Your Excellency, President of the Republic of Senegal and My Dear Brother, His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Honourable Ministers of the Republic of Senegal and the Republic of The Gambia, Distinguished Delegates from the Republic of Senegal and the Republic of The Gambia, Senior Officials and Experts, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is indeed a profound honour and privilege for me to co-chair this Fourth Session of the Senegalo-Gambia Presidential Council with my dear brother and friend, His Excellency President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, in this beautiful city of Dakar.

On behalf of the Government and People of the Republic of The Gambia, I seize this opportunity to convey our sincere gratitude to the Government and People of the sister Republic of Senegal for the warm reception, generous hospitality, and excellent arrangements extended to me and my delegation since our arrival here. The warmth and brotherhood demonstrated, once again, reaffirm the unique and enduring ties that mutually bind our two countries and peoples.

Please allow me also to express special appreciation to His Excellency President Bassirou Diomaye Faye for his gracious welcome and personal commitment to strengthening our Senegalo-Gambian relations.

With similar feelings of appreciation, I commend the Honourable Ministers and experts, from both countries, whose dedication and tireless efforts laid a solid foundation for the success of this important Presidential Session. Your Excellency, Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Presidential Council remains the highest decision-making body of the renewed cooperation between our two sister Republics. Since its establishment in 2018, it has provided a practical and strategic platform to deepen bilateral cooperation, strengthen mutual trust, and accelerate the implementation of agreements aimed at improving the lives and livelihoods of our peoples. Although The Gambia and Senegal are two political states, the people share a common heritage, a common history, and one destiny. We are interrelated by blood, culture, religion, language, commerce, and centuries of peaceful coexistence.

As leaders, it rests upon us to continue consolidating this historic relationship for the benefit of the present and future generations. This Presidential Summit coincides with critical developments in the sub-region and beyond. Nations are increasingly confronted with transnational challenges that include terrorism, irregular migration, food insecurity, climate change, trafficking, cybercrime, economic shocks and other threats to global peace and stability.

The situation demands stronger bilateral and regional solidarity, closer cooperation, and collective action. Our Senegambian ties, therefore, remain absolutely relevant and indispensable. Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, The successes recorded through our bilateral engagements continue to demonstrate the immense benefits of working together. The cooperation between our customs, immigration, transport, defence, and security services has significantly contributed to easier movement of goods and persons, enhanced border management, and improved regional stability.

Today, the Senegambia Bridge stands as a powerful symbol of our shared vision and commitment to regional integration. It has transformed transportation, facilitated trade and commerce, improved mobility, and strengthened social and economic interactions between communities in our two countries. In addition, the collaboration between The Gambia Transport Service Company (GTSC) and Dakar Dem Dikk remains an excellent example of practical cooperation that directly benefits our populations.

Equally, the continued progress in air transport arrangements between Dakar and Banjul is another positive step towards enhanced socio-economic integration and greater connectivity between our peoples. These achievements reflect the true spirit of Senegalo-Gambia relations, ECOWAS integration, and African solidarity.>/P>

Your Excellency, Distinguished Delegates, The preceding Experts’ and Ministerial Meetings created the much-needed opportunity to review the implementation status of previous agreements, identify challenges, and propose practical recommendations for the way forward.

I commend the experts and officials for their professionalism, foresight, and commitment to advancing the Senegambia objective. Moving forward, we must continue to build on the successes registered and further intensify cooperation in key priority areas, such as defence and security, trade and investment, agriculture, fisheries, energy, transportation, tourism, education, health, youth and sports, culture, environmental protection, digital transformation, and border management.

Also crucial is the urgency to continue encouraging private sector participation and people-to-people engagement, as these remain critical drivers of sustainable development and integration. In this regard, I wish to emphasise the necessity of strengthening infrastructure connectivity between our two countries. This includes road networks, maritime transport, river transport systems, and future rail transport possibilities. Such initiatives will further stimulate economic growth, create jobs for our youth, and deepen regional integration.

Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, Peace, security, and stability remain essential for development and prosperity. I thus commend the close collaboration between our defence and security institutions in addressing cross-border security threats and preserving peace within the sub-region. Our cooperation in this area serves as a model for regional partnership and collective security. Similarly significant is the need to continue addressing trade-related bottlenecks and administrative barriers that occasionally hinder the smooth movement of people and goods across our borders. Doing so will unlock greater economic opportunities for our citizens and businesses.

I applaud our Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the Senegalo-Gambian Permanent Secretariat, our diplomats, and all stakeholders who continue to work tirelessly to consolidate and sustain the excellent relations between our two countries. Their efforts are vital in strengthening mutual understanding, trust, and cooperation between our two peoples.

Your Excellency, My Dear Brother, Ladies and Gentlemen, I propose that pragmatism, solidarity, and a results-oriented approach continue to guide our shared vision. Let us ensure that the commitments and resolutions adopted by this Presidential Council translate into tangible outcomes that positively impact the lives of our citizens.

Fortunately, the Senegambia relationship remains a shining example of African brotherhood, peaceful coexistence, and regional integration. Together, we can build much stronger institutions, create greater economic opportunities, and promote lasting peace and prosperity for our peoples and the wider ECOWAS sub-region. As we deliberate during this Council Session, let us reaffirm our unwavering commitment to strengthening our bilateral partnership and safeguarding the historic bonds that unite our two nations.

Once again, I express profound appreciation to President Faye, the Government, and the Senegalese people for the the exceptional hospitality, friendship, solidarity, and cooperation that vividly mark our Senegalo-Gambian relations. I pray that our deliberations yield fruitful outcomes that will solidly strengthen cooperation, enhance regional integration, and improve the welfare and prosperity of our citizens.

May the two countries continue to coexist and cooperate as trusted, complementary, and exemplary allies. Thank you all for your attention.