Yesterday, Monday, the activities of the Egyptian-Gambian Economy and Investment Conference, organized by the Egyptian-African Businessmen Association, were launched in Cairo, headed by Dr. Yousrey ElSharkawi, in cooperation with the Liaison Office of the Republic of Gambia in Cairo. 140 Egyptian and Gambian businessmen participated in the conference; In a gesture to increase and support economic and trade cooperation between the two countries under the directives of the political leadership of “Egypt and Gambia” with the aim of opening prospects for investment and trade in West Africa, and developing Egyptian relations with African countries.
The organizers of the conference seek to provide a platform to support the African economy and promote investment and trade opportunities. To achieve the vision of the continent and make it a new home for business and investment. The opening speeches addressed the definition of investment opportunities between Egypt and Gambia, the rates of trade exchange between the two countries, and how to work to improve them in the future with the participation of the private sector.
The opening session also emphasized the modest trade exchange between Egypt and Gambia, and that it is not commensurate with the strength of the two countries, despite the available opportunity and investment facilities to establish factories and export companies between the two countries, given that the Gambia is a wide gateway to West Africa.
At the beginning of the meeting, Elsharkawi indicated that the conference is a starting point for deepening and increasing relations between Egypt and Gambia in all economic and investment fields, and stressed that the rapprochement between Egypt and Gambia opens up promising prospects. To enhance economic activity, and exchange joint investments in a way that serves the common interests of the two countries, stressing that such conferences contribute greatly to the rapid flow of capital movement, which enhances the revitalization of bilateral relations at the economic level, in a way that achieves huge gains for both parties.
He added that Egypt and Gambia have a number of features that increase investment and commercial growth opportunities, stressing the association’s desire to provide full support for the Gambian economy, and support the country’s efforts and major steps to cross to development and prosperity, and stressed his full confidence in the Gambia’s ability to achieve its hopes and aspirations.
Elsharkawi explained that the relations between the two countries will witness during the coming period a quantum leap, the beginning of which comes from these influential bilateral conferences and meetings, and what will be achieved as a result of the strengthening of consultation and coordination, and stressed that the year 2023 will be a year of Egyptian-Gambian economic cooperation, explaining that the bilateral meetings Between businessmen in the two countries, it will provide an effective mechanism for consensus on various areas of cooperation, and remove obstacles affecting the movement of trade and investment.
Dr. Mamadou Tangara, Gambian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, participated in the conference, who emphasized that the Egyptian-African Businessmen Association is a strong platform for effective and sustainable dialogue, aimed at discovering more investment opportunities and achieving economic goals. Stressing that the association is a platform for continuous communication; And discuss ways of fruitful and constructive cooperation in the continent.
Boa Saidi, President of the Central Bank of the Gambia, Ambassador Sherif Mukhtar, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for West African Affairs, and Ambassador Omar Jibril, Extraordinary Ambassador of Gambia in Riyadh, with the participation of Ambassador Hatem Riad, Dr. Yahya Al-Wathik Billah, representative of the Egyptian Ministry of Industry and Trade, and Mr. Hatem Raslan Egypt’s commercial representative in Gambia.
Mr. Adi Mas Jobe, President of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, expressed his happiness at attending this huge conference, and praised the events and activities carried out by the association so far to serve the African economy, stressing its positive impact in highlighting African investments, and stressed the importance of striving to advance These joint relations forward, and increase economic cooperation, and investments between Egypt and Gambia, by encouraging the mechanism of joint companies between the two countries, and organizing visits for businessmen from both sides to discuss investment opportunities in the two countries.
Mr. Adi Mas Jobe stated that the association is making tremendous efforts to create a suitable environment to facilitate the entry of Gambian businessmen into the Egyptian economy, and to increase joint investments. Africans with a number of businessmen in the Gambia during the last period, with the aim of enhancing joint cooperation and discussing mechanisms to increase trade exchange.
Mr. Yahya Al-Wathiq Billah, Head of the Commercial Representation Authority – Ministry of Industry and Trade, added that there are promising opportunities for economic cooperation between the two countries, stressing that Egypt and Gambia enjoy many advantages, and explained that these advantages encourage the private sector in the two countries to cooperate and establish joint projects, and stressed that the model The Egyptian and Gambian economist could write a great success story in enhancing their productive capacity and greatly boosting economic activity.
He stressed that the Egyptian-Gambian relations are preparing for a whole new phase, which will be characterized by prosperity at all levels, noting that the conference revealed the depth of the deep-rooted relations between the two countries, and also outlined the features of the next phase of cooperation between Egypt and the Gambia.
During the conference, intensive bilateral meetings were held between Egyptian businessmen and Gambian businessmen. To enhance multilateral cooperation efforts and stimulate their participation in the development of the economy of the African continent, to develop cooperation in the economic, investment and trade fields, and to strengthen cooperation and coordination frameworks on all issues of common concern.
It is scheduled to organize a visit of a delegation of Egyptian businessmen to Gambia next March. With the aim of discovering investment opportunities in the Gambia, getting acquainted with the investment and commercial fields more broadly, and visiting a number of companies wishing to cooperate with the Egyptian side, to achieve unprecedented results at all levels, and to create new opportunities for joint investment. Egyptian-African businessmen, and invited all businessmen wishing to expand the horizons of cooperation between the two sides, and to participate in advancing economic and investment relations.
Elsharkawi concluded the conference, by emphasizing the association’s support for the efforts of the African countries, and their support for the success of the continent’s economic goals, explaining that organizing the conference comes from the goals and mission of the association in supporting the African economy, and highlighting the existing investment opportunities, again thanking all attendees, and wishing the implementation of all recommendations conference as soon as possible.