Gambian Vice-President, Isatou Njie-Saidy addressing government's first 'consultative meeting' with its citizens in the Diaspora on Tuesday, has emphaiszed the need for all hands to be on deck towards the country's development process. The government from 3-4 January organised the meeting on the theme, 'Harnessing Diaspora Engagement in Support of Enhanced Socio-economic Development of the Gambia' in Kololi Town.

“The government has found it absolutely necessary to look inwards in our quest for solutions, drawing on the view that 'only Gambians can develop The Gambia,'” she stressed.

“This is precisely why we are hosting this historic dialogue for the first time and we hope and pray that it will become a permanent fixture on our development calendar,” Njie-Saidy added.

Mrs Fatou Bom Bensouda, the newly-appointed Chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), who spoke on behalf of Gambians abroad also reechoed the need for tapping the potentials of all the country's nationals towards development.

She said Gambians working for international groups and development bodies could still give relevant inputs regarding Gambia's sectoral development policies and programmes.

“Similarly, while Gambian professors and lecturers in the Diaspora can play similar roles, they could also be more directly useful to our University by contributing to the development of curricula and study programmes, facilitation of student and staff exchanges with universities of international repute and, through sabbaticals, come to The Gambia to deliver lectures and share their experiences,” she added.

The meeting, which aimed at harnessing the potentials and talents of Gambians in the Diaspora, was coordinated by the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Pana 05/01/2012