His Excellency, President of the Republic, Mr. Adama Barrow recently held discussion on areas of cooperation with the President of Egypt, President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi, on agriculture, tourism, and the ongoing security sector reform program of the government.
This high profile meeting happened on the sidelines of the Africa Business Forum 2018, where President Adama Barrow led a government delegation to participate alongside other African leaders in government and global businesses in the Egyptian city of Sharm El Sheikh.
The event focused on issues such as infrastructure, finance, and energy.
The highlight of the world gathering was the Youth Entrepreneurship Day, which featured a panel of young entrepreneurs sharing ideas and start-up projects in the context of nurturing African talents. At the keynote event, President El-Sisi welcomed the participants in what he described as “an information-sharing forum for pioneering ideas”.
He described the African youth as an engine of the future to promote the message that Africa is the future of the world’s economy. He expressed his government’s full support for youth entrepreneurship, and therefore encouraged companies to engage in training more youth entrepreneurs as they are the engine of growth and job creation. President Sisi revealed that Egypt will be launching an entrepreneurship program with the aim of training ten thousand (10,000 ) youths in the next three years. The Chairperson of the African Union and champion of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the President Rwanda, Paul Kagame delivered a message of hope in the power and potential of the African youth, stressing that Africa should view its youthful population as an opportunity not a threat.
He urged leaders to facilitate and chart a way for them to prosper unhindered. Youth panelists from Nigeria, Cameroon, Rwanda, and Egypt shared their start-up enterprises making creative use of technology. Meanwhile, Her Excellency, Lady Sarjo Mballow-Barrow was hosted by First Lady of Egypt, Her Excellency, Entisar Amer, along with other First Ladies attending the Africa Business Forum 2018. She was honored to a dinner, and a visit to historic sites in Sharm Al-Sheik and Sinai cities.
Meanwhile a delegation from the US based charitable foundation, the Star Key, led by CEO Dr. William Franklin Austin, paid a courtesy call on the President of the Republic, Mr. Adama Barrow at the State House in Banjul. The foundation was founded by a renowned philanthropist to give support especially to those experiencing difficulties in hearing across the world. The delegation, comprising specialist doctors from Senegal, Zambia and The Gambia, were accompanied to the State House by Dr. Isatou Touray, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare. The President welcomed the team thanking them for their support to humanity. He hailed their efforts which fall in line with the flagship of his government’s National Development Plan (NDP 2018-2021). The team in partnership with the Ministry of Health earlier in the day, also launched the first ever national strategic plan for ear aid and hearing care (2019 – 2023). The program is a flagship, and was described as a milestone in government’s drive for a comprehensive service delivery to all, especially those in special categories of need. Dr. William Austin, speaking to reporters after an audience with the President, said his efforts are geared towards creating a world where all may hear. “I have come to try and implement a programme here with the President and the Minister of Health so that all Gambians may hear and have the opportunity to reach fullest potentials for their families and community,” he said. The world has so many people with hearing problems that shuts them from participating; Dr. Williams said his foundation hopes to solve that problem. With such a noble intervention, the foundation hopes to contribute to the development of The Gambia in a meaningful way.
Minister of health and Social Welfare, Dr. Isatou Touray, also described this intervention as “a very important initiative for the ministry of health”. She said this is especially in recognition of the fact that this is the first time the health ministry in The Gambia will have a dedicated unit for hearing problems.
“That is why we engaged the Star Key Foundation so that we can be able to develop such a unit. In the process, a strategic plan was also created that would be created into the national health strategic plan,” she added.