State House, Banjul, 12th December 2024: At the invitation of H.E. William Ruto, the President of the Republic of Kenya, H.E. President Adama Barrow attended Kenya’s 61st National Day Anniversary as the Guest of Honour.
President Barrow highlighted the importance of building African ties and exploring the numerous opportunities within the continent, such as innovation in technology, agriculture, and education, for broader collaboration that would result in shared growth.
Here is an excerpt from President Barrow’s statement at the celebration:
“The Republic of Kenya and The Gambia have much in common, in terms of history, culture, and colonial experience. It is little wonder, therefore, that we are celebrating together the National Day of this great nation, the Pride of Africa.
Looking forward, there is ample scope for our two countries to explore and deepen our bilateral relations in the mutual interest of both countries.
There is also much to learn from each other’s experiences and mutually leverage our respective strengths to our advantage. Specifically, numerous opportunities exist for broader collaboration that would result in shared growth, marked by advancements, for example, in innovation, technology, agriculture, and education.
The Gambia is committed to good governance, which makes us open and able to collaborate and cooperate closely with the Republic of Kenya and other African countries.
The occasion accords us the opportunity to reaffirm our collective commitment to the ideals of Africa’s Pan-Africanist founding fathers – unity, solidarity, and cooperation. Together, let us work towards a better future, characterised by economic prosperity within our uniquely peaceful, stable, and socially diverse but harmonious communities.”
As part of the Independence Day Celebrations, President Barrow was honoured to a luncheon at the State House of Kenya. In his toast, President Barrow said Africa must trade more amongst itself, citing the low trade within the continent. This call is in line with the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement of the AU.
Additionally, President Barrow emphasised the values The Gambia shares with Kenya, including the democratic values of unity, patriotism, freedom, and liberty.
Later in the afternoon, President Barrow visited the Kenya National Park in Nairobi, established in 1964.
State House of The Gambia
