The Government of The Gambia hosted the first partnership dialogue with the European Union and its Member States under the new “Samoa agreement” which defines the framework of the cooperation between The Gambia and the European Union.
The meeting was co-chaired by the Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, Hon. Baboucarr O. Joof and Rita Laranjinha, Managing Director for Africa of the European External Action Service. It was also attended by Ministers of Communications and Digital Economy,representatives of other Ministries and representatives of the EU Delegation in The Gambia and European Union Member States accredited in the country, i.e. the Czech Republic, Germany, France, Finland, Spain, Poland, Portugal and Italy.
The dialogue session was comprehensive and covered all areas of mutual interest including: the state of play on the Gambia’s democratic transition, the EU/The Gambia cooperation agenda entailing: resource mobilization; strengthening coordination mechanisms; budget support; green and inclusive economic growth; environment and climate change; job creation and youth economic empowerment; regional and continental issues and integration; transitional justice and governance;mobility and migration; and fishery.
After the meeting, Honourable Minister of Trade, Industry Regional Integration and Employment stated: “Today, we conclude a successful and constructive session of the Gambia–EU Partnership Dialogue. I am pleased to acknowledge the open and candid nature of our discussions, which reaffirmed our shared commitment to strengthening the longstanding partnership between The Gambia and the European Union.”
Hon. Minister Joof highlighted that “Together, we addressed key issues of mutual interest, including political development, good governance, regional cooperation, environmental sustainability, and resilience. These engagements have not only deepened our understanding of each other’s perspectives but also resulted in concrete action points that will support the effective implementation of the Samoa Agreement and The Gambia’s National Development Plan.”
He extended his sincere appreciation to the European Union and its delegation in The Gambia for their continued support and constructive engagement. All participants and stakeholders were also thanked for their valuable contributions throughout the dialogue.
Signalling Government’s vision going forward, Minister Joof stated that “As we move forward, the Government of The Gambia remains firmly committed to implementing the outcomes of this dialogue and to working closely with the European Union in pursuit of our common goals. I am confident that the spirit of cooperation demonstrated today will serve as a foundation for even greater collaboration in the years ahead.”
On the EU side, Managing Director Rita Laranjinha stated: “I want to thank The Gambian government and His Excellency President Adama Barrow for hosting today’s dialogue that fully met the EU expectations. The friendly tone and the substance of our interactions today expressed the nature of our fruitful relationship, one of a true friendship: We dared to speak openly but showing mutual understanding and respect.
She added: “We remain mobilised in our multidimensional partnership which, in the current geopolitical context, has become more instrumental than ever. I also want to commend The Gambia for the significant role played in the multilateral fora and for the active participation in the EU-AU partnership whose 25th anniversary we celebrate this year.”
Background
The Samoa Agreement was signed on November 15, 2023 and serves as the framework for European Union (EU) relations with the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific (OACPS) states. The OACPS, with 79 member states, is the largest international organization to have entered into a legal agreement with the EU. Regular dialogues are instrumental in the EU – OACPS States partnerships.
Since joining the democratic family, The Gambia has been the main beneficiary per capita of the EU solidarity in Africa. To accompany and support the democratic transition and to strengthen The Gambia’s ambitious sustainable development agenda the EU has committed more than 500 million euros for the country since 2017. These efforts targeted the sustainable human-socio-economic development, transitional justice, the security sector reform and democratic governance.
