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The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, His Excellency Dr. Mamadou Tangara, on Monday, 28th April 2025, presided over the opening of a two-day Validation Workshop for the revised 2012 Foreign Service Regulations (FSR) at Prime Atlantic Hotel in Banjul. The workshop brought together senior government officials, Ambassadors and staff of The Gambia’s diplomatic missions who participated virtually alongside other key stakeholders to review and validate the revised FSR, marking a critical step toward strengthening professionalism, governance, and institutional efficiency within The Gambia’s Foreign Service. In his opening remarks, Honourable Minister Dr. Tangara described the Foreign Service as a “unique, specialised, and key pillar in any country’s governance system,” underscoring its role as the critical link between The Gambia and the outside world. He emphasised the need to reform the service through robust frameworks that respond to 21st-century diplomatic demands and challenges. The Minister also announced the Ministry’s intention to follow up the regulations with a comprehensive Foreign Service Bill and a codified Foreign Policy document. Delivering a keynote address, the Secretary to Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service, Mr. Alieu Njie, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to modernising the public service, noting that “the Foreign Service is the frontline of The Gambia’s international engagement.” He described the revised regulations as a “fundamental instrument guiding the administration, management, and effective functioning of the Foreign Service,” and emphasised their complementarity with existing civil service frameworks such as the Civil Service Act, General Orders, and Financial Instructions. Mr. Njie called on all stakeholders to critically assess the provisions to ensure they are realistic, enforceable, and fit-for-purpose. “The effectiveness of the Regulations will ultimately depend not only on their content but on their implementation and adherence,” he stated, highlighting the shared responsibility of all involved in the foreign service architecture. The event opened with welcoming remarks from Permanent Secretary I, Ambassador Lang Yabou of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who also moderated the technical review sessions. Permanent Secretary II, Ms. Fatou Kinneh Jobe, led the detailed presentation of the revised draft regulations, outlining key updates and the rationale behind the proposed reforms. Participants engaged in a joint review session, offering feedbacks section by section. A rapporteur later presented the key conclusions and recommendations, which were subsequently validated by consensus. The session concluded on Wednesday, 30th April 2025, with the collective endorsement of the revised regulations as a foundational framework for enhancing the efficiency and professionalism of The Gambia’s Foreign Service. In his closing remarks, Honourable Minister Dr. Tangara commended the technical teams and all stakeholders for their dedication, and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to implementing the validated document in line with the country’s foreign policy priorities.

The Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, His Excellency Dr. Mamadou Tangara, on Wednesday 30th April, 2025 received copies of the Letters of Credence of Her Excellency Mrs. Carmelina Ramírez Rodríguez, the newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to the Republic of The Gambia. Welcoming Ambassador Ramírez Rodríguez to Banjul, Foreign Minister Tangara congratulated her on her appointment and expressed optimism that her tenure will further strengthen the longstanding and cordial relations between The Gambia and Cuba. He commended the Government of Cuba for its historic cooperation, especially in the health and education sectors, and reaffirmed The Gambia’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties. In her remarks, Ambassador Ramírez Rodríguez conveyed warm fraternal greetings from the Government and the people of Cuba and emphasized her country’s desire to continue supporting The Gambia’s development aspirations. She highlighted the long history of solidarity between the two nations and expressed her readiness to work closely with Gambian authorities to expand cooperation in mutually beneficial areas.

𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐉𝐔𝐋, 𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥: The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Ambassador Lang Yabou, on Thursday, 3rd April 2025, signed a Letter of Understanding (LOU) on behalf of the Government of The Gambia with the World Food Programme (WFP). The signing ceremony, held in Banjul, was officiated by Ambassador Lang Yabou and the WFP Country Director, Ms. Mirande Sende. This agreement reaffirms the strong partnership between The Gambia and WFP in advancing food security, nutrition, and resilience-building efforts in line with the Country Strategic Plan (2024–2028), at an estimated value of USD 95,226,668. The two sides highlighted the significant benefits and achievements registered by the long-standing partnership between the Government of The Gambia and the World Food Programme—especially in the areas of the school feeding programme, support to smallholder farmers, nutrition support for vulnerable people, and capacity-strengthening initiatives. Permanent Secretary Ambassador Yabou reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to fostering strategic partnerships with international organisations and other partners to enhance the well-being of Gambians and ensure sustainable development.

𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐉𝐔𝐋, 𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad informs the public that His Excellency Dr. Mamadou Tangara, Minister of Foreign Affairs, recently undertook an official visit to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania as a Special Envoy of His Excellency Mr. Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of The Gambia. During his visit, Minister Tangara delivered a special message to His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, reaffirming the strong and historic ties of friendship and cooperation between the two nations. Discussions focused on the well-being of Gambians residing in Mauritania, as well as broader issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening diplomatic ties and ensuring the welfare of Gambians in Mauritania. The visit concluded on a positive note, with an agreement to maintain open communication and to convene a ministerial joint commission to follow up on agreed measures. END

𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐉𝐔𝐋, 𝟐𝟔𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: The Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Gambians Abroad, H.E. Dr. Mamadou Tangara on Monday, 24th March 2025, received a delegation from the Turkish Maarif Foundation, led by Mr. Mehmet Cangir, Africa Representative and Board Member of the Foundation. The delegation was accompanied by the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to The Gambia, H.E. Fahri Türker Oba. Minister Tangara reaffirmed the Government of The Gambia’s commitment to enhancing partnerships in the field of education and exploring opportunities for increased collaboration between the Turkish Maarif Foundation and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education. Both sides expressed their shared commitment to advancing educational cooperation and fostering stronger people-to-people ties between The Gambia and Türkiye.

During their meeting, both sides engaged in fruitful discussions on strengthening the long-standing ties of friendship and cooperation between The Gambia and Senegal, reaffirming their commitment to further deepening bilateral relations for the mutual benefit of both nations.

𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐉𝐔𝐋, 𝟐𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: Today, His Excellency Dr. Mamadou Tangara, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, participated in the PSC Ministerial Session on Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on Peace, Security, and Governance in Africa, chaired by the Kingdom of Morocco. In his statement, Minister Tangara highlighted the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) while underscoring the urgent need for responsible governance and regulation to prevent misuse, particularly in security and military domains. He emphasized that Africa must not lag in this technological evolution and called for: ✅ Legal and policy frameworks to guide AI development at regional, continental, and global levels. ✅ Public-private partnerships to leverage AI for sustainable development and security. ✅ Collaboration with governments to harness AI for conflict prevention, peace building, and post-conflict recovery. Minister Tangara reaffirmed The Gambia’s commitment to advancing AI governance to ensure it serves as a force for peace, development, and security across the continent.

𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐉𝐔𝐋, 𝟐𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: On behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Gambians Abroad, H.E. Dr. Mamadou Tangara, the Honourable Minister of Defence, H.E. Sering Modou Njie, on Wednesday 19th March 2025 received copies of letters of credence from two Ambassadors accredited to The Gambia. First to present was H.E. Mariame Sy, High Commissioner of the Republic of Senegal to The Gambia, followed by H.E. Hassan Asgari the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran. During the presentation, Minister Njie reiterated the commitment of the Government of The Gambia to deepen the existing cordial relations with these countries.