The Gambian ambassador-at-large, in an interview with Zoom Africa News, stated: Cairo and Banjul are entering a new phase of partnership, with promising opportunities in health, agriculture, and energy.
In light of the growing trend towards strengthening economic and developmental integration among African countries, Egyptian-Gambian relations continue to make significant progress, reflecting the strength of political ties and the growing opportunities for joint cooperation. With Cairo's increasing interest in expanding its partnerships within the continent, Gambia stands out as one of the countries witnessing a rising momentum in cooperation with Egypt at various levels.
During his interview with “Zoom Africa News”, Dr. Hatem Raslan, Ambassador-at-Large of the Gambia and Head of the Liaison Office in Cairo, revealed the features of the new phase in relations between the two countries, stressing that direct contacts between the leaderships of the two countries have contributed to pushing political and economic cooperation to broader horizons.
It also reviews the most prominent investment opportunities available to the Egyptian private sector, Gambia’s vision of the Egyptian role in Africa, plans to enhance trade exchange, in addition to joint projects currently being prepared, and growing cooperation in the fields of education, health, capacity building, and knowledge transfer, reflecting a partnership that is moving towards greater depth and sustainability.
To the dialogue text
To begin with, how do you assess the level of Egyptian-Gambian relations at the present stage, and what are the most prominent areas of cooperation that are witnessing momentum?
Egyptian-Gambian relations have witnessed remarkable development and significant momentum recently, as evidenced by the telephone calls that took place this year between President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and President Adama Barrow, which reflect the keenness of the two countries’ leaderships to enhance cooperation.
Relations are also witnessing increasing activity at the political and economic levels, along with cooperation in the fields of education, health, and capacity building.
What are your priorities as Ambassador-at-Large to The Gambia, and what makes this diplomatic mission unique?
I work through more than one diplomatic capacity serving the priorities of the Republic of The Gambia, whether as an ambassador-at-large, head of the liaison office in Cairo, or commercial advisor at the Gambian embassy in Riyadh, which covers eight countries.
The role of the roving ambassador is distinguished by the fact that it is not limited to a specific country or file, but rather moves according to the priorities of the Republic of The Gambia, especially in the economic and developmental fields, while working to facilitate the movement of officials and official and economic delegations, enhancing communication with partners, and opening new horizons for cooperation in a way that serves the interests of the state.
What are the most prominent investment opportunities that the Egyptian private sector can benefit from in Gambia?
Investment opportunities are large and promising in many sectors, most notably agriculture, industry, trade, tourism, health, infrastructure and energy, with a suitable environment for building successful partnerships between the private sector in both countries.
The health sector is a successful example of this, through the Egyptian hospital established in Gambia with full Egyptian investment, which plays an important role in supporting the health system, and is expected to serve a number of neighboring countries in the future as well.
How does Gambia view Egypt’s growing role within the African continent, especially in light of Egypt’s leadership of a number of African development initiatives?
Gambia views Egypt as a pivotal country in Africa, and appreciates its experience, historical legacy, and developmental role within the continent.
We have sensed great admiration from Gambian officials for the modern Egyptian experience, especially the new administrative capital, with a genuine desire to benefit from the Egyptian experience in the areas of development and infrastructure.
How can the volume of trade exchange, which is still less than the true potential of the two countries, be increased?
This requires facilitating the movement of cargo and air transport between the two countries, intensifying business missions, providing more information about the markets, in addition to establishing joint mechanisms to follow up on investment and trade opportunities, which has proven successful in the experiences of other countries with Gambia.
Are there any new projects or agreements being prepared between Cairo and Banjul?
There are already a number of projects and ongoing discussions between the two sides in more than one sector, reflecting the current positive momentum, and details will be announced in due course after the completion of official procedures.
What role can Egyptian companies play in infrastructure, energy and agriculture projects in Gambia?
Egyptian companies possess extensive experience that qualifies them to contribute strongly to these sectors in the future, especially given their successful experiences within Egypt and in many African countries, which opens the door for broader cooperation in the coming period.
How do you assess the cooperation between the two countries in the areas of education, capacity building, and training grants?
Cooperation in education is one of the most successful areas of cooperation between the two countries, as a large number of Gambian students study in Egypt, especially at Al-Azhar University. This is no longer limited to Sharia colleges, but has extended to scientific colleges such as medicine, engineering, and others, in addition to the training programs implemented by the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development.
One of the specialized Egyptian companies also witnessed the graduation of a group of Gambian trainees within advanced training programs in the fields of air navigation and aerial surveying, which reflects the expansion of areas of cooperation between the two countries in building capacities and transferring technical expertise.
What is the importance of the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development in supporting relations between the two countries?
The Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development has been a key partner of The Gambia for years, and has a prominent role in implementing training programs, capacity building, and transferring expertise in many fields, not only in The Gambia, but in various African countries.
