Event Details
6 months ago
Gambia and Spain Strengthen Ties with MoUs on Migration
By Landing Ceesay (Kerr Fatu)
The Republic of The Gambia and the Kingdom of Spain have formalized their commitment to addressing irregular migration and combating crime by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The agreements were signed during the visit of Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, to The Gambia on Wednesday.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador Lang Yabo, Permanent Secretary 1 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Gambians Abroad, emphasized the longstanding bilateral relationship between The Gambia and Spain, dating back to 1965.
Ambassador Yabo noted that building a secure and prosperous world requires strong international partnerships, and Prime Minister Sanchez’s visit is a significant step toward that goal.
“The two countries (The Gambia and Spain) have done and achieved a lot together. But there is still a great potential to expand and do more, especially in the areas of Trade and investment, connectivity, tourism, agriculture, energy, and leveraging on the potential of migration. Apart from the Gambia, we have more Gambians living in Spain than anywhere in the world. Therefore, Excellencies, I consider this visit very historic and timely,” he said.
Ambassador Yabo highlighted that the relationship between The Gambia and Spain is characterized by numerous shared aspects, including intermarriages and trade, which underscore the strong connections between their people.
Ambassador Yabo highlighted that the relationship between The Gambia and Spain is characterized by numerous shared aspects, including intermarriages and trade, which underscore the strong connections between their people.
He emphasized that cooperation and support are key elements of the relationship, particularly in areas such as tourism, health, education, and direct people-to-people exchanges.
Domestically, Ambassador Yabo noted that both nations are committed to shared values, including the promotion of democracy, the empowerment of women and youth, peace and security, and a collaborative approach to addressing global challenges.
On the international stage, Ambassador Yabo pointed out that The Gambia and Spain work closely together on multilateral issues such as combating human smuggling, improving migration management, promoting a rules-based international order, upholding human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, and fighting transnational crime—cornerstones of peace and development.