PRESIDENT JAMMEH'S TRIP TO TAIWAN, SAUDI

The following day Tuesday morning, President Jammeh visited National Taipeh University of Technology. The visit provided him The opportunity to hear report on the school work and life of Gambian Student in the institution. Taipei National University of Technology enrolled 25 Gambia Students being sponsored by President Jammeh and are currently pursuing a BS degree in the Gambia Petroleum Education programme, initiated a year ago by the University in collaboration with the Gambia government.

The vice president of the University Yung-fu Cheng, told President Jammeh that the Gambia Petroleum programme specifically designed to the needs of Gambia students has enabled them incorporate into the environment easily and improved their academic and cultural adjustment. He described the output and performance of the students as impressive.Vice president Yung-fu Cheng noted that six out of them have since been awarded foreign students scholarship for the first semester based on their academic performance.

A lecture and responsible for international students, Yung-Ching Ding also told the President that to ensure the students are well educated, the school has arranged Training courses with the Chinese Petroleum Cooperation through which in first year they focused on petroleum exploration and the second and third year, to be focused petroleum refinery and marketing respectively.

On the issue of their welfare, he said, like any other, the students receives such services as health constitution and emergency care and also that they freely practice their tradition and religion hence a mosque and a church are located in the close vicinity of the University .

Addressing the students in a tete a tete, President Jammeh exhorted them to comport themselves in a manner in which they will represent as good Ambassadors of the country, noting that the way they comport themselves and their performance will reflect on the Gambia's image in the University particularly when they are the first badge to the school. The President while calling on them to avoid harbouring any indifference and instead commit their efforts to successful completion of their programmers, reminding them that he would not hesitate to call of any misbehaved or negligently outperformance students when thousand more deserving ones await home for the opportunity. Responding to some of their complains and request such as possibilities of coming home for holidays, the Gambia leader observed such will be very expensive venture considering their number. But he however pledged to sponsor holiday trips for the Six best performed students as well as also get their stipend increased by 25%.

The President, in demonstration of his traditional gesture, presented a cheque of ten thousand dollars to the students through the principal for use in some of their programmes. This was in addition to another pledge he made to provide each one of them with computers for personal use to facilitate their learning process.

Many students who spoke, thanked President Jammeh for having accorded them such an opportunity to pursue higher education in developed country like Taiwan and promised to develop themselves professionally, so as to contribute their own quota in staying the cause of his development effort in the country.

President Jammeh Tuesday night departed Taiwan for Saudi, after the visit to Taipei National University of Technology and tourist attractions around the island.

Wednesday night, President Jammeh and delegation arrived in the Saudi city of Jedda and was received upon arrival at the airport by the governor of Mecca region Prince Majeed. Shortly after being lodged at the Jedda conference palace, the President and delegation proceeded to the holy city of Mecca, where in the retinue of the royal guards, he and the team, successfully performed Umra, one of the fundamental pillars in Islamic worship around the Kabbah. President Jammeh finally left Jeddah for home ending his week long trip to Taiwan as special guest of honour on the country's national day independence.

President delivering
his speech at the
presidential palace.

President poses for a
photo with members of
the Taiwanese Rotary
International District
after the cheque
presentation.

Vice President Annette
Lu presents a gift to
the President.

President Jammeh
addressing the Gambian student.

Fatoumatta Ndure
gives a keynote addresson behalf of the Gambian students.

The President
presents traditional Gambian instrument (Balafon) to the University president.

The Gambian students
and professors at the
University have a photo
opportunity with the
President.

President Jammeh
flanked by governor
Prince Majeed who
received him in the holy
city of Mecca,
to perform Umra.

- End.