President Adama Barrow has called for stronger cooperation in the manufacturing and tourism industry as he received the Spanish and Belgian ambassadors on Wednesday morning. 

He pointed out that such investments will create job opportunities for the youth, as well as curb illegal migration.

The president recognised the support provided to the Gambians living in Spain in particular, through skills transfer, while promoting bilateral cooperation in the areas of tourism and the manufacturing industry. He said such investments would create youth employment opportunities and help curb migration.

The Spanish Ambassador said she would further strengthen the bilateral ties between the two countries by encouraging more Spanish Investors and bring more tourists to The Gambia. 

“We have a big community of Gambians in Spain that are working hard for both the success of Spain and The Gambia. This means our relationship is stronger and we looking for ways to make it even stronger,’’ she said.

Spain has the largest concentration of Gambians with about 45,000 residents in the country while there are 1000 Spaniards in The Gambia. 

For his part the Belgian Ambassador, Hubert Roisin, said the relationship between The Gambia and the Kingdom of Belgium is manifested daily by the frequency of Brussels Airlines entering and leaving the Gambia. 

He praised the trade links between The Gambia and the cities in Belgium, stating that it extends across sectors. He also highlighted the EU-funded cooperation that is currently creating decent jobs for young people in The Gambia through agriculture while commending the cooperation between the Belgium Port of Ghent and The Gambia Ports Authority.