By Kevin Akor
GENEVA (chatnewstv.com) — Britain on Wednesday last week praised The Gambia’s growing trade relationship with the UK and its leadership among the world’s least developed countries while urging further reforms to support small businesses, women entrepreneurs and transparent regulation at the World Trade Organization.
Speaking at The Gambia’s fourth WTO Trade Policy Review in Geneva, UK Ambassador and Permanent Representative Kumar Iyer said bilateral trade and investment ties were strengthening and offered support for Banjul’s wider regional and development ambitions.
“Let us celebrate the remarkable recent growth in trade between our countries,” Iyer said, noting that UK imports from The Gambia rose to £143 million in the year to the third quarter of 2025, an increase of £51 million from the previous year.
Iyer welcomed the Gambian delegation led by Trade Minister Mod K. Ceesay and praised The Gambia’s role as coordinator of the Least Developed Countries group at the WTO, calling its leadership essential to the institution’s effectiveness.
“Without that engagement, I really believe the WTO would be a weaker institution and a weaker place,” he said.
Highlighting long-standing historical links, Iyer said UK-Gambia relations were expanding beyond development cooperation to include trade, investment and people-to-people ties. British nationals have topped tourism arrivals to The Gambia in recent years, he said, underscoring strong contemporary links.
The UK ambassador said British companies already source Gambian products for major supermarkets, including Waitrose and Tesco, and pointed to opportunities to expand agricultural exports as well as UK investment in infrastructure, renewable energy and tourism. A recent UK trade mission to Banjul explored those opportunities, he added.
“The Gambia is already an important re-exporting hub, and we see significant potential to build on that role,” Iyer said.
Britain also commended The Gambia’s efforts to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises through national policy initiatives and a digital trade and e-commerce strategy. Iyer said London would welcome further discussion on how digital trade reforms could help MSMEs participate more effectively in domestic and international markets.
On gender inclusion, Iyer praised Gambian policies aimed at empowering women and youth but urged more action to address informality in the economy, which he said disproportionately affects women entrepreneurs.
The UK welcomed The Gambia’s participation in several WTO initiatives, including those on investment facilitation, environmental sustainability and plastics pollution, and encouraged Banjul to consider joining the Multiparty Interim Appeals Arrangement for WTO dispute settlement.
“We encourage The Gambia to consider joining the MPIA also, and we would be eager to discuss this with them,” Iyer said.
He also urged the country to apply WTO disciplines on services domestic regulation to promote transparency and efficiency.
In closing, Iyer marked The Gambia’s upcoming 61st Independence Day on Feb. 18, extending Britain’s best wishes. “The United Kingdom warmly acknowledges The Gambia’s achievements as an independent trading nation and extends its best wishes for continued prosperity for all Gambians,” he said.
