The President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Dr George Donkor, led a high-level delegation to the State House in Banjul where they held talks with President Adama Barrow.

The visit coincided with the Bank’s 23rd Board of Directors meeting, being hosted in The Gambia for the first time since the Bank’s establishment.

The delegation included the outgoing Board Chairman and Gambia’s Minister of Finance, Seedy Keita.

President Barrow welcomed the team and praised EBID’s decision to hold the meeting in Banjul.

He urged the Bank to increase its support for private sector-led initiatives, which he described as more efficient in implementing development projects compared to government-led processes.

He also expressed appreciation for the Bank’s continued support to member states and encouraged the delegation to explore alternative sources of revenue to drive sustainable development across the region.

Citing The Gambia’s own fiscal progress, President Barrow noted that domestic revenue collection had increased by 163% between 2017 and 2024, enabling investments in infrastructure and social services.

Speaking during the visit, Dr Donkor commended President Barrow and his administration for the progress made in recent years.

“I thought I was in Europe, from the airport, the roads, and the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference Centre,” Dr Donkor remarked, contrasting the developments with what he observed during previous visits.

By Adama Makasuba