By Fatoumatta L Sisay
The Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services of The Gambia, Hon. Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, has concluded a two-day working visit to neighbouring Guinea-Bissau, marked by high-level meetings, media facility tours, and the signing of a key Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on media cooperation.
Day one of the official working visit to Bissau commenced with a high-level meeting between The Gambia’s Honorable Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, and his counterpart, Mr. Florentino Dias, Minister of Social Communications of Guinea-Bissau. The meeting was held at the Palácio do Governo de Guiné-Bissau.
Following a brief tête-à-tête, the two Ministers were joined by their respective technical teams, which included the Director Generals of the state broadcasters and print media. Also in attendance were the heads of the national news agencies from both countries.
On the second day of his visit, Minister Ceesay toured Radiodifusão Nacional da Guiné-Bissau, the state-owned radio broadcaster. The tour, led by Director General Mr. Mama Saliu Sane and officials from Guinea-Bissau’s Ministry of Social Communications, offered insight into the country’s broadcasting infrastructure and ongoing reforms.
Following the tour, the Gambian Minister participated in a live panel discussion where he outlined the objectives of his visit, highlighting the importance of implementing tangible actions to realise the goals of the MoU scheduled for signing later in the day.
Minister Ceesay and his delegation also paid a courtesy visit to the Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau, H.E. Rui Duarte de Barros. The meeting, facilitated by Guinea-Bissau’s Minister of Social Communications, Dr. Florentino Fernando Dias, focused on strengthening ties between the two countries. Prime Minister Barros welcomed the delegation warmly and praised both ministries for their proactive engagement, emphasising the need for collaboration not only in media and communication but across various sectors. He also conveyed warm greetings to Gambian President Adama Barrow and Vice President Mohammed B.S. Jallow.
The Minister’s visit continued with a tour of the national newspaper’s headquarters, where he was briefed on the publication’s historical role in Guinea-Bissau’s fight for independence.
The visit culminated in the official signing of a sectoral MOU between the Gambian and Bissau-Guinean ministries. The agreement focuses on cooperation in social communication, including the exchange of radio, television, and print media content, the establishment of media correspondents in both countries, and joint efforts to develop diverse, culturally rich programming.
In his closing statement, Dr. Ceesay expressed gratitude for the hospitality extended by his hosts and praised the hard work of both technical teams. He urged that the implementation of the simpler aspects of the MOU begin by June 2025. Both ministers called on their teams to remain committed to delivering the outcomes envisioned in the agreement.
The two-day visit is seen as a significant step forward in strengthening bilateral ties between The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau, particularly in the field of media and communications.
