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5th African sub regional International Sports Conference opens in Banjul

The National Sports Council has convened a sub regional conference for stakeholders and sports administrators. The three day 5th African International Conference of the African sports management association aim at improving ways to better the management of sport, especially at the grassroots.The theme of the conference centres on grassroots sports development which is an important aspect of sustainable sports development. Members of the Africa Sports Management Association say grassroots sports management is a key priority on their agenda. Saihou Sanyang who deputised for the Gambia's minister for sports said the Gambia government through the sports ministry are advancing efforts towards the development of sports. Marcel Mendy the Executive Director of the National Sports Council highlighted the role sports plays in the life of athletes.  At the end of the three-day convergence, participants are expected to make significant positive contributions towards the enactment of sport management practices in Africa and beyond. The African Sport Management Association was founded in 2010 during the 17th Biennial International Conference of the International Society for Comprehensive Physical Education and Sport held at Kenyatta University in Kenya.  

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Inauguration of Stade Abdoulaye Wade

The President H.E Adama Barrow was among several leaders who attended the official inauguration of Stade Abdoulaye Wade, a new multi-million Dollar sports stadium in the Senegalese capital Dakar. The ultra-modern sports complex named in honour of the former Senegalese President is seen as an important achievement in sports development for Senegal which won the African Cup of Nations. The opening ceremony was attended by heads of state, veteran sports personalities and fifty thousand people from across Senegal. The President was received at the Leopold Sedar Senghore military airport by the Senegalese Minister of youth and Sports. He was officially received at the Presidential Palace in Dakar by Senegalese President H.E Macky Sall. The President joined several other dignitaries invited for the landmark event which is expected to transform Senegalese sports. The stadium took two years to complete and costs over 200 million Euros. President Sall accompanied by his guests including President Barrow took the official kick off of a match pitting Senegalese veteran footballers against their African counterparts. Speaking during the ceremony President Sall acknowledged the benefits such infrastructure would bring to Senegal and its sports sector. FIFA President Gianino Infantino and CAF President Patrice Motsepe both hailed the new stadium as an important achievement that would significantly improve sports development in Senegal and the continent. The 50 thousand capacity can host football and rugby matches as well as athletics. 

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President Barrow returns from Dakar, Senegal

 The President his Excellency Adama Barrow arrived in Banjul on Wednesday following a brief visit to Dakar Senegal, where he was invited for the inauguration of a multimillion euro modern stadium in Diamnyadio on the outskirt of Dakar.The President was invited alongside other heads of state and sport elites for the spectacular event unveiling the new stadium.  President Barrow returned with an ambition to replicate Senegal's 50 thousand capacity stadium in The Gambia to improve sports infrastructure in the country.President Barrow congratulated his Senegalese counterpart Macky Sall for building such a modern sporting edifice at the tune of over 200 million Euro. While in Dakar, the Gambian leader said he held discussions with the leaders of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA over the condition of Gambia's only stadium. President Barrow said, both organisations promised to support Gambia in this regard.

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Fisheries Officers Trained on Digital Data Collection

The Department of Fisheries embarked on data collection training for the fisheries information system. Director of Fisheries Anna Mbenga Cham, reaffirmed the Fisheries Department’s commitment to the development of the Fisheries sector. Dr. Patrice Brehmer, from the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) said the training was a continuation of the first phase, which was the harmonization of data collection at sub-regional level, and deploying a digital data collection system in order to facilitate the work on the landing site. He said the second phase, would extend the use of the android tablets in other to collect some important data. He revealed that some sea water temperature sensor which can communicate with the tablet would be deployed and the information can be sent directly to the Fisheries department. An observatory for mammals on the beach and all the sea weed events would be set as well report other observations like marine pollution, accidents or unusual interference at sea. The objective is to show the ability of the Fisheries Department and its data collectors to act as the eyes and the ears of The Gambia along the coast.

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PPP EXECUTIVES ENDORSE PRESIDENT BARROW AHEAD OF DECEMBER POLLS

Prominent executive members of the People’s Progressive Party, PPP, led by former party leader Kebba Jallow, on Wednesday formally endorsed President His Excellency Adama Barrow and the National People’s Party, NPP-led Alliance, at State House.The delegation pledged to support the President’s candidature and work to ensure victory in the December 5th presidential election.Speaking to GRTS after the endorsement, Mr Jallow reaffirmed his support for President Barrow, saying the President has done so much for the country and deserves another term in office.Deputy Public Relations Officer of the NPP, Honourable Seedy S.K. Njie, welcomed the PPP executives into the Alliance. He said President Barrow is pleased to accept the endorsement.The PPP becomes the latest political party to throw its weight behind President Barrow, barely four months to the presidential election.President Barrow Meets GK Partners CEOIn a separate engagement, President Barrow also received in audience Mr Gibril Faal, Chief Executive Officer of GK Partners.Mr Faal briefed the President on the activities of GK Partners, particularly its ongoing Diaspora Fellowship project being implemented jointly with the International Organisation for Migration, IOM.He also updated the President on strides made in diaspora direct investment, noting that The Gambia now leads in monitoring remittance data through the Central Bank of The Gambia.President Barrow underscored his commitment to supporting the project and urged GK Partners to do more public relations work to inform Gambians about their initiatives.

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VP JALLOW RECEIVES GAMBIA GIRL GUIDES OVER SKILLS CENTRE CHALLENGES

The Vice President, His Excellency Mohammed B.S. Jallow, on Tuesday granted an audience to members of the Gambia Girl Guides Skills Centre at State House.The delegation met the country’s number-two office to discuss operational challenges facing the centre and to seek government support.The Gambia Girl Guides Skills Centre is one of the country’s first skills development facilities. It supports young girls in areas including tailoring, cuisine, hospitality, and tie and dye.However, over the years, the centre has deteriorated. The structures are old and dilapidated, activities have slowed, and authorities say they are losing both trainers and trainees.Faced with these challenges, the administration sought intervention from the Office of the Vice President.Following a closed-door meeting with the Vice President and senior officials, Chief Commissioner of the Gambia Girl Guides Association, Khadijatou A. Jobarteh, said the centre has done well but continues to face frustrations.(H.E Mohammed B.S Jallow - right - and Khadijatou A. Jobarteh, Chief Commissioner of the Gambia Girl Guides Association - left)Chief Commissioner Jobarteh added that the Association is also seeking an audience with First Lady Her Excellency Fatou Bah Barrow to discuss their concerns.Members of the Association said Vice President Jallow gave his full assurance that he will look into the challenges facing the centre. She said the Vice President has promised to engage the concerned Permanent Secretaries at the Ministries and the Office of the First Lady. In outlining the path to reviving the centre, Chief Commissioner Jobarteh highlighted key areas needing urgent assistance. She said they would need refurbishment of the centre and funding to be able to pay the trainers. Officials expressed optimism that the engagement with the Vice President will be a catalyst for change to restore The Gambia’s only Girl Guides skills training facility. 

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PRESIDENT BARROW HOSTS STATE BANQUET FOR GABONESE PRESIDENT NGUEMA

The President, His Excellency Adama Barrow, hosted a state banquet in honour of visiting Gabonese President, His Excellency General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, at State House.The banquet, attended by Gambian and Gabonese officials and invited dignitaries, marked the climax of President Nguema’s four-day visit to The Gambia.President Nguema was accompanied by First Lady Her Excellency Zita Oligui Nguema. They were received by President Barrow and First Lady Her Excellency Fatou Bah Barrow.The evening featured a toast to the enduring relationship between Gabon and The Gambia, followed by a dinner of traditional Gambian cuisine. Guests were entertained by a kora troupe and cultural performances showcasing Mandinka, Serer, and Jola music and dance.

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VP JALLOW, EU AMBASSADOR DISCUSS PARTNERSHIP AND ELECTION SUPPORT

The Vice President, His Excellency Mohammed B.S. Jallow, on Wednesday granted an audience to the European Union Ambassador to The Gambia, Her Excellency Immaculada Roca i Cortés, and her delegation at State House.The meeting focused on EU interventions in The Gambia and ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.Speaking to reporters after the closed-door meeting, Ambassador Cortés said the visit aimed to review ongoing cooperation between the EU and The Gambia across key development sectors.With The Gambia’s presidential elections less than four months away, Ambassador Cortés described the period as critical and stressed the need for close collaboration with development partners."The EU remains committed to supporting a peaceful and inclusive electoral process in The Gambia," she said.The Ambassador described the engagement as fruitful, noting that the Vice President was highly receptive and shares the EU’s vision for The Gambia’s development drive.Officials said discussions also covered how to enhance existing EU-funded projects and ensure they deliver maximum impact for Gambian communities.While the meeting has concluded, both sides reaffirmed that engagement between the Government of The Gambia and the European Union will continue as they work to advance the country’s development agenda.

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LESOTHO PARLIAMENT SPEAKER VISITS THE GAMBIA TO LEARN FROM UNDP PARTNERSHIP

The President, His Excellency Adama Barrow, on Tuesday received in audience the Right Honourable Tiohang Sekhamane, Speaker of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Lesotho, at State House.Speaker Sekhamane was accompanied by a high-level delegation that included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Serign Modou Njie, and the UN Resident Coordinator, Karl Frederick Paul.Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Speaker Sekhamane said the visit was jointly organised by the Government of The Gambia, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Government of Lesotho.He noted that The Gambia has made significant strides through its partnership with UNDP on government development financing."Therefore, I came here to learn from The Gambia and see how Lesotho can adopt a similar partnership for the development of our people and country," he said.Speaker Sekhamane concluded by thanking President Barrow for his leadership, vision, and commitment, which he said have contributed to the success of the program in The Gambia.The engagement forms part of efforts to strengthen South-South cooperation and share best practices in governance and development.

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THE GAMBIA AND GABON SIGN 5 AGREEMENTS TO BOOST TRADE, DIPLOMACY AND AGRICULTURE

The Gambia and Gabon have signed five agreements to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, diplomacy, and agriculture.The signing followed a three-day visit by Gabonese President His Excellency General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema to The Gambia, aimed at deepening bilateral ties. Both leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to African unity, Pan-Africanism, and South-South cooperation.President Oligui Nguema was received with full honours on arrival at State House for talks with President Adama Barrow.The two leaders held private discussions for nearly an hour before presiding over an expanded meeting with senior officials from both sides. They reaffirmed their joint commitment to strengthen Banjul-Libreville relations.President Barrow welcomed the Gabonese delegation, describing the visit as “an important milestone” in the friendly relations between The Gambia and Gabon.He commended President Nguema’s leadership, saying it has made Gabon a bastion of democracy, peace, and development in Africa.  “The Gambia shares these values and is committed to working with other African countries, including Gabon, to strengthen cooperation in all areas of development,” President Barrow said.In his remarks, President Oligui Nguema thanked President Barrow for the warm hospitality.  “The Gambia and Gabon have dynamic and positive relations. I look forward to strengthening this partnership for the mutual benefit of our two countries,” he said.The Gabonese leader noted that both countries share common positions on many issues, and called for joint action to tackle piracy, illicit trafficking, and other illegal activities in West and Central Africa.The two leaders presided over the signing of five cooperation instruments. The agreements were signed by The Gambia’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dawda Jallow, and Gabon’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marie-Édith Tassyla-Ye-Doumbeneny.The agreements are:1. General Cooperation Agreement between The Gambia and Gabon2. Agreement Establishing the Gambia-Gabon Joint Commission 3. Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemptions for holders of diplomatic and service passports4. Memorandum of Understanding on Political and Diplomatic Consultations between the two Foreign Ministries5. Joint Communiqué reaffirming commitment to deepen cooperationA joint communique read by Ministers Jallow and Tassyla-Ye-Doumbeneny described the visit as successful, saying it has laid a “solid and concrete framework” for partnership.The communique reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to continue dialogue and consultations to deepen cooperation in education, health, agriculture, and infrastructure. It also pledged to increase exchanges to promote peace, African unity, Pan-African solidarity, and South-South cooperation.At the end of the meeting, President Barrow saw off his counterpart, who proceeded with other engagements, including a visit to the Katchikally Crocodile Pool in Bakau.

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