President Barrow's first foreign travel, a 3-day visit to Senegal

Senegal

Gambian President Adama Barrow is expected in Senegal for a three-day official visit. It is Barrow’s first official visit outside of the Gambia since taking his oath in Senegal on January 20.

The Minister of Communication at the Senegalese Presidency, Elhadji Hamidou Kassé, confirmed the visit on Wednesday. Barrow arrives on Thursday and departs on Saturday.

A meeting between Barrow and President Macky Sall of Senegal is scheduled for today (Thursday, March 2, 2017). Both leaders will subsequently address a press briefing.

According to the Senegalese presidency, Barrow will visit religious families on Friday whereas economic and diplomatic partnership agreements will be signed on Saturday between the two countries.

Senegal played a key role in the post-election impasse that hit its neighbour and has been lauded for the political, diplomatic, humanitarian and military assistance that it has offered since.

Senegal was part of the ECOWAS mediation effort with Jammeh – even though both efforts ended inconclusively. Senegal also sheltered fleeing public officials and politicians. They also housed the president-elect Adama Barrow until he took his oath of office at the Gambian embassy in Dakar.

Senegalese President Macky Sall was the guest of honour at the Gambia Independence Day on 18 February. Jammeh is currently in Equatorial Guinea on exile after last-minute mediation by Presidents of Mauritania and Guinea.

Barrow’s first international trip would have been the last African Union Summit in Ethiopia but he sent Vice-President elect, Fatoumata Tambajang, to represent The Gambia. He had barely returned from Senegal a week earlier.