Ambassador Hatem Raslan represents Gambia at an African meeting on the Global Compact for Migration in Cairo

Dr. Hatem Raslan, Ambassador-at-Large of the Republic of The Gambia, participated in the Ministerial Meeting of Leading African Countries in Implementing the Global Compact for Migration, which was held in the New Administrative Capital in Cairo.

Ruslan said in a statement: “I was honored to participate as part of the official delegation of the Republic of The Gambia, headed by Sereng Modou Njie, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, in the Ministerial Meeting of Leading African Countries in Implementing the Global Compact for Migration, which was held in the New Administrative Capital in Cairo.”.

Strengthening African Cooperation

Ruslan added: This meeting was organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as part of preparations for the second forum to review the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration goals in New York next month.

He continued: The opening session witnessed a speech by Dr. Badr Abdel-Aty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs, in addition to a high-level participation from Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration, and a number of foreign ministers and representatives of 16 African countries, as well as representatives of the League of Arab States and the African Union. This participation confirms the importance of strengthening joint African cooperation, exchanging experiences, and supporting regional efforts to achieve safe and orderly migration management in a way that serves the interests of our peoples.

Relations between Egypt and Gambia

In a separate context, Dr. Badr Abdel-Aty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptians Abroad, received on Wednesday, April 1, Serigne Modou Njie, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Gambia, on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting of Leading African Countries in Implementing the Global Compact for Migration, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and intensify coordination and consultation on issues of common interest.

Minister Abdel-Aati praised the growing momentum in bilateral relations between the two countries, expressing his hope to continue developing and enhancing bilateral relations in various fields, stressing the importance of increasing the volume of trade exchange, encouraging mutual investments, and holding the joint committee between the two countries as soon as possible.

He called for opening up broader horizons for Egyptian companies and the private sector to take advantage of the opportunities available in the Gambian market, and to benefit from the opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, stressing the importance of the participation of Gambian companies and the private sector in the business forum that will be organized on the sidelines of the mid-year coordination summit scheduled to be held in El Alamein next June.

Minister Abdel-Aty also stressed the keenness to contribute to the implementation of national development plans in Gambia, especially in the areas of infrastructure, energy, roads, agriculture, food and pharmaceutical industries, and the readiness to support capacity-building efforts in Gambia through training programs offered by the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development and the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding, in addition to organizing training courses for Gambian diplomats, and exploring ways to enhance academic cooperation between Egyptian universities and the University of Gambia, particularly in the fields of medicine and engineering.