By Makutu Manneh
During his day-long visit to The Gambia, both President Barrow and President Diomaye Faye called for the strengthening of bilateral relation between the two countries.
Speaking at state house during his visit on Saturday, President Faye said, “I can only continue where Macky Sall stopped, I cannot do anything less than that. President Barrow the friend you had in Senegal is the same friend you still have there. We must work tirelessly to see that the relationship between our two countries will become stronger, softer and continue to go forward likewise with other African countries.”
“Today we are here to visit our family, friends and our very own. We have the same ambition which is why our relationship has reached this point.”
President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, said the borders and flags of Senegal and The Gambia are of no importance, adding that the only prudent thing is the coexistence of their people because they are interrelated.
He expressed gratitude to President Barrow for his stand in maintaining the relationship between The Gambia and Senegal.
President Faye made his second foreign visit to The Gambia after being elected as the 5th and youngest President in Senegal. He said he visited Mauritania first because the President of Mauritania is the Chairman of the African Union (AU) and his visit there is like he has visited the entire Africa Continent.
At the Statehouse the two Presidents had a consultative meeting to review the status of their bilateral relations where they reaffirmed their commitment to maintain the established Presidential Council.
They also agreed to implement the agreement signed on Security, Defence, Forestry and Wildlife management, Trade, Air travel, Education and the Judiciary.
President Adama Barrow, said only peace can exist between The Gambia and Senegal because they are the same people living in different countries.
He told President Faye that The Gambia is their reliable partner in both bilateral and multilateral. President Barrow also reiterated that Faye’s visit is a family and traditional one.
He added that they were able to successfully discuss their bilateral relationship, how to strengthen the Senegalo Gambia Secretariat, and how Senegal can support Gambia’s hosting of the OIC.
“We also talked about security because if there is no security in Senegal there is none in the Gambia,” he said.
