Panafrican News Agency

3 female diplomats present credentials to President Barrow

Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - President Adama Barrow on Thursday received the Letters of Credence of the Malaysian High Commissioner to The Gambia, Shazelina Zainul Abidin, the Ghanaian High Commissioner, Gloria POKU, and Ambassador of The Arab Republic of Egypt, Noha Ahmed MAHER KHEDR, at a ceremony at the State House in Banjul.

In a statement, made available to PANA on Thursday, President Barrow congratulated the diplomats, extending greetings to their respective Heads of State and Government.

He further expressed his government’s readiness to work together with both Malaysia and Egypt, in the domains of trade, tourism, renewable energy, and capacity building through education and training.

Commenting after receiving the letters of credence, the Gambian leader said “this will enhance the already existing very good relationships as well as strengthen African integration in the case of Egypt.”

Responding, the Malaysian High Commissioner, Zainul Abidin, said Malaysia has good relations with The Gambia, which she intends to enhance through education for students and professional training for civil servants in various areas.

She said that being members of The Commonwealth and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Malaysian government is considered as a good friend of The Gambia, indicating that their bilateral relations anchored on mutual respect.

The government of Malaysia over the past decade has helped the people of The Gambia, particularly in the areas of trade and capacity building by offering scholarships to deserving students as well as short- and long-term training for Gambian Civil Servants.

On her part, the Egyptian Ambassador said the bilateral relations between the two countries are long-standing, with efforts to find new ways to strengthen the already-existing strong ties.

In 2018, President Adama Barrow visited Egypt - the first time a Gambian Head of State will be in the Arab Republic - and since then, relations have improved from strength to strength, with Gambia receiving technical assistance in all its key development sectors.

To his Ghanaian counterpart, through the High Commissioner, President Barrow thanked the fellow West African country for its strong support in the ECOWAS military support in the Gambia (ECOMIG) and the straightening of institutions like the judiciary through technical support.

-0- PANA MSS/VAO 04Feb2021