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During the ceremony, High Commissioner Kanagbo expressed her gratitude to the Foreign Minister and shared her enthusiasm for commencing her diplomatic duties in The Gambia. She underscored the enduring bilateral ties between the two sister nations and reaffirmed her commitment to further strengthening this relationship. In his remarks, Minister Tangara congratulated High Commissioner Kanagbo on her new appointment and assured her of the Ministry’s full support and cooperation throughout her tenure. He also took the opportunity to introduce key officials from the Ministry’s African Affairs Directorate, including its Director, Mr. Omar Baldeh.

His Excellency Ambassador Yousef Al-Dobaey was in The Gambia on a two – day working visit. As part of his engagements with the competent Gambian authorities, Excellency Assistant Secretary General Al-Dobaey paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Dr. Mamadou Tangara at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Banjul to discuss some very pertinent OIC related matters. Following his consultation meeting with the Foreign Minister, the OIC ASG for Political Affairs then proceeded to the Office of The President of the Republic to pay a courtesy call on His Excellency Mr. Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of The Gambia and Chairman of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. In his press statement, Ambassador Al-Dobaey mentioned that The Gambia, in its capacity as the Chair of the 15th OIC Islamic Summit, occupies a position of high esteem within the OIC. He further expressed that the success of the 15th OIC Summit in Banjul reflects The Gambia’s pivotal role in advancing the objectives of the Organization and the Muslim Ummah, including through the promotion of Joint Islamic Action. The visit was  concluded with technical meetings with the representatives of relevant Gambian institutions, including the Office of The President, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Gambia OIC Secretariat, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, and the Ministry of Justice.

In a statement read on behalf of the Permanent Secretary I, Ambassador Lang Yabou, Director Ndumbeh Saho highlighted that, “Today’s gathering marks a significant step forward in our nation’s commitment to uphold the principles and objectives of the Global Compact, reaffirming the Government’s pledge to safeguard the rights, dignity, and well-being of all migrants.” Director Saho further emphasized that the National Implementation Plan would serve as both a roadmap for addressing migration challenges and a framework for strengthening community resilience and protecting migrant rights. Additionally, the plan underscores the government’s commitment to foster international cooperation, promote safe migration pathways, and uphold the human rights of all individuals involved in the migration process. The workshop, facilitated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in The Gambia, was introduced by Programme Officer Aji Sukai Cham, who explained that this session is the first in a series of trainings involving NCM members, civil society, and the UN Country Team’s migration focal points. The training aims to enhance the capacity of government officials, enabling them to accurately report on migration issues in The Gambia. The Gambia has made substantial progress in migration reporting, advancing from covering 15 priority GCM objectives to reporting on all 23 objectives.

The Minister was accompanied by H. E. Mr. Omar Gibril Sallah, Ambassador of The Gambia to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Permanent Representative to the OIC, Ambassador Habib T. B. Jarra – Deputy Head of Mission and Deputy Permanent Representative to the OIC,  Ambassador Yankuba Dibba – Chief Executive Officer, Gambia OIC Secretariat and Honourable Mr. Momodou Sabally Presidential Adviser, Office of The President. The Summit was chaired by His Royal Highness Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. The Summit was held to  discuss the ongoing crisis and Israeli aggression against Gaza and Palestinian territories, as well as the attacks on the Republic of Lebanon and the Islamic Republic of Iran,  including, in general the overall peace, security and humanitarian situation in the Middle East Region. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, His Excellency Dr. Mamadou Tangara had an audience with the Secretary General of the Muslim World League, His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, today, November 12, 2024, at the Headquarters of the Muslim World League in Riyadh. The two eminent dignitaries met following the just concluded Extraordinary Arab and Islamic Summit in Riyadh on 11th November 2024. Their discussions were centered on the excellent relations and cooperation between The Gambia and the Muslim World League, and the need for continued collaboration in promoting the mission of the Muslim World League for the benefit of the Islamic Ummah and humanity in general. His Excellency Secretary General Al – Issa commended and recognized The Gambia’s excellent and positive leadership efforts in promoting and championing the cause of Islam and the Muslim Ummah, under the guidance of His Excellency President Adama Barrow, Chairman of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. In this regard, the Secretary General made reference to the recent hosting of both the Islamic Ulema Conference and the 15th OIC Islamic Summit in Banjul, as well as The Gambia’s leadership in pursuing the cause and interests of the Rohingya Muslim Community in Myanmar, as clear manifestation of The Gambia’s dedication to the cause of Islam and commitment to the interest and aspirations of the Muslim Ummah.

The Minister expressed his gratitude to the UN Resident Coordinator, Heads of UN Agencies, and the entire UN staff for their contributions towards The Gambia’s development journey. Furthermore, Minister Tangara expressed that the UN Cooperation Framework should be in line with The Gambia’s Recovery-Focused National Development Plan (RF-NDP). Dr. Tangara asserted that there should be a collective aspiration among all development stakeholders to accelerate The Gambia’s transformation towards prosperity. For his part, UN Resident Coordinator Paul stated that the retreat should serve as a catalyst to strengthen the UN Country Team’s efforts to better serve the Gambian people. Finally, the Foreign Minister wished them fruitful deliberations ahead and continued strengthened partnerships with the overall outcome to provide better services to The Gambian people.  

Minister Tuggar, accompanied by his delegation, held a meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Permanent Secretary I, Ambassador Lang Yabou; Director of African Affairs, Mr. Omar Baldeh; and other technical staff. During their discussions, both parties exchanged pleasantries and reflected on the enduring and strong bilateral relationship between The Gambia and Nigeria. They emphasized areas of shared interest, particularly the importance of enhancing collaboration in the education sector. Following a productive engagement, Minister Tuggar concluded his one-day visit to The Gambia and was bid farewell at Banjul International Airport by his Gambian counterpart.

Based in Geneva, the Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body within the UN system, made up of 47 states elected by the General Assembly, which are responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the world. The Gambia has played a significant role in advancing critical human rights issues at the UN Human Rights Council.   Over the past three years, The Gambia has played an active role in the Council’s work, by serving as Vice-President for two consecutive terms ( 2 years) and as Coordinator of the Africa Group for the year 2024. From advocating for peace, climate justice, digital inclusivity, anti-racial discrimination, and the rights of women, children, persons with disability and youths, The Gambia has remained steadfast in its dedication to advancing justice and protecting vulnerable groups and populations.   The Gambia’s role as vice president include:   Overseeing Council sessions   Coordinating the work of the Africa Group within the HRC, ensuring that the continent’s concerns are reflected in key human rights decisions .

During the meeting, the two ministers discussed key bilateral matters and explored potential areas for further collaboration between their countries. Minister Tangara emphasized the many similarities between The Gambia and Papua New Guinea, particularly in terms of the rich diversity of tribes and languages within their populations. In response, Minister Tkatchenko expressed gratitude for the meeting and extended his best wishes to Minister Tangara in his bid to become the next Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.  

With a mission to develop cooperative initiatives and actions and contribute to the development of an Atlantic community of interests, the AASP aims to promote integration, stability and prosperity in the region. The session was chaired by His Excellency, Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates of The Kingdom of Morocco. The main outcomes of this meeting were the Joint Declaration by African Atlantic States Process and Atlantic Center and the New York Declaration II.

The Gambian delegation was led by Permanent Secretary I of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Lang Yabou who was accompanied by Ambassador Lamin Dibba,Permanent Representative of the Republic of The Gambia in New York. Also in attendance were the Foreign Minister’s campaign team from MOFA, the Gambia High Commission in The United Kingdom and Permanent Mission of The Gambia to the African Union in Addis Ababa. The objective of the CFAMM is to oblige Foreign Ministers to deliberate on shared challenges. It was also an opportunity to gather Commonwealth Members to review the activities of the Secretariat over the last year and highlight key objectives of the upcoming CHOGM meeting. The meeting was chaired by His Excellency, Olivier Nduhungirehe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda, as per Commonwealth Chair-in-Office.