Ahead of OIC Summit
By Mahzouba Maya Faal
On Saturday, 13April 2024, Mr. Mohammed B.S. Jallow, the Vice President of The Gambia, led an inspection tour of Banjul International Airport and the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center, in anticipation of the 15thHeads of States and Government Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), scheduled for May 4th and 5th 2024.
Accompanied by senior Government officials including the Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service, the Chief of Staff at the Office of The President and some Cabinet Ministers from various key Ministries such as Works, Defence, Lands, Health, Petroleum, Information and Tourism together with the Chief Protocol at the Office of the President and members of the OIC Secretariat, VP Jallowvisited facilities and infrastructure essential for the successful hosting of the forthcoming summit.
The assessment commenced at Banjul International Airport where VP Jallow and his entourage began their evaluation with the security barracks at the main airport entrance, before proceeding to inspect the VVIP lounge, airport apron and firefighting and rescue service unit.
Subsequently, the delegation proceeded to the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center in Bijilo, the designated venue for the OIC summit.
During his visit, Vice President Jallow toured meeting halls/rooms and translation booths and inspected crucial components of the conference infrastructure.
This comprehensive inspection afforded the Vice President and his delegation an opportunity to gauge the level of preparations and ascertain the readiness of both Banjul International Airport and the SDKJ International Conference Center for the 15thIslamic OIC Banjul Summit.
Speaking to the press, Vice President Jallow remarked that Gambia’s preparation for the summit is up to standard and emphasized that despite being the first time for the country to host such an event, The Gambia has garnered experience from attending OIC Summits elsewhere, and ensured that compliance is established on standards. He commended the Government of The Gambia under the leadership of President Adama Barrow for utilizing local resources in the preparations, and dispelled misconceptions regarding external funding. He expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Finance for allocating significant resources to the Secretariat, noting that substantial investment is being made to ensure the success of the summit.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) known as the second-largest inter-governmental organization with a membership of 57 states spanning four continents coordinates the Islamic Summit.
Consequently, dignitaries including Presidents, Kings, Sultans, Prime Ministers and other world leaders from 57-member countries of the OIC and beyond, will be in attendance.
