The Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh Tuesday had a tête-à-tête with the visiting President of Mauritania, His Excellency Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz, who arrived in the country on Monday for a four-day visit.

Speaking to the press shortly after a long closed-door meeting with President Ould Abdel Aziz, President Jammeh stated that Gambia and Mauritania have been enjoying excellent relations and have always been working together. He described his counterpart's visit as a regular one, a way of strengthening the excellent relations between the two countries. President Jammeh continued to state that President Abdel Aziz is not a visitor, that he is in his second home just like Gambians in Mauritania.

The President added that the level of the bilateral relations of the two countries has now past political relations. "There are blood relations; there are a number of Gambians who married to Mauritanians and vice visa; so we are a family. Is opposed to when it is purely a diplomatic visit", he emphasized.

President Ould Abdul Aziz for his part, expressed resolve to work with his counterpart, President Jammeh towards improving and broadening the relations of the two countries for the interest of the two peoples and countries.

Earlier in the morning President Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz and delegation visited the Gambia Ports Authority in Banjul. He was accorded a warm welcome by the Vice President Aja Dr. Isatou Njie-Saidy, Cabinet members, senior government officials and various cultural groups.

After the welcome speeches of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of GPA, Mustapha Colley and the Managing Director of GPA, the visiting President was taken on a conducted tour of facilities of the Ports Authority, where they visited the container terminal, the scanning machine, which checks all containers coming in the country. The machine also checks for arms or other illegal items from abroad.

President Aziz and entourage proceeded to the Tanji Fishing Project and later had a meeting with the Mauritanian community in The Gambia, at the Cocoa Ocean Resort.

By Alhagie Ceesay
Courtesy of Dept. of Information Services