Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Moroccan Export Caravan Arrives In Banjul

The Gambian Minister of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment Honorable Yusupha A. Kha, yesterday at the Sheraton Hotel and Spa in Banjul, welcome 165 Moroccan delegates to The Gambian soil at the symposium of the third edition of the Moroccan export caravan to Africa.
The third edition of the Moroccan caravan was the first time to be hosted by the government of the Gambia and was co-organised by The Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA), Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), and the Ministry of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment.
The caravan is part of Morocco export's strategies to built economic and trade relationship between Morocco and other African countries including The Gambia.

In his remarks at the symposium, Minister Kha on behalf of the government and people of The Gambia, welcome the mocoroccan delegation, led by Honorable Abdellatif Maazouz, Minister of External Trade, Kingdom of Morocco, while recognising the central role played by The Gambia's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Mocorro in facilitating the activity.
According to him, "the bi-lateral relationship between the Kingdom of Morocco and The Gambia has grown stronger over the years and is no longer to be demonstrated. " Our work is made easier because our two visionary leaders, His Royal Highness King Mouhammad VI and His Excellency Sheikh Professor Dr. Alhagie Yahya AJJ Jammeh, have pave the way for the governments and people of he two countries to achieve great results," he continued, "our two leaders have the shared vision for their people and indeed the African continent to achieve their development aspiration within the shorest possible timeframe," he stressed.
Minister Kha highlighted that trade and trade-related activities are among the most critical tools for development and integration adding that it is widely recognised nowadays that the fastest and most effective way for African integration to come about is through trade. Therefore, "this caravan cannot come at a better time".
He buttressed that The Gambia is very proud to be one of the countries receiving the Moroccan caravan, which accordingly the minister said is at its third edition.
Kha says ''I think this is a very innovative and effective way to allow business from two countries to collaborate and to explore areas in which they can work together". The caravan, he suggested should afford economic agents from both countries, the unique opportunity to develop and consolidate interesting and mutually beneficial partnerships.
"I am confident that our private sectors can complement each other caravan has brought to The Gambia and many Moroccan business people from diverse sectors, citing electrical, food processing, public works, information technology amongst others, minister said.
Minister Kha went on to state that his ministry and GCCI are very excited for hosting the event noting that "by this concrete expression of South-South Cooperation".
The Gambia, he explained is very keen to see more cooperation of this nature from other countries on the continent but was quick to say that "it is unfortunate, that more often than not our countries look beyond the neighbourhood for any trading and investment opportunities. " But I strongly believe that, good and even better opportunities exist on the African continent, " Kha expressed.  
He told delegates that long -term development blueprint of The Gambia government that is vision 2020 is anchored on private sector led development strategy. Therefore, the government of The Gambia will continue to ensure that the right business environment exists in the Gambian soil for our private sector to flourish.
As a government, Minister Kha said they will encourage and also facilitate the collaboration between Gambian private sector and other friendly countries private sectors citing Morocco as a example.


    

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