Africa-Press – Gambia. Sering Modou Njie, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Gambians Abroad, has engaged in a series of high-level bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the discussions focused on strengthening The Gambia’s diplomatic ties, advancing mutual interests, and reaffirming the country’s commitment to promoting peace, justice, and solidarity within the Muslim Ummah.
In his meeting with Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Minister Njie expressed appreciation for Riyadh’s continued support, particularly its role in hosting the 15th OIC Summit and its contributions to The Gambia’s development initiatives. He also welcomed Saudi Arabia’s decision to establish a Resident Embassy in Banjul, pledging The Gambia’s readiness to facilitate its formal opening.
Highlighting The Gambia’s recent decision to abolish entry visas for Saudi nationals, Minister Njie emphasized the move as a step toward strengthening economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.“He highlighted The Gambia’s recent decision to abolish entry visas for Saudi nationals as a means to strengthen people-to-people and economic ties,” the ministry stated.
The Foreign Ministry further reported that Minister Njie extended gratitude to his Turkish counterpart for Türkiye’s steadfast support. He particularly acknowledged Türkiye’s recent pledge of USD 200,000 to support The Gambia’s ongoing case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the Rohingya crisis. Minister Njie assured his counterpart of Banjul’s strong commitment to advancing bilateral ties.
The Foreign Minister also held talks with Md Touhid Hossain, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, during which they reviewed the longstanding partnership between the two nations. The discussions covered joint efforts on the Rohingya case and the importance of continued resource mobilization for ICJ proceedings. Both parties welcomed the recent entry into force of the Visa Exemption Agreement for holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports as a milestone in facilitating closer cooperation.“Both parties welcomed the recent entry into force of the Visa Exemption Agreement for holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports, signed earlier this year, as a milestone in facilitating closer exchanges.”
Additionally, Minister Njie congratulated Iraq on its upcoming Chairmanship of the 52nd OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, while exploring opportunities for collaboration in trade, tourism, energy, and investment. He also met with his Somali counterpart to discuss strengthening bilateral relations, enhancing security cooperation, and promoting solidarity within the OIC framework.
Reaffirming The Gambia’s principled stance on the question of Palestine, Minister Njie pledged his government’s continued commitment to mobilizing international support for the Palestinian cause.
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