By Fatou Sillah
The National Assembly on Tuesday ratified a visa exemption agreement between The Gambia and Gabon, allowing holders of diplomatic and service passports to travel between the two countries without obtaining an entry visa.
The agreement, presented to lawmakers by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Gambians Abroad, Sering Modou Njie, allows eligible passport holders to enter, leave, or transit through either country and remain for up to 90 days without a visa.
Mr. Njie said the agreement was intended to make official travel easier and deepen diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries.
“The agreement before this honorable assembly is an important instrument designed to facilitate official travel between The Gambia and Gabon by exempting eligible holders of diplomatic and service passports from visa requirements,” he said.
The agreement follows a state visit to The Gambia by Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema from July 30 to Aug. 2, during which the two governments signed a series of agreements aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation.
Those included a general cooperation framework, an agreement establishing a Gambia-Gabon Joint Commission for Cooperation, the visa exemption agreement, and a memorandum of understanding on political and diplomatic consultations.
Mr. Njie told lawmakers that removing visa requirements would make official exchanges between the two governments more frequent and efficient while creating opportunities for broader cooperation.
“The ratification of this agreement will facilitate greater official exchanges and create an enabling environment for cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, education, culture, and other areas of mutual interest,” he said.
Easier official travel, the minister added, could encourage greater dialogue, institutional cooperation, and investment while strengthening cultural and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
Mr. Njie said the arrangement was based on reciprocity and sovereign equality, with both governments extending the same privileges to eligible diplomatic and service passport holders.
He said the agreement was also expected to strengthen diplomatic cooperation and contribute to wider efforts toward African integration.
Comments are closed.