The President of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Edi Mass Jobe, has highlighted that cross-border trade between Senegal and The Gambia is vital, but lamented that stumbling blocks remain in the way of smooth trans-boundary commerce between the neighbouring countries.
As The Gambia and Senegal gear up for the Senegalo-Gambia Presidential Council and the Senegambian Economic Forum, the Gambian delegates, comprising State and private sector actors, met at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre on Thursday, to knock heads together for the Gambia’s position for the extremely vital upcoming bilateral engagement.
“Today, we convene a crucial meeting of Gambian delegates- government and private sector alike-to prepare our national input for the upcoming Senegal-Gambia Presidential Council and the Senegambian Economic Forum,” Mr Jobe said in opening remarks at the Gambian Delegates’ Conclave Thursday morning.
The GCCI president pointed out that non-physical barriers continue to militate against trade between The Gambia and Senegal, despite the extreme significance of cross-border trade between the two nations.
“Trade between The Gambia and Senegal is vital, yet it remains hindered by non-physical barriers-administrative bottlenecks, and outdated colonial-era structures that were never designed to promote African integration,” he stated.
Mr. Jobe underlined that the trade potential between Senegal and The Gambia has yet to be optimally harnessed.
“While Senegal exports electricity and cement to The Gambia, and facilitates petroleum transit to Mali, the full potential of cross-border trade remains untapped,” Jobe told the Gambian Delegates’ Conclave. He added: “This conclave aims to identify practical solutions to these challenges, strengthen private sector collaboration, and advocate for freer, fairer trade that benefits both countries. As close neighbours with shared history and interdependent economies, we must remove the barriers that divide us and build systems that serve our people.
“Our goal is clear: a more integrated and prosperous Senegambian corridor-driven by cooperation, not constraints.”
Meanwhile, the Gambian Delegates’ Conclave was held amid sustained calls on the Gambia government to remove the hefty cement tariff that it imposed on imported bagged cement since last year. Local cement importers and cement exporters as well as dealers at the other side of the border in Senegal have been counting their losses as a result of the Gambia government’s tariff policy, which saw the duty on a bag of cement jump from D30 to D180 in February of last year.
It is hoped that this issue and germane matters will feature prominently in the discussions during the approaching Senegal-Gambia Presidential Council and the Senegambian Economic Forum.
