2nd Special Course for Diplomats from The Gambia

The 2nd Special Course for Diplomats from The Gambia is being held at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS), Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi from 15 November – 26 November 2021. 30 diplomats from The Gambia are participating in this course.

There exists an institutional mechanism for cooperation in diplomatic training between India and The Gambia. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed in 2019 between SSIFS, MEA and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Republic of Gambia. Prior to this course, 31 diplomats from The Gambia have undergone training at SSIFS in addition to 25 senior civil servants who underwent training at the National Centre for Good Governance, Mussoorie in 2019.

The Special Course was inaugurated on 15 November 2021 by Dean (SSIFS) & AS (AD), Shri  Arun K. Chatterjee. The Special Course would include modules on India’s foreign policy, India-West Africa Relations and in particular with The Gambia, development partnership cooperation, diplomatic protocol, opportunities in higher education in India, Ayurveda etc.  As part of their study tours, the diplomats would be undertaking visits to Rashtrapati Bhavan and Election Commission of India. The participants would also be visiting the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2021 to witness first-hand the overarching ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self reliant) theme of the trade expo. The course also includes study tours of historical and cultural monuments in order to experience the rich cultural heritage of India.

Bilateral relations between India and The Gambia are warm and friendly.  In recent years, there have been regular high-level visits between the two countries. Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi and the President of The Gambia, H.E. Mr. Adama Barrow met on sidelines of the CHOGM Summit in London in April 2018. The first-ever State visit by Hon’ble President Shri Ram Nath Kovind to The Gambia took place from 30 July-1 August 2019. H.E. Dr. Mamadou Tangara, The Gambian Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad visited India from March 7-12, 2019. The follow-up visit by our Minister of State for External Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs, Shri V. Muraleedharan to Banjul, took place very recently from 1-3 November 2021. There are several Indian LoC projects under implementation in The Gambia covering diverse areas.

15 November 2021
New Delhi