Egypt’s willingness to meet Gambia’s training and capacity-building needs through programs organized by the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development (EAPD), the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA), as well as training courses at the ministry’s Institute of Diplomatic Studies for young Gambian diplomats.
The meeting also tackled academic cooperation between the University of The Gambia and Al-Azhar University, especially in the fields of medicine and engineering, and the provision of training grants for faculty members.
The two sides shared views on regional developments in Africa, particularly in the African Sahel region, and ways to promote stability, security, and development.
Abdelatty shed light on the training programs and support provided by Egypt to the countries of the Sahel region, with a view to boosting regional security and stability.
The ministers concluded by agreeing to maintain coordination and consultation within the bilateral and multilateral frameworks to serve common interests. (MENA)
