By Hassan Osman Kargbo
His Excellency President Adama Barrow of The Gambia welcomed the newly appointed High Commissioner of the Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du Fleuve Gambie (OMVG), Mr. Demba A. Jallow, along with his team, to the State House in Banjul.
The meeting marked an important moment for regional cooperation, with the new High Commissioner seeking guidance and expressing his gratitude for the trust placed in him by President Barrow.
Mr. Jallow and his team visited the State House to formally thank the President for his nomination and to discuss their new roles within the OMVG framework.
The OMVG is a significant regional organization that brings together the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal, with the aim of promoting sustainable development and cooperation among member states, particularly in areas related to energy, water resources, and agriculture.
President Barrow expressed his appreciation for the new High Commissioner’s appointment and underscored the critical importance of advancing the OMVG’s agenda.
The President emphasized the need for greater African integration, particularly through collaborative efforts in key sectors such as energy and agriculture. “The work of the OMVG is crucial not only for the region but also for the broader vision of making African integration a reality,” said President Barrow during the meeting.
A key point of discussion was the OMVG’s ongoing electricity project, which is a major initiative that directly benefits the member states. The project focuses on enhancing the region’s access to sustainable and reliable electricity, with an emphasis on improving the living standards of citizens across the Gambia and its neighboring countries. President Barrow acknowledged the progress that has been made so far but stressed the importance of ensuring the long-term sustainability of the project. He urged the team to work together to safeguard the project’s future and maximize its impact on the region’s development.
Another important topic during the meeting was the OMVG’s water component, which is seen as a game-changer for agriculture, particularly in the area of rice cultivation. President Barrow expressed optimism that the availability of water resources through OMVG initiatives would significantly contribute to increasing rice production, ultimately helping The Gambia and its neighbors achieve greater food self-sufficiency. By boosting rice cultivation, the President believes the initiative could also play a vital role in stabilizing the cost of living in the region.
“The water component of OMVG will be crucial for boosting rice cultivation in the Gambia and beyond. It will help reduce our dependency on imports, ensuring that we can produce more of what we need locally. This, in turn, will help to stabilize the cost of living and contribute to the overall well-being of our people,” President Barrow stated.
Mr. Jallow and his team reassured the President of their commitment to working diligently for the benefit of the member states. They expressed their readiness to collaborate closely with The Gambia and other OMVG countries to ensure that projects under the organization’s portfolio are effectively implemented and meet the needs of the people they serve.
The Honourable Minister for the Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change, who accompanied the OMVG team to the State House, also highlighted the importance of cross-border cooperation in tackling shared environmental challenges. Ministerial support for the OMVG’s objectives was reiterated, with a focus on ensuring that both the environmental and socio-economic goals of the organization are achieved.
As the meeting concluded, President Barrow once again extended his congratulations to Mr. Jallow and his team, expressing confidence that their leadership would further strengthen The Gambia’s commitment to the OMVG’s mission. The President reiterated that sustainable regional cooperation remains central to achieving the country’s development goals and ensuring the prosperity of the wider West African region.
The visit and discussions signal the continued importance of the OMVG’s work in fostering integration and cooperation among West African nations, as they collectively seek to overcome shared challenges and unlock opportunities for growth.
