The President Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya Jammeh Wednesday evening received in audience the Managing Director of the World Bank Madam Ngozi Akonjo Iweala.

The official and her team were led to Kanilai by the Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Fatou Lamin Faye. Madam Iweala was in Banjul for a one day working visit. After meeting the Gambian leader Madam Ngozi told reporters that she is in the country to assess programmes supported by her bank as well as economic development programmes as well as to look at opportunities for the country to grow faster than it is doing now.

Madam Iweala described their discussion with President Jammeh as very fruitful. She said the meeting covered diverse areas including agriculture, education, energy, economic management, and freedom of expression. She noted what she called the "great ideas" that the Gambian leader has to help the small farmers to do better. She said they also talked about the possibility for the country to cultivate enough rice to feed itself and its neighbors and how the bank could work with the government to increase productivity and add value to the products such as groundnut.

The World Bank official also told reporters that they discussed ways and means to help the country harness various sources of energy and more importantly to bring down the cost of energy. She maintained that this is necessary if the country is to attract more industries and private sector participation in national building. She praised the efforts of the President in the energy sector noting he is ahead of the game in the drive to make energy cheaper and available for economic growth and development.

Madam Iweala expressed satisfaction with the countries performance in economic management noting despite the global economic crises and the reduction in remittances the economy has registered some growth and expressed the need for the momentum to be maintained. She also said they have discussed the need for more openness to create more space for civil society and the media. She said the President was very engaged in this issue and has talked about measures that his government plans to make Gambia an open society where everybody can participate freely.

By Amadou Bah