By Kebba Jeffang
Gambian President Adama Barrow, has expressed optimism that The Gambia could learn from China by opening up to investment, create jobs for rapid economic and infrastructural development and for rapid growth. President Barrow was quoted in a State House statement on Wednesday saying the country’s land, river and youthful population has given it an advantage for rapid development; that with the right investment, knowledgeable and skilled people, the Gambia could be transformed at a rapid pace. “China was able to realise unprecedented development in the last forty years with the right policies and commitment of her people,’ he said.
He said his administration supports the One-China Policy to promote togetherness, which he emphasized was the reason The Gambia was able to achieve the desired change from dictatorial regime to democratic governance.
The China Peoples’ Congress is pursuing the Chinese policy for Africa through the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation – FOCAC, and it is scheduled to have its 2018 Summit in Beijing. The partnership between the Gambia and China is being strengthened within the framework of the recommendations of the Johannesburg FOCAC Summit in 2016.
