By Makutu Manneh
Ousmane Diagana, the World Bank Group’s Vice President for Western and Central Africa, has said the bank has doubled its portfolio in The Gambia for the last four years because the latter is a very important partner for the World Bank.
Mr. Diagana made this disclosure after meeting President Adama Barrow at the State House on Friday, 13 September 2024, for a dialogue with the presidency as well as the government of the Gambia.
Mr. Diagana expressed optimism by promising that the World Bank will continue working with the Gambia, as a haven for peace and stability with a youthful population. This is the first joint mission of the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to The Gambia. The World Bank provides loans and grants to governments of low and middle-income countries, for them to pursue their capital projects.
On the other hand, President Barrow emphasized the urgent need for reliable and affordable energy for sustainable development and job opportunities for young Gambians. He equally stated the need to turn agriculture into a business venture to reduce poverty and contribute to the Gambia’s economy.
Seedy Keita, Gambia’s Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs said The Gambia is not just dealing with the World Bank but the entire entities of the World Bank Group, because their engagements have taken new heights.
“The IFC is very much in the country and for the first time, the Gambia is one of the 21 countries that the World Bank is piloting a one-country system where they will have one office addressing all bank engagements with that partner country,” he said.
