Speaker Anġlu Farrugia received the new High Commissioner of the Republic of The Gambia Habib Saihou Drammeh.
Speaker Farrugia noted that although diplomatic relations between Malta and The Gambia were established on 21st October 1976, contacts between the two countries were sporadic. He mentioned the memorandum of understanding on cooperation in migration matters, signed in September 2014, and the meeting between the respective Foreign Ministers last January on the margins of the EU-African Union Foreign Ministers meeting. He commended the Gambian decision to re-join the Commonwealth on 8th February 2018 and expanded on the involvement of the Maltese Parliament in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, particularly his Chairmanship of the Small Branches, which tenure came to an end last September.
The two dignitaries discussed issues of mutual interest, namely cooperation in the fields of tourism, health and agriculture as well as at a parliamentary level. The enhancement of trade relations and the educational opportunities which Malta could offer to Gambian students through MEDAC and IMLI also featured in their talks.
The High Commissioner was accompanied by Mr Philip Sabena Sambon, Deputy Head at the High Commission of The Gambia in Spain.
