Egypt called for an increase in bilateral trade and the expansion of Egyptian private sector involvement in the Gambian market during a ministerial meeting in Cairo on Wednesday.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with his Gambian counterpart, Serigne Modou Njie, on the margins of a ministerial meeting for African countries implementing the Global Compact for Migration. During the talks, Abdelatty affirmed Egypt’s desire to enhance bilateral relations across various sectors and urged the convening of a joint committee at the earliest opportunity.
Abdelatty invited Gambian companies and the private sector to participate in a business forum to be organised alongside the African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, scheduled to take place in New Alamein in June. He highlighted the opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a vehicle for deepening economic ties.
The Egyptian minister stated that Cairo is prepared to contribute to Gambia’s national development plans, specifically in the fields of infrastructure, energy, transport, agriculture, and the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Regarding capacity building, Abdelatty expressed Egypt’s readiness to support Gambia through training programmes provided by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development and the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding. These initiatives include specialised training for Gambian diplomats and the enhancement of academic cooperation between Egyptian universities and the University of the Gambia, particularly in medicine and engineering.
On regional security, the two ministers discussed developments in the Sahel region and efforts to support stability and development. Abdelatty noted Egypt’s willingness to share its expertise in counter-terrorism by increasing training cycles for military and security personnel from Sahel countries. He added that Egypt supports a comprehensive approach to security that includes the intellectual and ideological efforts of Al-Azhar.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to maintain coordination and consultation on both bilateral and multilateral levels to support joint African interests.
