๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐: On 1st April 2026, Her Excellency Salimatta E.T. Touray, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of The Gambia to the Republic of Burundi, with residence in Addis Ababa, presented her Letters of Credence to His Excellency รvariste Ndayishimiye, President of the Republic of Burundi.
During the meeting, Her Excellency conveyed warm fraternal greetings from His Excellency President Adama Barrow, and extended his heartfelt congratulations to President Ndayishimiyeon his assumption of the Chairmanship of the African Union.
Her Excellency commended Burundiโs leadership and efforts in peace mediation and conflict management in Somalia, the Central African Republic, and more recently the Sahel region, as well as his designation as African Union Youth Champion. She noted that these actions demonstrate that Burundi remains at the heart of the continentโs dynamic progress.
Her Excellency expressed her readiness to work closely with the Government of Burundi to further strengthen cooperation, partnership, and brotherhood between the two countries.
She highlighted that Burundi and The Gambia share several commonalities, including agrarian-based economies, youthful populations, and ongoing economic diversification efforts. Her Excellency highlighted key areas of potential collaboration:
โช๏ธAgriculture and Food Security: Enhancing capacity building, boosting agricultural production, and ensuring sustainable food security.
โช๏ธTrade and Investment: Promoting trade in goods and services, particularly leveraging Burundiโs production of tea and coffee, alongside The Gambiaโs market potential, to foster mutually beneficial economic opportunities.
โช๏ธYouth Empowerment: Partnering on youth development programmes aimed at addressing unemployment, promoting entrepreneurship, and enhancing skills development.
โช๏ธHuman Rights, Peace and Security: Strengthening cooperation in advancing human rights, and collaborating on peace and security issues affecting the continent, particularly in relation to women and youth.
In his response, His Excellency President รvariste Ndayishimiyewarmly welcomed Her Excellency and her delegation, and assured them of Burundiโs full support in advancing cooperation in the identified priority areas.
He emphasized the importance of enhancing trade and investment, particularly in tea and coffee, as well as fostering stronger economic ties between the two countries. On youth empowerment, the President informed Her Excellency of the upcoming Youth Conference to be held in Bujumbura in August, to which The Gambia will be invited to participate.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the existing cordial relations and exploring new avenues of partnership for the mutual benefit of their peoples.
