BANJUL, 30th June 2026: The Republic of The Gambia and the Republic of Indonesia on 30th June 2026 reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening bilateral relations following the successful conclusion of the Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) of the Second Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), held in Kololi.
The Meeting brought together senior government officials from both countries to review progress in bilateral relations and identify new opportunities for cooperation across a wide range of sectors, including diplomacy, trade and investment, agriculture and food security, education and research, tourism, migration governance, parliamentary cooperation, and technical capacity-building.
Officially opening the Session, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Ambassador Lang Yabou, welcomed the Indonesian delegation on behalf of the Government of The Gambia. He described the Joint Commission as an important milestone in the longstanding relationship between the two countries, which have enjoyed cordial diplomatic relations since 1982.
Ambassador Yabou expressed The Gambia’s appreciation for Indonesia’s continued support through technical cooperation programmes, scholarships, agricultural assistance, human resource development initiatives and capacity-building programmes. He noted that the Joint Commission provides an opportunity to review existing cooperation while charting a new roadmap for collaboration in areas of mutual interest. He reaffirmed The Gambia’s commitment to ensuring that the deliberations produce practical and measurable outcomes that contribute to sustainable development and the welfare of both peoples.
Leading the Indonesian delegation, the Director of African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Ms. Dewi Justicia Meidiwaty, reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with The Gambia. She highlighted the growth in bilateral trade, the successful revitalisation of the Agricultural Rural Farmer Training Centre (ARFTC) in Jenoi, and Indonesia’s continued investment in human resource development through scholarship programmes and technical cooperation. She also underscored the importance of finalising the Memorandum of Understanding on the General Framework of Cooperation to expand collaboration into new areas, including political consultations, parliamentary cooperation, education, research and sustainable tourism.
Following a day of constructive deliberations, both delegations concluded the Senior Officials’ Meeting with the signing of the Agreed Minutes and the Memorandum of Understanding on the General Framework of Cooperation, reaffirming their shared commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Delivering the closing remarks, Ambassador Lang Yabou commended both delegations for the spirit of openness, mutual respect and cooperation that characterised the discussions. He welcomed the substantive outcomes of the Meeting and emphasized the importance of translating the commitments reached into concrete programmes and measurable results that will directly benefit the peoples of The Gambia and Indonesia. He further called for continued consultations through diplomatic channels and technical working arrangements to ensure the effective implementation of the decisions contained in the Agreed Minutes and Joint Communiqué.
Earlier in the evening, the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Hon. Sering Modou Njie, received the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir, upon his arrival at the Banjul International Airport ahead of the Ministerial Session of the Second Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation, scheduled for 1st July 2026.
The Ministerial Session is expected to build on the outcomes of the Senior Officials’ Meeting and further consolidate the enduring partnership between The Gambia and the Republic of Indonesia through enhanced cooperation in areas of shared priority.
