President Adama Barrow received Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Ojukwhile on Wednesday at State House. The Nigerian official brought a special invitation from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the West Africa Economic Summit. Leaders across the region will gather at Abuja from June 20-21 to discuss trade and investment opportunities. The summit focuses on regional integration, peace, security, and fighting poverty across member nations. Barrow thanked Tinubu for the invitation and praised Nigeria's leadership role.
African countries trade less than 20 percent among themselves compared to other global regions. Barrow said African nations must look inward for economic growth as world policies change rapidly. Cross-border...
Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe wants authorities to create a special lending bank for women across Gambia. She believes Gambian women work harder than women from other African countries but lack financial support. Lowe points to Senegal as an example where women can borrow money for business ventures through dedicated banks. The mayor says women need collateral before receiving loans from these specialized institutions. Such banks would help women become financially independent through business ownership.
Market vendors and gardeners face serious problems when trying to sell their crops and vegetables. Many gardens lack water sources and proper fencing around their growing areas. Women cannot preserve perishable goods because they have...
Modou Lamin B. Bah warns about flood risks as the Banjul Project falls behind schedule. The National Assembly Member represents Banjul North and sees problems with drainage systems. Road networks look almost finished but sewage connections remain incomplete. Heavy rains could cause flooding disasters like those from 2022. City officials work with disaster management teams to prevent flash floods.
Workers continue building drainage links to the main ring canal across different neighborhoods. Some flood-prone areas still need repairs before the rainy season starts. Residents complain about delays and question concrete road quality. The National Assembly committee monitors project spending and provides regular updates. Local people want...
The China Index 2024 shows growing Chinese influence across Gambia through multiple areas of society. Taiwan-based Doublethink Lab published the report that ranks countries based on Chinese government reach. Gambia jumped 14 spots from 2022 to reach 36th place among 101 nations worldwide. The country ranks 8th among African nations south of the Sahara Desert. Chinese diplomats built stronger ties with local mayors and government officials.
Gambia ranks third worldwide for supporting Chinese foreign policy positions on disputed territories. The nation backs Beijing's claims about Taiwan and avoids criticizing China over human rights issues. Local media outlets receive Chinese funding and coverage that favors Beijing's viewpoints. QTV...
Fire destroyed more than 1,000 cashew trees at a farm near Jimara District last week. Prince Bubacarr Aminata Sankanu lost his entire plantation and farming center during the blaze. The flames burned down storage buildings, equipment sheds, and water systems across the property. Local women used portions of the land for free to grow groundnuts and millet crops. Community members depended on the farm for their main source of income each season.
Ebrima Janko supervises workers at the site and called the fire mysterious because it started after hours. Nobody knows what caused the flames to spread across the cashew plantation. The fire damaged tractors, trucks, farming tools, and irrigation equipment worth thousands of dollars. Sankanu...
West African nations finished a three-day training meeting about business standards at Abidjan during late May. Leaders from ECOWAS technical committees learned new procedures for matching regional rules with world practices. The workshop helped officials from different countries work together better on trade policies. Mr. Lassane Kaboré from ECOWAS praised the updated ECOSHAM model for improving regional cooperation. Côte d'Ivoire hosted the event and provided support for all participants.
Committee chairs studied best practices from Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo during group sessions. Officials focused on digital platforms that help countries share information about standards. The meeting covered Halal food rules that could open new...
Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya wants to keep scoring goals when FC Platinum faces ZPC Kariba at Mandava Stadium on Saturday. The 22-year-old striker started the season slowly but found his scoring touch recently. He scored twice for Zimbabwe against Mozambique during the COSAFA Cup tournament. Ngwenya has netted five goals across his last eight league matches after struggling early. His improved form comes at the perfect time for his club team.
The forward scored 10 goals during his first full season with FC Platinum two years ago. He added seven more goals the following campaign before injuries hurt his progress. Last season limited him to just 10 appearances and four goals total. His current five goals represent more than half of FC...
Small farmers from Mwenezi turned sesame into their main money crop. These growers deliver their harvest to the local processing center each June. Government partners helped teach farmers about sesame production methods. The crop brings steady income to rural households across the district. One farmer said sesame changed his family life completely.
Processing plant operations started during 2022 and farmer numbers jumped from 200 to nearly 10,000. Last season brought exports of 212 tonnes to Japan and Mozambique markets. International buyers from India and China want 10,000 tonnes per year from Zimbabwe. Lloyd Masunda from Sustainable Agriculture Technology confirmed growing demand worldwide. The export business continues expanding as...
The National AIDS Council started a new program to help rural men learn about health problems. Gogo Dorcas Mpofu leads meetings with 20 men at Mbondo Business Centre. She teaches them about HIV, prostate cancer, and sexual abuse of children. The elderly woman carries a notebook and pen to each session. Men gather like they would for traditional court meetings but talk about medical issues instead.
Local men changed their habits after attending these health talks. One older man went to the hospital after hearing about early treatment benefits. He said doctors helped fix his medical condition during that visit. Other men report feeling more aware of health risks. The community meetings encourage men to seek medical care when they feel...
