Nigeria and The Gambia have agreed to revive the Nigeria-Gambia Joint Commission as part of efforts to review existing bilateral agreements and identify new areas for cooperation.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Thursday by the ministry’s spokesperson, Mr. Kimiebi Ebienfa.
Speaking during a bilateral meeting with The Gambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Sering Njie, on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Enikanolaiye described relations between both countries as longstanding and cordial.
He stressed the importance of strengthening the existing partnership, noting that the reactivation of the Joint Commission would create a platform to review current agreements, deepen collaboration, and explore new opportunities for mutual benefit.
The minister also expressed appreciation to Njie for his commitment to enhancing ties between Nigeria and The Gambia, reaffirming Nigeria’s dedication to promoting pan-African unity, solidarity, and sustainable development.
Enikanolaiye highlighted the contributions of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (TAC), through which Nigeria deploys skilled professionals to African and Caribbean countries to support human capacity development. According to him, the initiative remains an important vehicle for fostering cooperation and strengthening institutional capacity among developing nations.
In his remarks, Njie congratulated Enikanolaiye on his appointment and commended his efforts to further strengthen bilateral relations.
He expressed The Gambia’s gratitude for Nigeria’s leadership during the country’s 2017 political crisis, noting that Nigeria’s intervention played a significant role in restoring stability. He cited the deployment of troops under the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) and the training of Gambian military personnel in Nigerian military institutions as key contributions.
Njie also acknowledged Nigeria’s continued support through the deployment of Technical Aid Corps volunteers, whose work has helped build capacity in The Gambia’s education, healthcare, and legal sectors.
Source:NAN
