(JollofNews) – The governments of the Gambia and Russia have signed an agreement on visa exemption for official holders of passports.
The agreement was signed in Banjul by the visitng Russian Foreign Minister Mickhai Bagnodov and his Gambian counterpart, Ousainou Darboe.
Speaking to reporters, the Gambian minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Ousainou Darbo hailed the strong relationship between the two countries, which opened doors for their citizens
He said the visa exemption deal will facilitate for business people and officials to move freely between the two counties.
For his part, the Russian Foreign Minister, Mickhail Bagnodov, conveyed President Vladimir Putin’s gratitude and best wishes to President Adama Barrow.
He said Russia is happy with the new developments in the Gambia and noted that with stability there will be socio-economic development. He said it will also provide a conducive environment for good collaboration between the countries.
As part of the new ties, the Gambia and Russia have agreed to engage in regular consultations to further work on other sectors such as trade, tourism, training of personal and security.
Mr Barrow is throwing all the balls in the air and hoping to see how they land. Good thinking.
You have my blessing for extending a hand of friendship to Russia, but my advice is, watch your back! Uncle Sam and allies don’t look favourably towards those who lean towards Vladimir Putin, and they have very long arms and some ingenious tactics.
Well said Bax, uncle Sam and her neocon friend’s do not like peace, but I guess Russia can supply the Gambia with a few of the deadly and most respected S 300 missiles, to put on her boarders, I also wonder what the neocon commonwealth club, has to say about the visa deal, Boris Johnson must be foaming around his mouth. One thing though Mr President Barrow, watch out for the sanctions card play, you know African leaders are not to successful when it comes to the ICC!
On the flip side, I can feel international support for president Borrow slipping with that visa deal, they will be labeling President Barrow a tyrant soon via the so called free media. President Barrow has balls of steel and he just proved it, I for one back you on this deal, shake off the shackles Sir.
The foreign policy of the Gambia ought not to be influenced by foreign policies of geopolitical enemies of Russia, (on top of the table), though there are plenty indications that democratic values are loathsome to the taste of the Kremlin.
Who is really going to care a heck what Whitehouse thinks about Gambia strengthening diplomatic ties with Russia with Trump’s persistent xenophobic incitements. Apart from his bitter-hearted immigration laws and border fencings, look at another athletically and academically promising 15yrs old black kid deliberately shot dead by Texan police in midst of it all?
Nonetheless, this is not justifying diplomatic ties with Russia who are again being suspected of trying to stick a nose in the French presidential elections by hacking the Macron campaign emails and dumping them in social media networks.
The Barrow administration must be very cautious of whoever or for whatever, in tying diplomatic relations with, being it U.s.a, E.u or Russia.
The ECOWAS member states can do a lot among themselves in terms of economic and human resources developments.
Security deals with Russia is a perilous thing to proceed on because the 300s missiles Russia can dump in the Gambia may be hyped and outdated ones. Besides, Gambia won’t need to be isolated with a rise of new political ideology of it’s citizenry in a promisingly prosperous and peaceful ECOWAS. ECOWAS and Africa in general must start lining out their own blueprints and in their own definitions. There must be an urge, patience and steadfastness with respect to research work and experiment, thereafter, space is the limit.
Cum now Gentlemen/ This is a tourist trade initiative that Jammeh supervised.
I think Barrow just gained a few Russians and lost the majority of British and Dutch tourists.
I don’t see Senegal and the French being best pleased either/ Seeing as Macron is loudly accusing The Russian’s for interfering in the French Election.
Minus zero points for Barrow. Loss of Jobs for the rest.
Russians interfering with French elections! Take that with a pinch of salt. Not even the Russian interference in USA elections should be taken seriously.
The policy of pinning all blame on Russia is obviously an opportunistic move to make the best out of very bad situations: these countries are facing serious activism within, and one manifestation of this activism is whistle blowing.
The problem is growing and solutions have to be found, because public opinion about governments and the ruling elite is changing, as more and more people begin to doubt their own governments.
One way to mitigate against the effects of whistle blowing on public opinion is to blame it on a perceived enemy, and here, Russia fits the bill perfectly.
So, rather than the contents of the leakages, which are real and not fake, being the issues for discussion, it is a non existent “Russian aggression” that dominates the discussions.
This anti Russian madness has another useful purpose: it creates a cold war scenario, which is very good business for the arms industry.
In fact, they are making a (finacial) killing as the world is driven towards mutual distrust, senseless violence and endless death and destruction.
According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the sales of the top 10 of the largest 100 arms contractors, accounted for over $208 Billion, out of $410 Billion, in 2011 alone.
That’s over 50% of total sales for that year and one doesn’t need a degree to know where these top 10 companies are located or what influence they have on the politics and policies of their governments.
Bax, Sad world we are living in, we are cohabiting with animals with the appearance of the original man.
Barrel Bombs, Sarin Nerve Gas, and a whole host of denials.
“Suffer the little children to come unto me”
Hon Mike Scales is now the Propaganda Minister for Al Qaida in Syria! I leave to to my in-law: “This anti Russian madness” says Bax.
Mike…
Barrel bombs and sarin gas are bad, but so too are depleted uranium and white phosphorus. The problem though, is the attitude of the West and Western supported “global” institutions, in relation to the use of these weapons.
Unfortunately, the position of the Western world we see in Syria is nothing but cheerleading for Al-Qaeda, through all sorts of dubious fronts. And frankly, you should be speaking for the sheep and cattle of Russia. They are the ones being surrounded by combat ready troops, with daggers drawn and ready (deadly war machines).
Isn’t it funny that Russian involvement in Syria, legitimate under International law because it was at the request of the legitimate authority of Syria, is seen as Russian aggression, whilst the USA and allies, who have no mandate from any authority, other than their own governments, is not seen for the aggression and lawlessness it is.
Let’s be honest, what’s happening in Syria is a crime against humanity and the USA and allies, particularly Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Israel, are the criminals and they should be held to account.
The Syrians have legitimate claims against their government and there are many genuine Syrians who want to pursue their political grievances, through peaceful, legitimate means and these are the ones that must be assisted.
Those who took up weapons (and they are very few because 80% of fighters are not Syrians) have lost the legitimacy of their claims and the Syrian state has the duty to confront any citizens who resort to use of arms, just like any other state authority.
The Federal Government in USA would have responded the same way if the 99% had resorted to arms during the 99% demonstrations or the UK Government, during the Tottenham riots. There is great injustice against Bashar Al-Assad for geological ambitions of certain players, and it should be condemned by all honest and just human beings.
Right, some FACTS here:
1. Gambia does not need, and will never need, S300 missiles!!!!
2. Gambia will never need any Russian weapons to defend its borders against bandits
GOT THAT? Good;
3. This is Foreign Minister Lawyer Ousainou Darboe’s, or The Gambia government’s deal. Adama Barrow as President is not personally responsible for it.
4. European and British tourists WILL FLOCK to The Gambia even with a tourism deal with Russia. Turkey and Egypt were the biggest destinations of Russian tourists – and the numbers of Western tourists INCREASED at the same time. Afterall, the Brits & the Europeans are the biggest “CONSUMERS” of those beautiful Russia women and where better to meet them than in the Smiling Coast! Was it Putin who recently boasted that “There are more beautiful women at the Moscow train station than there are in the whole of the USA”? I love that!
5. “This anti Russian madness” says Bax. It is also idiocy. A week or two ago the UK Defence Secretary said that the UK would consider “Nuclear weapons pre-emptive first use”!! Putin replied: “UK must then have a DEATH WISH – because the whole LITTLE ISLAND would be wiped off the world map”!
6. As for the US Arms Expenditure, much of it goes into the CORRUPT pockets of bussinessmen and politicians. That is why weapons that cost $billions don’t work! The scandal about this is amazing but, Bax, it is all covered up.
7. Gambia’s signing of a business visa deal would not bother the West in the slightest – because the West don’t see oil, diamonds and gold in The Gambia! When they last saw gold in slavery they enslaved us! Now slavery is not allowed, and we don’t have much, they leave us alone.
8. The West’s investments are now strictly PROFIT driven. The Russians and the Chinese invest with eyes firmly on strategic political interest. For example, the World Bank would not finance Akasumbo Dam for Nkrumah – the Russians built it for him. The World bank would not finance the TanZam Railway for Mwalimu – the Chinese built it anyway. The World Bank would not finance the AU HQ in Addis – the Chinese made that magnificent centre “A Gift” to Africa. Even in The Gambia, the Chinese built the Bakau Stadium and the Friendship Hotel (I stayed there as a “tourist”). In East Africa the Chinese are building a modern railway from Mombasa to Rwanda (although I loved the grinding smoke puff of the old one as a child!). So it is highly conceivable that the Chinese and the Russian’s will make substantial infrastructure investment in The Gambia – investment that the profit-driven West would not make.
SO, LAWYER DARBOE’s move here might turn out to be a brilliant one – a WIN/WIN.
“S300” how could anyone really take me serious on that? I should have put a smiley face beside it! But thanks for the clarification on Mr President.
Russian Tourists have a reputation, deserved or not, of, not leaving a tip, holidaying in big families (even if there are the odd Natashas), thus not interacting much with the locals, and not generally, spending big on holidays. Still, its another market, but that does not mean inevitable cannibalization, since Russia has plenty of investors who may be willing to put up new hotels and resort complexes to absorb their and other tourists. Iran might even make a comeback, piggybacking on Russia.
It should also be remembered that Africa, ultimately, is the new frontier, as the rest of the world has all but gotten saturated with certain types of investment opportunities.
Please Mr Putin sir!….Don’t nuke our sheep and cattle up here in lazy Westmoreland.
I speak on behalf of all sheep and cattle>>>.Baaaaaa !!! Moo !!!!
and the rights of all newborn Spring Lambs.
>>> One the other hand, It would clean all that bad air pollution in London. ? For at least the next 25,000 years,
>>>and lower the price of housing in Notting Hill.
On the other hand it would increase the price of our local caves,,, Oh! Dear !
Bax my old buddy/ You and I rejoiced when the Arab Spring began and condemned those governments who had suppressed democracy for centuries. We then condemned the use of the military for opening fire on unarmed civilians who protested. As a mirror image, you and I condemned the shooting of 14 student and Omar Barrow on 10 th April 2000 and The brutal Jammeh Dictatorship for 22 years.
You say Barrel bombs and Sarin Nerve Gas are bad. Words are cheap.
You condemned terrorism on numerous occasions and disowned ISIS as it is not a true reflection of Islam.
Now you uphold the Assad regime after a million deaths and 10 million displaced citizens.
The end result of The Arab Spring is an inhuman catalogue of carnage, destruction and a total suppression of the democratic will of the people.
I salute all victims of State military power and reject the rule of the elite minority over the majority will of the people. I am sorry you failed this time ..but you will surely come again. Such is the right of freedom and human rights to all.
You and I rejected The West’s invasion of Iraq.
The West learned many lessons from that conflict and apart from the recent cruise missile attack from the US at the airbase that Launched the Sarin Gas attack. The West have largely taken no part except in logistical form. The main thrust of Air support is aimed at Isis which was a decision taken and approved by Parliament .
In another theatre; I communicate with a top female journalist regularly from the Ukraine.
She doubles as a well known international award winning, Journalist, and bares arms in the heart of the regional conflict backed by Russia. Her sacrifice and danger is very evident in all her messages. So is her patriotism and her love of her country.
Yes I am pleased that our government would in an extreme case use all our defence weapons against tyranny. …and yes it was the British who stood against another tyrant who invaded Poland in 1939. >>.and we supported the French as they were over run by Hitler’s Nazi storm troopers.
WE value our friends and we keep our treaties. British blood enrich’s the foreign fields of the world. And yes….we fear no tyrant, no bully no matter how big and God willing we will be victorious and keep freedom as our true belief no matter what the cost no matter what the terrible loss and no matter what the obstacle.
In the words of Mr Churchill…”We shall never surrender”
Thank God for this “little Island”
Mike..
You and I will go together if we both agree that tyranny must be challenged and defeated, but we may go our separate ways, if you think that a country can be completely destroyed to defeat a tyrant, as happened in Iraq and Libya, and is happening in Syria.
We will definitely go our separate ways if you think that some countries can use “all their defensive weapons” (whatever that means) in an extreme case, whilst others cannot do the same. I would think that what’s good for the goose, is also good for the gander.
“Now you uphold the Assad regime after a million deaths and 10 million displaced citizens.”
No Mike, I did not uphold the Assad regime. Pointing out an injustice against the Syrian State, should not be seen as upholding the Assad regime.
The Assad regime, whether the USA and allies like it or not, is the legitimate authority in Syria and it has the duty to confront any citizen or group of citizens who use arms to fight against the state.
The small demonstration of “students” that erupted in Daara’a would have naturally died down or contained, if it wasn’t highjacked by Muslim Brotherhood extremists, some of whom were already smuggled into that country by certain intelligence agencies.
In fact, a recently declassified CIA document produced in 1986, exploring different scenarios that could precipitate the collapse of Hafez Al-Assad’s regime (father of Bashar), mimicked the scenario in Syria today so much, that it could have been enacted from the document “verbatim”.
And in the Preface of the document, a reason for the collapse of the Syrian regime was clearly given:
“In our view, US interests would be best served by a Sunni regime controlled by business-oriented moderates. Business moderates would see a strong need for Western aid and investment to build Syria’s private economy, thus opening the way for stronger ties to Western governments. [pg. 24].”
Are you surprised that it is the Sunni Jihadists, released from prisons in Saudi and other Gulf states and paid handsomely, that are wrecking havoc in Syria ?
“The main thrust of Air support is aimed at Isis which was a decision taken and approved by Parliament .”
To be honest Mike, until Russia got involved in Syria, it is doubtful whether the bombing campaign in Syria actually targetted ISIS. It is believed and highly probable that Syrian infrastructure was the main target of the Western coalition to hamper the movement of Syrian troops.
How else could the unhampered extraction and sale of Syrian oil to Turkey by ISIS be explained, if they were targeted by coalition bombs ? It’s not like those endless columns of tankers could be hidden by ISIS from coalition bombers. What about those brand new Nissan Hilux trucks used by ISIS to relocate from Iraq to Syria, through open desert ? Remember the much publicised non lethal aid to the Free Syrian Army?” Guess what else is comprised in the aid: Nissan Hilux Trucks and other 4x4s and SUVs from the West.
What about the “accidental” weapons drops from coalition aircraft? You can’t make this stuff up. It’s as plain as daylight.
Update on the case of the African lady committed to a Mental Institution;
I was sent the tribunal papers as the named person on behalf of the patient. I was phoned by a caseworker who was very inquisitive about who I was. I was repeatedly asked if I intended to take legal action. I quickly became a little suspicious over this particular line of questioning. I did say that if any further harm should befall this young lady, I would immediately put all those responsible in front of a Judge. 48 hours later she was released and housed in a modern two bedroom apartment with cooking facilities. She now also has access to a reputable firm of immigration solicitors who have now written to The Home Office to inform them of a significant challenge to her deportation request. I believe this challenge has every chance of success.
The lady contacted me yesterday to offer me thanks and a further offer of several thousand pounds. I of course refused.
She also offered to come look after me and my increased disability. I thanked her for her kind consideration , but again declined her offer. I don’t think it appropriate that a beautiful 28 year old African lady should cohabit with a 67 year old disabled pensioner with only business leadership credentials. I am hopeful she will continue her Master’s degree and at sometime return to her job in education in her national government.
All in a day’s concern for me. Much more to those in grave peril.
To stop one tyrant from committing wholesale murder in Benghazi only resulted in creating 100 new tyrants,,,,, as was the case in Iraq encouraged by outside forces from The Middle East.
So many factions and hatred in both countries; Not for The West but for each other.
Where you can find a common consensus is religious and ideology tensions that have always existed.
When the West intervenes it is condemned as the aggressor. When it turns a blind eye, we are accused of sitting on our hands in the face of wholesale murder.
It does not assist the economic interests of The democratic world for conflict to guide any interests. Obama was guided by diplomacy. Let’s wait at least 6 months to see what Trump will learn and do?
and Bax….you can divide from me anytime you choose, I respect your opinion always.
,,,and don’t be moved by a disclosed document from 1986>>> governments change and so does shared intelligence and policy.
What about ISIS Twitter accounts being traced to DWP in London by hackers? London did admit to owning those IP addresses, but stated that they were sold to a Saudi Arabian firm, and that they have no control, once sold.
Fair enough, but one would still raise eyebrows about global Jihadists using London IP addresses to spread their poison around the world.
Indeed, history has given the West the unique position of leadership today, and there are many wonderful things that they have done for humanity, but there are those ocassions when the West has not only failed to play that leadership role fairly to avert crisis, they have actually been complicit in the exacerbation of the crisis. Unfortunately, we are seeing more of the latter today, than the former and it’s driving the world towards conflict.
Currently, despite the violence and instability in the Middle East, the West is assembling, training and equipping an Iranian Kurdish group in Iraq, to begin armed struggle against a religional power like Iran, whilst the Mojahadin E Khalq group of Iran (MKO), a terrorist group that has killed thousands, was delisted by Washington. This is absolute madness. This is one of the reason why the West is ready to fall out with their NATO ally Turkey, who consider all Kurdish groups as terrorist, and support the creation of an “independent” Kurdishtan.
Don’t be naive Mike. There is nothing that assists the economic interest of the ruling elites in the “democratic West” than far away conflict. War is good business for these people and they learnt that from the two world wars. They just dropped a massive bomb on Afghanistan and even conservative estimates put the cost at $170, 000 per unit, and it’s got to be replaced. So too are the tomahawk cruise missiles you cited earlier. That’s $1million each, I think.
Surely, an accomplished businessman can see the potential here, can’t you?
Bax; I think Obama lost ground for The West to play a leading role as The world’s policeman. He pledged to get US troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan and proclaimed that The US would not be spending another trillion dollars on another Iraq style war. The Main focus of the Obama administration supported by Clinton and Kerry was diplomatic engagement. Meanwhile the super powers have been busy supplying arms for proxy wars that have definitely helped to balance the economic books following the Banking crash of 2007/8 and its continuing aftermath. Trump appears to be searching for another solution. He has sent mixed messages to Nato, which was largely funded by the US. With the intention of warning its members that they need to pay their fair share for its existence and security to all member states to enjoy its added security.
I have some sympathy for your thoughts on Russia, but any imbalance in military equality can only destabilize their future and Europe’s Future. The worst thing that can happen is that The US tries to regain the upper hand and force another arms race. Russia with its energy assets and its pipeline feeding European countries would not now fold as easily as it did in Thatcher and Reagan’s time/ You may recall the second world war against Japan was fuelled by claims to oil to fuel Japanese economic and military expansion. The Chinese are moving into claims of offshore oil reserves within disputed territorial waters. Building man made Islands to enhance their claims. Meanwhile the North Korean’s are making a lot of nuclear noise. Who is giving them this the supplies and the technical knowhow ? Your fears on a possible emerging threat is well founded.
History has a habit of repeating itself over and over again.
Its good to talk and share thoughts.
There is a lot of “meat” in this discussion…I feel. But let us not forget the Gambian question and the rights of Africans.