The Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Dr Mamadou Tangara, Wednesday 19th September 2018, paid an official visit to Kazakhstan.
In his maiden official visit to Astana, Dr Tangara met the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kairat Abdrakhmanov.
The two ministers of foreign affairs, discussed the forthcoming summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to be held in the Gambia next year. Dr Tangara told Foreign Minister Kairat that the Gambia plans to adopt the experience of Astana, which hosted the event last year.
“Kazakhstan’s experience in building dialogue is interesting for us. Inter-ethnic and inter-faith dialogue, is important for us. We all must maintain fraternal relations and strive for dialogue,” Dr Tangara said.
While emphasising the importance of what unites people and not what divides them, Tangara applauded Kazakhstan’s relations with its neighbors.
“Kazakhstan has powerful neighbors, but has peaceful relations with them. We have much to learn from you. I would like Kazakhstan to be more active in Africa,” he added.
For his part, Foreign Minister Kairat thanked the Gambia for supporting the Central Asian country’s UN Security Council candidacy, and for all the peace initiatives in Astana.
“Seventy percent of the agenda of the UN Security Council, is occupied with issues of peace and security on the African continent,” the Kazakh Foreign Minister said. Abdrakhmanov continued that Gambia would play a key role at the OIC next year.
“During our talks, we discussed important events, such as the Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the OIC and the organization’s summit. Kazakhstan will help Gambia in preparing for these important events,” he said.
During the meeting, the two Foreign Ministers discussed measures to encourage and support inter-ethnic dialogue, which will be the main theme of the next Congress of Leaders of the World and Traditional Religions, to be held in October, 9 -10, in Astana.
The two Foreign Ministers expressed their desire to strengthen economic cooperation.
