The Speaker of The Gambia’s National Assembly, Fabakary Tombong Jatta, has underscored the vital role of parliamentary diplomacy in reinforcing bilateral relations between The Gambia and Senegal. His remarks came after a high-level visit to Dakar, where he served as keynote speaker at the closing ceremony of Senegal’s 2024–2025 Ordinary Parliamentary Session. Speaking in Dakar, Jatta stressed that legislative institutions can serve as powerful instruments for peace, integration, and regional development—especially in West Africa’s current climate of political and security challenges. He noted that closer collaboration between the two legislatures could promote policy harmonization, cross-border cooperation, and more unified positions within regional blocs such as ECOWAS and the African Union.
“Parliamentary diplomacy complements state-to-state relations by creating channels for deeper dialogue, trust-building, and shared legislative practices,” Jatta said. The visit also included bilateral meetings with Senegalese lawmakers and parliamentary committees focused on trade, security, youth development, and border cooperation. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to advancing common priorities through legislative engagement, especially on matters affecting the Senegambia region.
Jatta concluded by reaffirming The Gambia’s readiness to work closely with Senegal to strengthen institutional ties and jointly address pressing regional issues such as migration, climate change, and democratic governance.
