By Edrissa Jallow
The Gambia Government represented by the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Hon Seedy Keita signed an agreement with the European Union to provide €40 Million EUR in Budget Support over three years on Monday 20th November 2023.
The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Agriculture meeting room, in Banjul.
During his submission, Minister Keita told delegates that the signing ceremony is “an important step in the initiation of the State and Resilience Building Contract [SRBCs] between the European Union and The Gambia”.
“Within our agreement, which we fully recognized and endorsed are the General Conditions: Public Policy, Macroeconomic Stability, Public Financial Management, Budget Transparency, and Oversight,” also “to strengthen Transitional Justice, Migration, Social Protection [and] Programme Based Budgeting (PBB) etc,” said Minister Keita.
Breaking down the disbursement of the funds, the Finance Minister explained that the “agreement will oversee the disbursal of some €40 Million EUR, with €12 Million EUR [being disbursed] in this first year, and a budget support component with a maximum EU contribution of €36 Million EUR, a complementary support component with a total estimated cost of €4 Million EUR, totalling €40 Million EUR in total complementing efforts of previous SRBCs 1-3”.
EU Ambassador: The Agreement Are Not Just Financial Commitments
European Union Ambassador, Corrado Pampoloni informed the meeting that the “objectives outlined in this agreement are not just financial commitments” but rather “embody a shared vision for a Gambia that is not only economically stable but also socially inclusive and politically resilient”.
“While we are not naive of the challenges ahead, this agreement is a demonstration of our confidence in the efforts of the Government of The Gambia and of civil servants in their daily operations to building an inclusive and democratic society,” said the EU Ambassador.
Ambassador Pampaloni also called on all stakeholders involved to take action and work diligently and collaboratively towards achieving the “shared vision of a stable, resilient, and citizen-centric Gambia”.