Your Excellency, the First Lady of the Republic of The Gambia and Co-Chair of this Conference, Your Excellencies, First Ladies of Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Liberia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe and Senegal, Our Partners, the Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees and The CEO, Merck Foundation, Honourable Ministers, Members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps, Senior Government Officials, Merck Partners and Alumni, Members of the Press, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning, It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to The Gambia for the Twelfth Edition of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary which is being held in partnership with the Government of The Gambia and co-chaired by the First Lady of the Republic of The Gambia, Madame Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow. I and honoured to join this distinguished gathering of Africa’s First Ladies, women of grace, courage, and purpose whose leadership continues to transform and uplift countless lives across your countries and the continent at large.

Today, we come together not only to celebrate your remarkable achievements, but also to recognize your unwavering commitment to humanity. Through your determined efforts in advancing health, education, and social welfare, you have proven to be not just symbols of hope, but true agents of change. Such change is necessary in order to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals -SDGs and the African Union Agenda 2063.

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Through your tireless initiatives, you have brought light to many families, ensuring that children receive quality education, that mothers have access to proper healthcare, and that once-forgotten communities now have a voice and a future. From fighting maternal mortality to empowering women economically, your work exemplifies compassion and leadership in action. You have demonstrated that real progress begins when we invest in people when we care for the sick, educate the young, and empower the vulnerable. Indeed, your work is not only humanitarian in nature, it is nation-building in its purest and most impactful form.

Your Excellencies, We are proud of your ongoing partnership with the Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck, a globally respected pharmaceutical company, whose dedication to drive health and social transformations in Africa under the leadership of its Chairman Professor Frank and CEO Rasha Kelej have been truly remarkable. Together, you are working to strengthen healthcare systems and expand access to essential services.

Your joint efforts in providing medical care, training healthcare professionals, and leading awareness campaigns on infertility as ‘Ambassadors of Merck More Than a Mother’ and other often misunderstood issues are truly commendable. This partnership is equipping doctors, nurses and community health workers with the knowledge, tools and training they need to save lives. Such an initiative has become even more valuable after the outbreak of Covid-19. Hence, when we invest in the skills of our health workers, we invest in the future of our communities. Trained and motivated health professionals are the backbone of every strong health system, which is necessary for a nation’s social, economic and political stability.

Your Excellencies, Through your collaboration with Merck, you have advanced important causes from raising awareness about infertility and championing girls' education, to supporting youth in areas like fashion, art, and journalism. These efforts not only restore dignity and hope, but also carry immeasurable economic and social benefits for our communities.

I thank the Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO for initiating and sustaining this vital partnership. We wish you continued success and reaffirm our commitment to working together in service of our people. Your Excellencies, In The Gambia, the Government continues to place women’s and girls’ issues at the forefront of our national development agenda. We have introduced free education for girls, and we are committed to increasing the participation of women at all levels whether in Cabinet, Parliament, the Judiciary or the security services.

The Department of Social Welfare under the Ministry of Gender remains at the frontline of addressing the daily challenges faced by our communities, and it deserves our ongoing support. I also want to take a moment to express my personal admiration for African women who nurture nations, sustain families, and lead with vision and integrity. You embody the strength of the African spirit: resilient, resourceful, radiant and beautiful.

To my dear wife, I offer heartfelt thanks for your unwavering love and support over the years, and for always ensuring that attention is given to the issues and individuals often overlooked by government systems. Your dedication is deeply valued. Indeed, the work of First Ladies is truly nation-building. You influence development through compassion, and you ensure that the foundations of progress are rooted in human dignity, equality, and opportunity for all.

Your Excellencies, You are not only First Ladies by title, but first in service, first in compassion, and first in the hearts of those you serve. May your leadership continue to inspire future generations, to heal communities, and to build a stronger, healthier, and more equitable Africa.

I wish you all the best in your deliberations, and may your partnership with Merck as well as the bonds of your sisterhood, continue to thrive for the good of our respective nations and for Africa as a whole. Thank you.