By Zainab Bakare
Nigeria and The Gambia have agreed to revive the Nigeria-Gambia Joint Commission as both countries seek to strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation across key sectors.
The agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, and The Gambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Sering Modou Njie, on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
According to a statement by the Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, Ambassador Enikanolaiye reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening its longstanding relationship with The Gambia and exploring new areas of collaboration for the mutual benefit of both countries.
Njie congratulated Enikanolaiye on his appointment and expressed appreciation for Nigeria’s continued support, particularly its role in helping resolve The Gambia’s 2017 political crisis.
He said Nigeria’s intervention laid the foundation for the country’s political stability and ongoing development.
The Gambian minister also acknowledged Nigeria’s contributions through the Technical Aid Corps programme, the deployment of troops to the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG), and the training of Gambian military personnel in Nigerian military institutions.
Enikanolaiye reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to promoting African unity and development through the Technical Aid Corps, which deploys skilled professionals to African and Caribbean countries to support capacity building.
Both ministers agreed that reviving the Nigeria-Gambia Joint Commission would create a platform to review existing agreements, reactivate dormant areas of cooperation and identify new opportunities to strengthen relations between the two countries.
