African Leadership magazine

Afric n Leadership JANUARY 2022

ADAMA BARROW PRESIDENT, REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA

RESETTING GAMBIA’S DEVELOPMENT TRAJECTORY The Gambia Forged OIC for Greatness: Project- Building The Faces of Transgenerational Infrastructure Africa's Leading Private Sectorfor Sustainable Growth & Development Champions

Simbi Wabote:Must Portrait of African Countries Develop Strategies Mitigate TheIcon Impact of Africa'sToLocal Content Climate Change

UK - Africa Are We Jewel Trade: Howard-Taylor Vice President At A Tipping Point? of LiberiaThe Silent Enabler

Contents 16. The Gambia: The Counter Narrative

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21. We are committed to Promoting The Gambia's Climate Resilience Story 22. OIC - Building Transgenerational Infrastructure for Sustainable Growth & Development In the Gambia

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26. G.N.P.C. Promoting Sustainable Energy Investment In Gambia's Hydrocarbon Sector 29. Why UK-Gambia Relations Remain Enduring

32 30. African Countries Must Develop Strategies To Mitigate The Impact of Climate Change 40. Global Properties – Redefining Real Estate Development In The Gambia 43. We are Committed to Promoting Gender Equity in Nigeria – Catriona Laing, British High Commissioner to Nigeria 48. Winning With Agriculture

51. Digitalizing Trade And Pioneering Ai For Trade Solutions In Africa 57. Standard Chartered Bank: 127 Years of Excellent Services Delivery in The Gambia

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Rwanda The Dubai of Africa Opens for Business

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...A Publication of The African Leadership Organization

Ken Giami Founder & Executive Chairman

Associate Editor - Arvy Nahar aknahar@africanleadership.co.uk Head of Creatives - Joseph Akuboh A. Editorial Board Peter Burdin, London UK – Chair Nwandi Lawson, Atlanta USA -Member Simon Kolawole, Lagos Nigeria -Member Peter Ndoro, SABC EditorJohannesburg – Member Frenny Jowi, Nairobi Kenya - Member Brig. Gen. SK Usman Rtd., Abuja Nigeria - Member David Morgan, Washington DC USA – Member

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ISSN 2006 - 9332

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Editor - Kembet Bolton kembet@africanleadeship.co.uk

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FROM THE CHAIRMANʼS DESK

A Weeklong Visit to The Gambia:

The Smiling Coast of Africa

Yankuba Dibba, among others.

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The Forum with the theme, Cross Border Trade & Investment Opportunities in Africa, provided a robust platform to discuss Gambia's growing business landscape and the opportunities and challenges. In her opening remark, the Vice President charged participants to take advantage of the unique business opportunities that the Gambia offers.

The highpoint of the Business Forum was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Global Properties Gambia, a leading real estate conglomerate, and the African Leadership Organization UK, promoting the organization's continental footprints.

It was a beautiful one-week trip to The Gambia, aptly called the smiling coast of Africa. The warmth and hospitality of the Gambian people remains unparalleled and the peace on the street was undeniable. Members of our team came in from London, Abuja, and Dubai, and all couldn't agree more that the small nation was indeed an oasis of peace and hospitality, as engagement upon engagement with the locals showed a people who genuinely cared about visitors and tourist as they would their own citizens.

Little wonder the streets were littered with European and other tourists from all over the world.

A key highlight of our visit was a meeting with His Excellency President Adama Barrow who treated us to a one-hour session of tete-a-tete amidst his busy reelection campaign blitz. And he promised that the elections would be free, fair and peaceful. We therefore commend Mr President and all Gambian people for what has become a reference for the electioneering in Africa, especially with the legendary marbles and drums voting system, and on-the-spot vote counting at polling stations

Other highlights of the weeklong visit included a private meeting with His Excellency, Adama Barrow, President of The Gambia and a courtesy call on Vice President Isatou Touray; visit to the U.K. High Commissioner to the Gambia, Nigeria Ambassador to the Gambia, and the Senegal Ambassador to the Gambia, the OIC Gambia Secretariat, Gambia National Petroleum Corporation, Standard Chartered Bank and other leading business and leaders in-country..

African Leadership Organization also inaugurated the Gambia Chapter of the African Leadership Scholars Program, with over 60 students drawn from High schools and the University of the Gambia.

Scholarships were also awarded to three deserving students as part of the organization's Send a Child to School program - a CSR program of the organization designed to help indigent students achieve their educational dreams.

Also, as part of our week-long visit to The Gambia, we hosted the Gambia African Business Leadership Forum. The Forum, which is in keeping with the organization's sustained efforts towards promoting investment, entrepreneurship, and development in Africa, had the key business, political and diplomatic leaders in the country. Some of the guests included Her Excellency, Isatou Touray, Vice President of the Gambia; World Bank Country Director for the Gambia; UNDP Country Representative for the Gambia, Mr Saul Frazer, MD/CEO Global Properties Ltd, The CEO, The Chief Executive Officer, OIC Secretariat Gambia, Mr

JANUARY 2022

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WHAT NOTABLE LEADERS ARE SAYING ABOUT

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H. E. JOHN MAHAMA FMR. PRESIDENT OF GHANA

H.E. MRS AMEEN GURIB-FAKIM FMR. PRESIDENT OF MAURITIUS

DR GOODLUCK JONATHAN FMR. PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA

“It is always an honour to be in the company of such distinguished fellow Africans, that the African Leadership Magazine events bring together Africans who have committed their lives to changing the negative narrative about our continent.”

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H.E. JOHN KUFOUR FMR. PRESIDENT OF GHANA

H.E. JAMES A MICHEL FMR. PRESIDENT OF SEYCHELLES

“I believe people are more important than power and anything that promotes good people and leadership is what we need in Africa, and that is what African Leadership Magazine is doing.”

“I wish to express my sincere thanks and deep appreciation to the African Leadership Magazine for the work that it is doing on the continent, and especially in advancing the cause of small Islands Developing states, Any effor t aimed at increasing the visibility of the good work being done by leadership in Africa does positively impact on the continent and that is what the African Leadership Magazine is doing.”

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DR MANU CHANDARIA CHAIRMAN, COMCRAFT GROUP, KENYA

“I am honored and deeply humbled to be with the African Leadership Magazine. The organization have been consistent in tracking Africaʼs best and showcasing them to the world, which is quite commendable.”

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WHAT NOTABLE LEADERS ARE SAYING ABOUT

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MRS. ELLEN JOHNSON - SIRLEAF Nobel Peace Prize Winner & Fmr. President, Republic Of Liberia

H.E JAKAYA KIKWETE Fmr. President Of Tanzania

H.E DAVID MABUZA Deputy President Republic Of South Africa

“I feel deeply honored to be associated with the African Leadership Magazine as it is a veritable platform to honor true service in Africa. I commend your effor ts and assure you of my continued support and the support of the good people of Liberia.”

“African Leadership Magazine is doing a wonderful job of speaking for Africa and Africans. The magazine remain a good example of what young people in Africa can do in the world. Best wishes in keeping the African dream alive.”

“It is an honour to participate at this African Leadership Magazine's 2020 Ceremony, and I commend the m a g a z i n e's f o c u s t o r e s h a p e positively, the dominant narratives about the African continent, especially towards the pursuit of peace-building and democracy on the continent”.

DR. AKINWUMI ADESINA President, African Development Bank

DR. MO IBRAHIM Founder, Mo Ibrahim Foundation

MO DEWJI Tanzania Businessman & Philanthropist

“I thank you so much, African Leadership Magazine for the great work that you are doing for the continent. Your tradition of awarding excellence as I have seen in the line up of African Leaders who have received the African Leadership Awards, is something ver y commendable”

“The future of African people and improving the quality of Leadership on the African continent is my vision and I find in African Leadership Magazine - a true partner. I am also happy that the African Leadership Awards is doing at a lower level, what I intend to achieve at the Head of State level. That is why I flew to Paris just to be a part of what you are doing here at the African Leadership Magazine”.

“The African Leadership Awards truly captures the essence of my message which is that, success shouldnʼt be solely defined by wealth. It should be about the positive impact and influence that one has had in his c o m m u n i t y . ”

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RESETTING GAMBIA’S DEVELOPMENT TRAJECTORY “Welcome to The Gambia,” he says calmly, as he welcomes the team and settles down to a conversation with the African Leadership Organization team at the Presidential Palace in Banjul. His Excellency, Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of The Gambia, has been eulogized by many, but, very few have been able to capture his gentle mien and calm disposition. His commitment to peace and stability as the precursor to jobs and wealth creation in The Gambia has seen him do things differently. As first step towards recovery and restoration of The Gambia, he setup the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission, National Human Rights Commission, the Constitutional Review Commission, the Security Sector Reform and Civil Service Reform. These and many more, prepared the ground for the enormous work of restoring the country's local and international image. In this exclusive Interview with African Leadership Magazine, he talks about his government's efforts to revolutionize the country, one sector at a time. Excerpts.

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Your Excellency President Barrow, thank you for granting this interview to African Leadership Magazine. We have followed you over the last 5 years and yours has been a special and interesting journey. You are one of the few Presidents who had two swearing ins and 5 years down the line or almost at the twilight of the first administration, what would you consider the best moment for you. What has the journey been like?

Thank you very much. I am very pleased and honoured to grant this interview. As you said, my journey has been very interesting. Very interesting, but it has not been easy. It was not an easy journey but we needed to manage the situation. That's why if you look at the journey, we have been very patient and tolerant.

Sometimes, some of my Ministers will come saying 'No, we shouldn't accept this, we shouldn't accept that', but I say 'No, we have to look at the environment. The environment is key to us. We make our decisions based on

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struggling. Today, we are growing at 6.1 percent in the economy. If you look at the treasury bills, when I came interest rates were at 23 percent. Today, interest rates are at 4 percent. Commercial For the first time, the Gambia banks were lending at 30 percent. is going to have flying bridges, Today, they are lending at between 15 so, I am finishing on a very high to 16 percent. We have increased our note collection by 100 percent plus as it stands. And, the most interesting thing is we are using state resources to do the environment. And, one of the most that people were talking about for 50 most of these projects. I think it was a important things was we had to make or 60 years. There is a road called the rough journey, but basically there are a sure of what we promised the people.

Hakaran road. It is a famous road. It is lot of achievements. We have We promised the people that we will about 86 kilometres. We have another challenges though. Obviously, it is a bring about change that will believe in road that is about fifty something small country. It is a poor country, but the principles of democracy. That was kilometres. We have another road over we try to manage our resources very our main objective, and as a leader that eighty something. So, the contracts that well to make sure we impact the lives of was my direction. It was my thinking, are going on for road construction is the people. This has been the journey. and everybody followed that. Now, about 300 to 400 kilometres. They are most of them come to me. They tell me all going on very well; and also, we are I think it is okay to call you 'the project President'. You have done so much and 'Mr. President, this is wisdom from you. launching new projects. the Gambia is a huge construction site.

What you were saying is now paying I have launched the OIC roads. We We have looked around. We have seen off'. So, I have been vindicated by most are talking about 50 kilometres and some of these projects for ourselves of them. another 22 kilometres of six lane firsthand. Another promise you made The challenge was as you noted, in highway. For the first time, the Gambia when you took over was that you were is going to have flying bridges. This will going to open up after 22 years of a 2016, there was an impasse. It was a be the first time we will be having difficult moment to pass through that government that was authoritarian and those. So, I am finishing on a very high isolationist in nature, you promised to impasse. And, after the impasse, it is a note. And if I talk about the government that is a joined open up the Gambia to the world. One government. You know, when you see a constitution, most of the times, my of the high points of that is the OIC opposition they will talk about government with different parties, which you mentioned is planning its corruption but they will never talk different thinking, different ideology – summit for next year. Can you tell us about the economy. Our economy was what that means for the Gambia and it was very difficult. Most of the times, growing between 1 to 2 percent. It was how else have you met that promise of these joint governments, they don't last. Most times, they collapse. But, I am very lucky to make sure I maintain such government until now it is up to 5 years; and, we are finishing the journey.

I always tell my people we are finishing the journey at a very high note for the Gambia. At a very high note because we were able to make sure we have big achievements while through the journey. We started some of our projects, now we are finishing those big projects. I have just inaugurated the new roads in Basse. You have the bridges. You have the roads. This infrastructure is big and it is just completed. Last week, I inaugurated the substation, that is the OMVG electrical substation. It is a big one. It is a gamechanger in the peoples live. We have just inaugurated it recently. I have just laid the foundation stone of over twenty something health facilities. All the projects are going on as at now, and I have projects that are going on Mechanising Agriculture

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Champion of development

opening up the Gambia to the rest of the world?

a small country, to be given the opportunity to host that, I think is a big achievement for the Gambia. Also, Yes, when we came to power because we have been given the Gambia was not doing very well as far opportunity to host the OIC, I traveled as international relations is concerned. to the Arab world. My message was 'we It was our first policy to make sure we are hosting the OIC not as Gambia open up the Gambia, to make sure we alone, but as the Head of the Muslim bring back our friends and we Ummah. We want to host it not succeeded in doing that. We have a because we have the resources, but very good relationship with the because we have all this team together European Union and we have to thank to support the Gambia to succeed in them for the support they gave. They hosting it. If we succeed, it is the did very well for us. And also, the Arab Muslim Ummah that succeeds. If we world, we tried to connect the Gambia fail, it is the Muslims that fails. So, we to the Arab world, connect the Gambia need your support'. Because of that to the African continent, connect the message, they came out to support the Gambia to ECOWAS. That's why today Gambia. Today, that's why we are doing for the first time, we have succeeded to the OIC road. If you are look at all these be the President of ECOWAS for the projects, we are talking about almost next four years, from 2022 to 2026. In 300 million dollars projects, and that the history of this country, they have will make a big impact to the Gambian been trying all the time. We tried society. We are very proud of that. We everything. Yahaya Jammeh tried for 22 are happy that they have confidence in years, even to become a chairman. He Gambia. They have confidence in the didn't succeed, but today, I think we leadership. That's why they have given should congratulate ourselves for that us the opportunity to host the OIC, but achievement. It is a big achievement. we just don't want to host it like that.

Even the UN, we have also succeeded We want to host it so that it will be part to be part of Human Rights. Gambia of our legacy. That's why we are doing has gotten a seat in Human Rights also. all these projects so we can host it So, this is a big achievement for us. For comfortably and host it also as a very the OIC, it is one the biggest successful OIC conference, that for organizations almost in the world. I posterity people will definitely think it is next to the UN. So, Gambia as

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recognize the Gambia as a small country able to host the OIC. The size of the country doesn't matter, but what you can do. I think that matters most.

Fifty-seven nations, that's indeed a vote of confidence on your leadership and of course on the people of the Gambia, and like you said by extension, Africa.

You have also been known as a man of peace. You have got touring credentials as an African statesman that is able to open up the space for free speech. It is very unusual in Africa, especially when you have a robust diaspora like we know the Gambia has, most times the engine of opposition. What informed this style of governance where there is free speech, where people are able to even criticize you openly and we don't see what we used to see in those days.

Yes, I think you have said it all, but one thing is outstanding in the whole thing. If you are President, it doesn't change who you are. It reveals whom you are. So, if you are President, your nature will appear in your leadership.

Generally, I have been a very peaceful person. I have been very tolerant. So, I think I reflect that in my leadership.

Also, it was an election promise that we will make sure the people regain their freedom. The people who ran away from this country will come back, and

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we will allow media freedom. Today, we have over 40 radio stations. Everyday, they have a program on the President, phoning program. We have over 6 TV stations. They all have political programs and so forth. At the same time, in Africa, sometimes it is unfortunate, you have maybe 10 or 20 opposition and they all criticize government on a daily basis. They will not give you credit anywhere. That is unfortunate and I think that should change. Sometimes, I can tell you, these big projects I am talking about, when we inaugurated the Basse projects, there was no print media that made it on their news headline. As significant as that. The electrical substation we inaugurated (too), a gamechanger.

According to the target, Africa will solve its electricity problems in 2030. Gambia will achieve it five years early because of this interconnection through the OMVG. That's a big achievement. None of them put it at the corner of their newspaper. They don't want it to be seen. So, it's like every opposition goes against you. They don't give you credit anywhere. That is unfortunate. It is unfortunate because sometimes we have to accept certain things, and sometimes because we want to develop our country, I think we should be positive. We cannot be all the time negative. But they feel that if they are positive, then that means they are giving you credit. They are giving you opportunity to continue. They think that they can always succeed you; because, we have big achievements. I increased salaries in this country 50 percent across the board. 50 percent increment of salary. People thought that I could not do it. 50 percent since 2019, and I increased pension by 100 percent.

Just recently, I promoted 16,000 teachers who were not promoted for 20 years. So, sometimes, it will be good to give credit where it is due. I think this is a very difficult thing for us. It is not me alone. It is the entire Gambia. We fought to bring about this change. But the people who ran away from this country, those are the people who came back again. They are the strongest opposition against me. All the people who feel that they are highly educated, they are professors, they are

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that… but, when we were fighting, they were under the bed. Those are the people who came out now, who are my strongest opposition. But, one thing is important in the whole thing. We prayed for democracy, and democracy comes with challenges. Democracy is difficult, that's why everybody is crying for it. It is very easy to be a dictator. You regulate from your house. But here, it is not like that. So, I think I am happy.

That is a big achievement for me and it is a big achievement for my government.

In fact, I am excited that you are meeting your energy targets five years earlier, and I was having a chat with some diplomats recently. I was informed that Gambia is one of the only countries in the world and the number one in Africa also on target to meet its climate change goals. What drives this? What is the secret behind Adama Barrow?

account now. First time such account.

When I came, we changed everything, a single consolidated account. Everything passed through that. That's why even if there are processes that are run for projects or whatever, before it passes through the audit and everything, sometimes people have to come around me to say 'My friend, if you don't support, if you don't help us, if you don't put your voice, we cannot start our projects'. Sometimes, you will think that some of the laws are against us, but this is to maintain discipline, to minimize corruption and also make sure that we prioritize whatever we are doing. I think that has helped us to achieve most of these things.

Clearly, you are a man who has respect for institution building and policy or procedures. I got to hear; I don't know how true it is. It maybe one area we disagree but I hear you are a strong Arsenal fan. As someone who loves football, and Gambia for the first time President Barrow: The secret is we made history again. I think there's have been very hardworking. People something special about your around me know that I work round the leadership. Several firsts, and Gambia is clock. I think they have sorts of names playing AfCON, the qualifiers for for me. Even if I travel from China, and I AfCON. That's young people. it means a arrive here 2 O'clock or 3 O'clock, the lot to young people. what else are you following morning 8 O'clock I am at my doing to encourage and support desk. I go for tour, and I come back, youths and their development in people welcome me in grave hours and Gambia? the following day I am at my desk.

As you have said, I am a big Always on time. Always working round football fan. I am a big Arsenal fan for the clock. My files; no file spends 24 that matter. Despite we are struggling hours on my desk. I deal with my files but we are still hopeful that we will every day, cleared. So, I am at work all come back again. We believe that our the time. I also maintain discipline. population, about 60 percent or more Without discipline, anything you do in your life you cannot succeed. You know are young people and we believe that they are the future leaders of this I am from the private sector. I was country. They need our support and doing my own thing. Interestingly, I have never worked for the government. everything. So, it is part of my priority as President and priority for this My first job for government is as President. I started from the top.

Since I was in the private sector, I was very disciplined. I left my house 6:30am in the morning for 10 years. When I go to work, I don't have a closing time. I came with that to office as President. So, I tried to maintain the same thing. I tried to make sure we are very disciplined.

Also, we have a single

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Interestingly, I have never worked for the government.

My first job for government is as President, I started from the top

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In IT and Education, are there other plans for young people?

President Barrow: A lot of plans. In the history of this country, there has never been an administration that has built schools like my administration.

Since I came to power, I have built over 3,000 classrooms across the country. I am building 50 schools a year. I am cutting down a distance of 12 kilometres, 6 kilometres to 2 kilometres between schools. Also, scholarships, I think we have given more that half, almost 60 percent of the university students are on scholarship. We know that we cannot accommodate all. I have a small fund here at the State house. I am also paying for school children. I think 2 days back, we paid over half a million dollars for school children who were not accommodated in the government scholarship. At my own level, we are paying for them because we know they need our support. The future of this country is in the hands of these young people, because I am a

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government. That's why when I came to power, it took me 2 years to make sure that we create a levy for youths and sports for the youthful population. I found it very difficult. We brought the bill first time it failed. I brought for the second time, it failed. We brought it for the third time, it succeeded. Now, they are enjoying that levy. Everybody making any telephone call in this country, including yourself, you pay for that levy. We are collecting money there. We are using that money to help youths. Now, we are building a lot of stadiums. I don't know how many of them. In every corner of this country, we are building stadiums for the youths, and also, we use those monies to support sports. There is a youth enterprise fund also. We use that levy.

From that, you can specialize funds.

That's why it is the first time Gambia has been hiring aircrafts for their footballers to go and play and come back. I think that is part of what makes us succeed as a country to qualify for AfCON for the first time. That's why I am calling on all Gambians to support this team. We are trying to raise funds.

We want every Gambian to contribute, so that our team can go there and represent the Gambia and fly our flag very high.

Opening of the hydrological headquarters in Bansang with Assata De UNDP

typical example. 1978 was the first time I came to the city, to celebrate independence. President Jawara was addressing us, to be very serious, to be hardworking, that we will be the future leaders of this country. After 40 years, the same venue, I was addressing school children, addressing President Jawara himself as President of the Republic. So, there is no doubt they will be the future leaders, but we need to train them, to build their capacity. You understand. We need to prepare them for leadership. It is not education alone; discipline is very important. So, we are trying to prepare this country's future through its youthful population. it is so key for us, and that is why I am asking one more question when it comes to young people. The median age is 19.9. I am happy with what you have done with education and what you have done with football. Is there a plan… rather, let me take from this angle? I hear your story, how you came from the UK, how you were a very regular person and they are looking up to you as an inspiration. Your story that I heard made headlines. Is there a plan to inspire them to serve in politics, to inspire them to become trailblazers?

Thank you for education, thank you for football, but how else are they being inspired.

You know, human resource is key in every development, especially for us as

a developing country. That means you prepare your young people. we are building skill centres today, almost across the country. I am adopting something as a policy. It is just an idea that came to me. I am telling them that we want to have at least big skill centres, we call them 'industrial skill centres', in every region so that we can train you on anything you want to do as a future in those centres. We have partners. I have already discussed it with the partners. They have adopted the proposal and we are working on it.

Skills development is something that is key. Also, we are looking inwards to train our people, even train our specialists, consultants, doctors. We are coming to start the program to train doctors here, locally. So, we are looking inwards than looking outwards. This is our main focus. So, we are touching every sector.

Awesome. Two short questions and I am done. The world is going to Glasgow in November for the World Climate Change Conference, and I know that Gambia is already a leader.

What are you expecting from Glasgow?

This edition will be shared at that venue, so your views here will be significant because all the world leaders will have copies. So, what are your expectations and what is your advise to leaders on Climate change?

President Barrow: Our expectations

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Champion of development

are very high, and now because of our achievement, we want to make sure we maintain the gains going forward. I know Gambia will be really at the centre of everything because of achievement. We are very proud of that. I had a meeting with the Minister. I told him that I think after achieving all these, this is now the biggest challenge for Gambia. As a leader, we don't want to look back, we want to move forward.

Whatever we have been doing, we have to double it to make sure we maintain our position or even to get more achievements than what we have achieved during the period. In this achievement, the environment has a lot of areas even though we have some streams that have been affecting the climate. It is a part of climate change, and my Minister is working on that to make sure we address those issues, to make sure also we organize cleaning exercises country wide on things also affecting the climate. Mangrove restoration. We have been doing that and now we want to intensify efforts to do it more. And, tree planting. Now, we are saying 'Tree Growing', not planting.

When you plant, you grow the tree. So, this is what we are trying to do to make

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sure we intensify that to improve our gains.

opposition is in jail. Every opposition is given the freedom to canvass for votes, to campaign, to go to every radio Finally, the world's attention is on the station. Every journalist is interviewing Gambia as the General elections come anybody at anytime anywhere. This is close, and everybody is concerned what is happening close to elections 'where is the direction'? So, what's your and that thing will continue until the message to the world for this election? votes are counted. And, we are calling Should we expect that the same respect on everybody, if anybody comes out as for the process should continue? Or, is a winner, as candidates we should all there a message you have as the world accept that, endorse it and support that watches Gambia for the Presidential person to run this country. This country elections? is bigger than all of us, but there will be only one President at a time.

President Barrow: The message is very simple and the message is clear.

We are promising the world that we will organize a very transparent, very peaceful, very credible election in this country. We are promising the world that. I will maintain the style of my leadership.

Approaching elections, no opposition leader is arrested in this country. No Champion of development

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BARROW: A Champion of Development

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Gambia:

The Counter Narrative Nearly five years since Jammeh's forced exit from Power, Gambia – the smiling coast of Africa, is regaining its rightful place in the committee of nations. Three years before President Barrow's emergence as the President of the West African Nation, the former President – Jammeh had announced the country's exit from the Commonwealth, a move described by the Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, in 2016, as "regrettable." Upon assumption of office, President Adama Barrow, in 2018, announced the country's decision to re-join the global body. He also quickly rescinded the country's decision to leave the International Criminal Court.

These actions quickly gave wings to the new government's pro-global disposition and signposted its desire to do things differently. Expectedly, it reignited global interest in the country's massive tourism potentials.

Our weeklong working visit to The Gambia was very revealing as it was rewarding. Our trip coincided with two critical events in the country – the commencements of the 2021-2022 winter tourism season and the historical

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commissioning of the OMVG Hydro Electricity Project by the presidents of Senegal, Guinea Bissau and high representation from Guinea. The event was held in Banjul and would revolutionize electricity generation and distribution across these countries.

The Gambia received the first batch of tourists from Europe after about two years of global tourism suspension due to Covid-19. The tourists who arrived in The Gambia from the UK were excited as businesses that suffered as a result of the shutdown are about to receive some boots.

Tourism is arguably the fastest growing sector in the Gambian economy and accounts for roughly 20 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product. It is the largest foreign exchange earner and is a significant source of employment.

According to reports by World data, Gambia recorded a total of 619,000 tourists in 2019, ranking 151st in the world in absolute terms.

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This is one among many other projects, Mr Yankuba Dibba, the Chief Executive Officer of the OIC secretary, tells us, as we met at his office in Banjul.

He said, "we have ongoing projects covering several sectors including hospitality; airport infrastructure, water projects and lots more."

Continuing, Mr Dibba maintained that "the Summit will no doubt transform the economic and social wellbeing of the people of the country, as it offers unique opportunities Corroborating their stories, the British High for the modernization of the country's infrastructure for now commissioner to the Gambia, Mr David Belgrave, told us of a and the future."

British family that had inherited some money from the family and decided to buy a place up-country and settle On the country's readiness to host the summit in 2022, down with the entire family.

Mr Dibba maintained that its unique ability to rise to every occasion would come to play in its commitment to quieten The President, Mr Adama Barrow, is committed to naysayers. preserving the peace and security of the country, as he tells us in an extensive conversation with the team at the Hopefully, the summit will not only modernize the Presidential Mansion in Banjul. In his words, "I am country's infrastructure; it will also showcase the vast committed to preserving the peace and security of our untapped investment opportunities that exist in the Gambia. country, and that is why I have personally adopted a According to the United States Department of Trade in different approach to the relationship with the opposition its recent publication titled: the Gambia, the Country parties in the country."

Commercial Guide, it averred that, despite the country's "I often get my ministers and advisers, come to me to small market size and infrastructure challenges, some complain of several provocative actions from different sectors still present market opportunities for prospective groups in the country. But I implore them to manage these investors. excesses because we have decided to do things; differently, The energy sector is among the critical areas with vast he said." investment potentials. An additional 40 megawatts (MW) of The Gambia is a treasure trove of peace, tranquillity, electricity is needed to meet current demand, which is serenity and beaches. When you add quality leadership to expected to reach 200 MW by 2025. Supply-side constraints the mix, the result is greatness. Therefore, it wasn't difficult have created a high demand for quality generators and for the country to clinch the hosting right for the 5th Heads energy storage equipment, such as inverters and renewable of State and Government Summit of the Organization of energy devices. After the gaps in transmission lines are Islamic Corporation, OIC, in 2022. addressed, investment opportunities in electricity generation will be significant, particularly in solar and wind energy.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second-largest inter-governmental organization with a membership of 57 states spread over four continents. The OIC organizes the Islamic summit, the most significant meeting, attended by the Rulers and the Heads of State and Government of its member states.

As seen on the ground, preparations are already in top gear to put up a stellar outing. The country is a vast construction site, as strategic projects dot every corner of the island country.

The President had, after our meeting, proceeded to lay the foundation stone for the 50KM OIC urban road West Coast Region and Kanifing Municipality.

The Gambia is a treasure trove of peace, tranquility, serenity and beaches.

In his remark at the ceremony, the President stated that "it is another historic event and major milestone in the country's development process by putting in the much-

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Magdalene's story isn't different from Jonah's. She had visited The Gambia in 2017, and according to her, "I had some friends who had planned the visit in 2017, and I was reluctant to come, but, after my first visit, I couldn't wait to come back."

What equally makes the project noteworthy is that it will expand the existing urban road network to accommodate and respond to the ever-increasing volume of road traffic on the country's roads.

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Jonah is a 34-year-old Brit who owns a small shop in Senegambia. In an interaction with African Leadership Magazine, he tells us that, "The Gambia is a natural beauty, my first visit kept me coming back and finally, I had to take the bold step of making Gambia home."

needed necessary infrastructures."

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A major attraction to The Gambia, beyond the long beachlines, is her people's peace, security, and welcoming nature. This may be primarily responsible for the growing number of Europeans taking up permanent residency.

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Biofuels also present another investment opportunity for energy sector investors.

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Key commercial opportunities in the agricultural sector include farming equipment, expanded irrigation systems, post-harvest handling systems, storage facilities. The industry is highly seasonal but could be year-round with expanded irrigation capacity. Demand for efficient postharvest storage is increasing, given, among other things, a shift towards perishable horticultural produce. As The Gambia becomes increasingly urban, there is a growing demand for processed food.

Construction in The Gambia has flourished since the change of government. While most manufactured products are sourced from China and India, there is an increasing demand for quality materials and equipment. The outsized diaspora community has demonstrated an eagerness to return to The Gambia and invest following President Jammeh's departure in 2017. The high demand of top of the range offerings has put real estate moguls like Saul Frazer, the Managing Director of Global Properties Gambia, on their toes. The growing tourism industry has generated hoteldriven construction. Additionally, the government aims to construct new hotels and roads before the planned 2022 Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit in The Gambia.

Another area for possible foreign investment is mobile technology, with The Gambia seeing a 90 per cent mobile phone penetration rate, and 3G and 4G technologies widely available and access increasing. The heavy presence of Gambians on social media also presents marketing and advertising opportunities.

As things stand, Gambia looks set to become an extension of Europe in Africa, as foreigners are increasingly becoming comfortable with the country's blend of serenity and security.

Another area for possible foreign investment is mobile technology, with The Gambia seeing a 90 per cent mobile phone penetration rate, and 3G and 4G technologies widely available and access increasing.

There is also a gradual push to shift to a year-round tourism offering, as against the seasonal plan as is currently obtained.

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9TH SOUTH AMERICA AFRICA - MIDDLE EAST ASIA WOMEN SUMMIT THEME:

Adapting to New Realities for Greater Influence & Impact

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Date: 24 Mar. 2022, Time: 9pm Venue: HYATT REGENCY HOTEL DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES For inquiries call: +44 23 92 658 276 or email: info@amazonswatchmagazine.com

We Are Committed To Promoting The Gambia's Climate Resilience Story could be absolved of responsibility for the climate change crisis, it's The Gambia.

Though The Gambia recently lost its status as the only country on track to meet the net-zero target, the West African nation remains one of the few countries making a robust commitment towards reducing global emissions.

H.E. ISATOU TOURAY VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE GAMBIA

Experts project that National net zero emission targets could if fully implemented, reduce best estimates of projected global average temperature increase to 2.0–2.4 °C by 2100. This will bring the Paris Agreement temperature goal within reach.

A total of 131 countries are at different stages of netzero targets, covering 72% of global emissions. These targets could substantially lower projected warming compared to currently implemented policies (2.9–3.2 °C) or pledges submitted to the Paris Agreement (2.4–2.9 °C).

In Africa, the impact of global warming is becoming more apparent with each passing day. The main longer-term effects of climate change in Africa include changing rainfall patterns affecting agriculture and reducing food security; worsening water security; decreasing fish resources in large lakes due to rising temperatures and overfishing; rising sea levels affecting low-lying coastal areas. Climate change is also primarily responsible for increasing conflicts between headers and farmers across the country, which has displaced nearly a million people and destroyed properties worth millions of dollars.

Understanding climate change, strategies for mitigation, and achieving the net-zero target have been significant challenges for governments and people across the continent.

However, while the world fails to meet the Paris Agreement, an African Country – The Gambia, is on track to meet the net-zero target by 2050.

According to Climate Action Tracker, CAT, if any country

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Vice President of The Gambia, Dr Isatou Touray, during her opening remarks during the COP26 Climate Conference held in Glasgow, reiterated her call on wealthy countries to commit more resources to meet the needs of the world's most climate-vulnerable people. In her words, “Without additional finances, investment in new technologies, and strong capacities, our countries will find it extremely difficult to implement our ambitious climate action.”

Continuing she, said, “Let's remember that our lives and livelihoods depend on the decisions we take. It is time to act now.”

In an interaction with the African Leadership Magazine team at her office in Banjul, shortly before her trip to Glasgow, the Vice President, who also chairs the country's climate action plan committee, highlighted some of the country's efforts towards reducing emission and meeting the Paris agreement. In her words, “the Barrow-led administration is committed to working with partners and all stakeholders towards reducing emission and meeting the net-zero target.” Facing rising sea levels and drought, the Gambia is one of several developing countries critically exposed to the impact of climate change.

Similarly, the British High commissioner to the Gambia, David Belgrove, commended the government of the Gambia for the remarkable feat. In his words, “The Gambia, as one of the only countries on track to meet the Paris agreement on climate change, is worthy of commendation, and I think there is so much to learn from their experience.”

In September, the Gambia submitted a new version of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)—a country's plan to reduce carbon emissions. The Gambia's plan encompasses two kinds of targets—conditional and unconditional to international support.

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The Gambia is the smallest country in mainland Africa, wedged within the borders of Senegal along with the mouth of the Gambia River with a population of 2.4 million.

Its carbon footprint is among the world's most miniature and comes mainly from agriculture and vehicle emissions.

In total, The Gambia's footprint amounts to less than 0.01% of global annual emissions (the US is 14.5%). Still, the Gambian government is taking steps to decarbonize anyway—and it might be the only country on Earth where those steps are proportional to its (admittedly tiny) contribution to the problem.

INTERVIEW

OIC - Building Transgenerational Infrastructure for Sustainable Growth & Development In the Gambia

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22 Beyond the global headlines and eminence that comes with hosting over 57 heads of states and government during the Organization of Islamic Countries, OIC summit billed to hold in the Gambia in 2022, the country looks set to leverage the event to revolutionize her infrastructure. In this exclusive interview with the African Leadership Magazine UK, the Chief Executive Officer of the OIC Secretariat in the Gambia, Yankubu Dibba, he talks about building transgenerational infrastructure and much more. Excerpts.

The Gambia is preparing to host 57 Heads of State for the Organization of Islamic countries. What do you expect at the end of this summit?

I believe until now, Gambia has been known for the sea and beaches. We have been a tourist destination over the past 40 to 50 decades. What we envision the OIC would do for the Gambia is that it will enable the country to become the preeminent destination of choice for meetings, conferences and investment opportunities.

I want to talk about the level of preparedness of the Gambia. Seeing that it's a construction site, just like we have seen since we came in. What's the preparedness status in terms of stages of construction and project?

When we established in 2018, the Secretariat was tasked with the responsibility to, among other things, mobilise needed resources to be able to deliver a successful summit. The OIC Summit is the second biggest after the United Nations General Assembly. For a small country like the Gambia, we are relatively inadequate in resources and infrastructure. The first thing that dawned on us was to mobilise resources to ensure that we put in place infrastructure that would enhance the smooth conduct of the summit and set the Gambia for future transformational initiatives.

purpose, especially for the kind of guests and organisations that we anticipate will be coming to The Gambia for the summit. So, we decided we needed to put in place a new VIP lounge, and fortunately, we have been able to marshal 10.5 million US dollars or more.

We have two aspects to our mandate. I would call it the hard aspect and then the soft aspect. The hard aspect or we would classify as the infrastructure development team. And then the soft aspect, of course, would be events planning and management.

We have five strategic pillars; First, we needed to prepare the point of entry at the airport. Currently, we have an existing presidential lounge, but it was built some 20 to 30 years ago. So, it's presently not fit for

Next, from the airport, you can see that we have one major highway in the country. There are about 18, 000 vehicles plying the Bertil Harding highway per day. So there's so much traffic congestion, we thought we needed to upgrade the facility into six lanes of a dual carriage. The contract has been awarded and the work has started. Additionally, we constructing 20 new roads across the urban to reduce the load on the main highway. All roads to be built under our project will be fitted with modern amenities.

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Well, number one, as I said, infrastructure leverages investments. To produce a return of investments, for people to have the confidence to invest in the country, they must be assured of The third aspect is the conference money. And we formed a Special a consistent supply of electricity, centre itself; we can boast the best and purpose vehicle where we are in joint affordable suppliers of electricity, to most significant conference facility in ventures, a joint partnership with the ensure that they will not spend an hour the sub-region. This was possible private sector. So, that project is almost moving one kilometre within. The through a grant from the People's starting. So this, if you like, is a dividends behind all this go beyond the Republic of China, to the tune of $50 compendium of strategic projects that Conference.

The Gambia maintains the million. That has already been we thought we needed to deliver a chairmanship for another three years. accomplished. So to make sure that the successful summit and put the Gambia Beyond that, we want to use this guests are comfortable, they will need on the pedestal to fit other future Conference to leverage moving the to have 24/7 access to water and conferences and meetings.

Gambia from what we are traditionally electricity. We also thought, why we It will also boost investments, known for, as just a tourist destination, don't improve the water and electricity boost commercial activities, and to becoming a hub, the destination of components capacity to generate and increase the Gambia's potential to choice for international conferences transmit more electricity. So we have a attract foreign direct investments. So, around the globe, not just in the Africa $10 million project to change all the the soft aspect, which, if you like, region but globally. Because we have an transformers around this area and means event planning, has a lot of excellent climate, friendly people, our power lines, thereby increasing the mammoth components. So, this is now environment is safe, we have a youthful National water and electricity capacity our next focus. population, and above all, we have an by 50%. immaculate environment, pristine We have accomplished within our To increase water production and environment. We have excellent laws current portfolio projects more than distribution capacity, the OIC project that protect investments and have very $270 million. We are now focusing on will put in place a water treatment plant competitive incentives for people who the event's planning. In all this, we have that can pump a quarter of a million stay and invest in this country. So we a lot of strategic partners, and mainly litres every one hour for the first time. are looking way beyond our times from the Muslim countries in the Yes. And this will translate to about regarding the kinds of capacities we Middle East. But I will say our 2000 litres a minute. So you can want to build.

Because at the crux of all government sees this thing as a priority. imagine that this is going to increase of these, we are not just building the And they are also putting in a the water supply capacity in the project roads, giving contracts to companies, as tremendous amount of money to impact zone and the Greater Banjul I said, we make it a condition precedent complement the funding. So, we are Area as a whole. for one to partner.

The rationale behind now receiving proposals expressing that is mainly to ensure that Gambians interest to assist us because this is So, the fifth aspect also, we build capacities and the trickle-down thought when this well-received guests unprecedented in the Gambia; we do effect. We do not have to give travel through comfortable roads, they not have the local capacity to handle companies everything (capital flight). must be put in places befitting of their this. So we have to work with So, in a nutshell, I think the OIC will put companies, franchises that have the status. We're expecting the royals, the Gambia at another level to ability, that have the track record of Kings, Presidents, Ministers and so on. accelerate.

It is transformation, not for So, we thought about putting this five- being able to partner with us. When I transactional projects.

No, these are star facility. So, as opposed to other OIC say partner, that's a keyword; in things that are beyond us.

It is a Legacy projects that are either funded through whatever we are doing, in all these Project. grants or government loans, we were a infrastructural things we are doing, we have a corporate policy of making sure bit more innovative in terms of the I have done a lot of readings of the there's local content. Because capacity hotel. We secured a concession programmes, and discussions and building should be integral to whatever interviews are granted. And one will agreement with a private developer we're doing. So any project that does who invested $100 million of private

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I'm sure now listening to the gamut of projects and programmes going on, you and your team have looked at the numbers and how revolutionary it's going to be for the Gambia. Looking at the numbers, what do you see as the immediate and sustainable impact of this Conference?

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I think the OIC will put the Gambia at another level to accelerate

not have a local component does not qualify for our quality of projects.

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begin to wonder; you are hosting the world. I mean, you are sitting on a seat; I know the amount of pressure, the amount of activity, engagements, meetings and all that. What prepared you for this moment?

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The Gambia is a very peaceful country.

Against the Stereotypes, what does hosting this Conference mean for the country and the continent at large?

The total population of The Gambia is a reflection of the entire Well, I have had nearly four and a continent; I believe almost nearly 70% half decades of development of our people are youthful. We can see experience under my belt. I have this as a challenge; we can see it as an worked with different sectors of opportunity. It can present itself as government and civil society. And most either a curse or a blessing, as it often of my life, my professional life does. Having such numbers of young dependent on seeing potentials, people with many aspirations, and not exploring potentials. These are doing anything about that, is a potentials; you write proposals, market tinderbox for Africa. But using projects those proposals, and solve problems. like this to positively impact this cohort That has been the hallmark of my life. I and enhance their ability to benefit have not been in government service maximally from such projects would where everything is provided for my translate to blessing because you survival. Most of my professional life would have a productive youthful base. was depended on how much And this is what shaped our corporate innovation I pushed, how much I can social responsibility philosophy. Our see potential, and then harness the corporate social responsibility is rooted potential. So that has been very, very, in building capacity; we would like to very helpful to me. And I have done this impact young people. work in this country and outside this And of course, another cohort, country. So taking on this job seems to which is very important in Africa, is the be more like a continuity for me. women. Women in all countries Perhaps, if you look at the scale constitute more than half of the and scope, it might be more extensive population. And we know the social than what I have done. But in terms of and traditional biases can inhibit the sleepless nights that I would have potential. So as part of our corporate had, it's different because here, you social responsibility, we would like to have the government's goodwill and address these two fundamental groups. the goodwill of the [Islamic] Ummah.

We know these groups will be impacted negatively, or otherwise, in We now need to unlock that potential, and I think the team we have terms of our projects if you will take, for instance, road construction. Many of here is doing a great job. We are looking at what are the priorities? What the hawkers, street vendors are young people and women who are trying to are the needs of this country? Which eke out a living. member country do we think can best solve that? For instance, under the OIC, The road works come with a lot of you will need to have at least five disruptions in personal lives and vehicles per country. That's one plus livelihoods. So as part of our corporate four. One means the President or Head social responsibility, we want to build of State or Emir, and four other cars. So, capacities of some of these women and we have to procure a minimum of 395 young people around our strategic vehicles of various standards. So, we projects. For instance, we want to build look at what needs to be done, we look the capacity of these street hawkers' to at which countries we think can give them particular skills and, where potentially provide support, by way of possible, also provide them with seed grants or by way of gifts or by loans, money. then we move with the necessary arms of government, then the foreign For the young people, we've ministry. So it's a daunting task but an already developed a proposal to build achievable one, I believe. I get easily their capacities in TVET to become selfbored if I don't have challenges. So, this reliant and promote entrepreneurship. is what keeps me moving.

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Roads Authority to increase their capacity to train young people in pavement block making. If we can train a critical mass of young people to produce pavement blocks, they will find employment in our private sectors. The municipalities can use them to build concrete roads for local communities.

The same applies to the water and electricity components as well as other productive sectors.

We are currently working with the Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute to train young people. They are the ones providing catering services at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center, which turns out it be very lucrative for them.

So, our idea is to contribute to their capacity to train more and more young people in front office management, in group services in different aspects of hotel management.

I want to draw you back to the Conference itself. I want to discuss, you know it's a large number of member organisations driven up. You have over 57 members. What level of support are you getting from member countries for this task?

I must say, it's commendable. And given the circumstances in which we are. Our most significant donor and partner, especially in terms of the support we are receiving for the construction projects, is Saudi Arabia.

For our portfolio of resources, we have mobilized more than $270 million. Out of these, I must commend the Gambia government for coming up with $26 million in contribution. So, the member countries are forthcoming.

Some sceptics have doubted the Gambia's capacity to host this Conference; what would you say to them?

Allow me to take you back to 1965 when this country gained independence. A specific British writer called us the 'improbable nation'. At the time, the debate was raging that the Gambia was not ready [for independence]. Some of our colonial masters thought, okay, so why don't we make it a province of Senegal? But we had a very visionary leader at independence, of blessed memory. In AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

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I like the confidence and the position. I think that's where it starts. One can see where all this is coming from.

What would you say is your vision at the end of the Conference? I'm confident that this legacy project puts you in the annals of history, that at the time, there was a conference of this nature, and you drove the process.

What's your vision that you will look back and say, this is how much we have done at the end of this race? This is because before you started, you probably had a clear focus as to where you were headed.

If I can draw pars again, the Gambia and Singapore got independence at the same time. I had training at the Korean Broadcasting and Research Institute during my professional life in media. And I was given a task to develop a documentary on the Korean fight for independence in the early 50s. South Korea was an agrarian society like the Gambia. South Korea, Singapore, and the Gambia were all at the same level. Today, Singapore is among the five Asian Tigers and is among the first ten biggest economies globally. So, our vision is that, by picking up this challenge, we can build the capacity of the Gambia to become a preeminent world-class destination of choice when it comes to conferences.

And this will undoubtedly leverage the power for investments in this country? Absolutely. And of course, once we have the right kinds of assets, we can be, according to the dream of our founding father. He used to say we are the Singapore of Africa, and by hope, we can.

You just made a profound statement; what's your message to the visitors coming to The Gambia for the Conference come

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The message is quite simple, come to the Gambia, the Smiling Coast of Africa, a very peaceful country, we celebrate diversity. The Gambia is one country where you find interwoven families in terms of religion and ethnicity. It is a country where the laws are investment-friendly. You can have your Investment in this country and be assured the Investment is protected, you can walk out at any time of the day and night in this country and feel safe. We have excellent investment policies; if you invest around $250,000, we have several incentives that provide you with the opportunity to carry out your business without paying any tax. So it is a very conducive environment for anyone to come and invest and hold conferences and is not the cheapest destination to go and relax in Africa.

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As little as we are, we are the champion of human rights. The African Centre for Human Rights headquarters is based in The Gambia. And our involvement in the OIC dates back decades and decades. This is for the records; you will recall in the 1980s, there was a terrible fratricidal war between Iran and Iraq. Yes. The same Sir Dawda was the chairman of the Peace Committee that brought about the rapprochement in the Iran - Iraq War. So our leadership role dates back many, many, many decades. So we may be small in terms of numbers, we are still just 2 million. But in terms of our ability in terms of our international presence, we are Giants. So, it's no accident that we can take on this task.

2022?

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1965, he said and I quote, "in material terms, we may be poor, but in human terms, we are a rich nation". That statement swept this country into the limelight.

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Promoting Sustainable Energy Investment In Gambia's Hydrocarbon Sector The Gambia, the smiling coast of Africa, has long been oriented around agriculture, foreign remittances, and tourism, which accounted for up to 20% of GDP pre-COVID-19. However, this looks set to change, as large-scale oil and gas discoveries between 2014 and 2017 in neighboring countries like Senegal and Mauritania presents a renewed hope for the country's hydrocarbon potentials. Investors have also renewed interest in exploring opportunities in other countries within the MSGBC Basin. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine UK, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Gambia's National Petroleum Corporation, GNPC, Yaya F. Barrow, talks about the organization's efforts to support ready investors in the country's country oil and gas sector. Excerpts.

You have had about three decades of experience in the banking sector; right now, you've crossed over to the oil and gas sector. And of course, what you bring to the table is an enormous experience in managing projects and businesses executions. What is your core objective in terms? And how has it been achieved thus far?

Thank you very much. That's an excellent question.

When I joined this institution in 2018, October 18, 2018 to be more precise, I was a bit apprehensive as I found staff vocalizing a lot of concerns, and limited organizational structure within the institution. Using the experienced that I've gained over the 25 years in the financial industry, and knowing very well that GNPC is the core of petroleum and energy business, my priority was to ensure that we organize, re-strategize and focus on a trajectory of growth so that the institution becomes profitable.

I focused on 3 things; capacity building, accounts reconciliations to enable audited accounts and reports generation.

So, amongst the first things I did was an organizational restructuring in order to put people with the right skills and

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capacity in the proper positions. We did a skills gap assessment to gauge whether staff possessed the required skillset to do their needed work. Consequently, the organisation undertook massive training in 2019with about 80% of the staff trained, through either classroom training, seminars or industrial attachment to build capacity. And this helped a lot as we could see improved output after they had returned from those engagements.

On the financial side, which I was also worried about, my primary target was to improve the bottom line and I utilised a bottom-up approach to this. I found the corporation operating too many accounts and coming from a financial background, I thought that was a breeding ground for fraud.

I immediately engaged the board of directors, and they gave me the go-ahead to close most of the accounts and maintain one account per bank.

There was a back log of accounts reconciliation which held up our annual audits. I therefore appointed temporary staff to help the finance department. As a result, we were able to complete the reconciliation; close redundant accounts, and avoid unnecessary charges. The finance

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amicably and we both ended up proud of each other.

FAR and PETRONAS have plans to undertake exploratory drilling next week for which we have kept fingers crossed.

Another part of our investor attraction strategy is to attend international conferences in oil and gas where we take the opportunity to showcase the potential for the Gambia.

For example, two key conferences for us are the MSGBC basin; probably you might have heard about it, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Bissau Guinea Conakry, every year there is a joint regional summit of these countries with regards to the basin.

There is also the Africa oil week, happening soon between the 8th and 11th November and we will use the opportunity to launch a mini licensing round to market the block that BP exited and also showcase the Gambia's potential for oil and gas. So yes, there are interested investors, and we will not relent on our efforts; we will go ahead to market the Gambia as far as our oil blocks are concerned, both offshore and onshore. Most of the investors, for now, are concentrating on offshore, that is, deep waters. However, we do also have onshore blocks that are available and they consist of the entire length and breadth of the Gambia divided into north and south.

What are some of the attractions and opportunities for ready investors?

Recently, the MSGBC basin has been the focus for investors in oil and gas. There has been a massive

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Right now, plans are afoot to market the block exited by BP. In a licensing process overseen by the Ministry, international oil companies (IOCs) will express interest, and they will go through a fair and transparent process in order to ultimately award it to IOCs that have both technical and financial capacity to execute the necessary work programs. There's no point in assigning a license to an IOC that keeps on asking for extensions and for that reason we are cautious who we give license to as far as our blocks are concerned.

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gas conference in this country, the Upstream West Africa conference which should have taken place in June. We were in negotiations with the organizers; everything went well, they had sponsors, but unfortunately, when COVID came in, it had to be put aside, and that would have put the Gambia in the limelight. For the first time, if our As a result of these efforts, for the small country successfully hosted an first time in more than four to five international oil and gas conference, it years, GNPC was able to register our would have opened up avenues for profit in 2019. I was able to do this just investors, especially for our oil blocks, one year into the institution because, as some of which are yet to be licensed.

I said, I joined at the tail end of October 2018. But in 2019, we were able to More importantly for the upstream register a profit after auditing by side of things, the operators in our external auditors after some 4-5 years. blocks FAR and PETRONAS had to push forward an exploratory well drilling as COVID-19 took the world by surprise COVID affected drilling and preparatory when it struck; it must have had a lot of plans. impact on some of your projected programmes. In your own words, how So, talking about attracting would you describe the pandemic's investment, just like and of course, as a impact on your projects and core business. You know, you're a programmes? business strategist yourself. You're pursuing strategic regional alliances to As you rightly said, COVID did not promote and attract investment in the spare any country or institution and country, hydrocarbon industry there were no boundaries. So, on our generally.How would you say that has side, it negatively impacted the sale of fared so far in your pursuit to attract petroleum products. There were investors including strategic regional reduced sales at our stations, which alliances to promote and attract influenced our bottom line. During investment in the hydrocarbon COVID, especially the first month, industry? (I would suggest this question movements were restricted in this be changed to reflect answers given as country. Trade was down, even the rephrased above). people moving within the borders, with Senegal, in particular, were restricted to Yes, we have done very well. I contain the disease. So that had a witnessed the signing of two licenses. severe impact on our business.

The license was issued to BP, which was very good. The terms and conditions of It reduced our sales significantly the license were excellent due to welland in fact not only our sales, but we structured negotiations. There was no also had a project to build our flag-ship executive interference. It was done retail station, which is right across this purely on professional lines. We agreed building. The construction of that with BP and the Honourable Minister station was delayed because the and issued a license in 2019. contractor claimed a force majeure since the workers stayed away from Before that, exploration rights were work due to restrictions. There was no also given to FAR. However, that was activity at the site for almost five to six amended and extended because, in months, if I could recollect. So that was 2019, FAR farmed out part of their delayed because we had projected shares to PETRONAS in Malaysia revenue; we were supposed to open therefore they jointly own the license that station before 2020. Unfortunately, and currently plan to drill a well. We with COVID, work was delayed, and our were very much excited about BP but projected income for that particular site due to a change in strategy they are could not have been attained. going to be concentrating on low carbon areas. However, BP negotiated Also, Gambia had the opportunity their way out very smoothly and to host the first international oil and department was encountering issues with generating some reports so I also worked with the finance director to bring in new software, which assisted in developing a reporting format ensure that we can generate timely reports.

This also assisted greatly in completing the reconciliations on time.

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For any license that is being issued, there are terms and conditions for local content and also for CSR. The IOCs that are issued the license or given a minimum to spend on CSR in terms of CSR. Again also, they are given a minimum on local content development. And if it is not spent, they have to refund the government in a cash balance. Like for example, BP, we undertook some CSI, corporate social investment, instead of responsibility, we call investment because we want to have a long-term impact on the lives of your community.

With our partner IOCs we are making great efforts to engage in local communities, as evidenced by our corporate social activities. We are involved in many wide-ranging corporate social investment activities, from youth development programmes in sports to hospital and colonial renovations and donations, gardening and borehole development for women and higher education scholarships.

Notably, in some cases, together with our international partners like FAR we've renovated the accident and emergency ward in Brikama, which forms part of the highly populated West Coast Region. And we've also renovated the maternity wing in Bansang hospital in the Central River

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We also contributed about a million dalasi, from our corporation's funds, to a fundraising initiative for COVID response. We did that last year in 2020. Again, also, we procured some items for the COVID Rehabilitation Centers in Bakau in the Kombo Municipality Council which has been reserved for COVID. BP also has provided scholarships for master's programmes in the UK. They've also given sponsored biodiversity studies of the Gambian river. Since we were in a joint venture with BP, we did some corporate social investment with them under that agreement.

Africa is the largest reservoir of young people. In The Gambia, the youthful population is 19.9 (the median age). So, you have a lot of young people, and we all agree that the oil and gas industry is very expert-driven, and you need to gather a lot of experience. How are you engaging the young people trying to attract much more young people to the sector?

Perfectly put. Looking at our staff and composition, more than 60% of the team are below 30 years, and some are fresh from universities. For example, our recent recruitment for the E&P, the exploration and production department, which we call upstream, were all young graduates very talented in mathematics, geosciences and engineering. Currently we are planning to send them for further studies.

Each year, we have a training plan, and we look at our areas of focus and interests and ask department heads to recommend training for places where they feel there's a capacity gap which has been helping.

Also, in our downstream, we recently recruited very young people, most of them in their 20s, including university graduates. We are very much concerned about staff training. One of mandatory IOC contributions are called

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The Gambia seems to have an upstart because when you look at the prevailing conditions, most countries wouldn't have a template to draw from in terms of managing public interest.

And managing host communities or managing local content, you seem to have case studies to look at and adapt.

What are you doing to develop a robust plan for local content and other significant initiatives to support local companies?

Region.

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discovery in the Mauritania-Senegal border, substantial gas deposits. In Senegal, the Sangomar oil field also found oil and gas and these all sit on the same MSGBC basin, right from Mauritania to Guinea Conakry. So this is as area of great interest for oil and gas investors as there is enormous potential. Therefore, international investors who have the means are encouraged to come in and explore with us.

Training and Resources funds. These are not only used to train within the Ministry and GNPC but also other government departments in relevant areas. So, we are keen on training and will continue to embrace training and recruitment among the young and talented graduates we've got; that's the only way you can grow. If you want to develop an institution, you don't recruit people at your level; you don't recruit people who have the same IQ; you look at those with higher IQs. And that is the way to move the institution forward.

That is our strategy.

Anytime we're recruiting, my advice to department heads is to recruit talented young people; this is what can take our institution forward. And that's what we are doing.

Can you share your plans for the future of the GNPC? (suggest to rephase to match the answer given; what are your plans for the future or What is next for you after GNPC) Once I leave here, I would want to retire, probably engage in community service with NGOs. You know I don't think I want to take an active role in oil and gas again, because number one, I have worked in the banking industry where I retired honorably, I came here, and the good thing is that I'm able to lift this institution from where it was. So what I want to do in the future is actually enjoy a little bit of my retirement and engage in community service.

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Why UK-Gambia Relations Remain Enduring

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United Kingdom and The Gambia share a lot in common and have enjoyed an enduring diplomatic relationship. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership UK, the UK High Commissioner to The Gambia, His Excellency, David Belgrove, he tells us more about the relationship both countries and why a number of Brits are finding abode in the Gambia. Excerpts.

HE David Belgrove – UK High Commissioner to The Gambia

Gambia and UK have maintained a solid and robust relationship since independence. Can you tell us more about the relationship between both countries?

We have a long relationship with The Gambia; we share similar democratic and legal histories, which helps us work together.

Increasingly, we share the same aims on the international stage, especially on climate change and human rights issues. Each year, we see many young Gambians go to study in the UK, learning more about the UK's society and culture and their academic studies, some of whom are our prestigious Chevening scholars. Of course, many British people have a strong personal connection with The Gambia; in regular times, we see 50,000 British tourists visit the country, many come back year after year. A number fall in love with the country to such an extent, they decide to move here and make their lives here.

The UK is a market for agricultural produce from The Gambia, and there is potential for that trade to increase.

Climate Action Tracker recently announced The Gambia as the only country to achieve the Net Zero target by 2050. How do you see this milestone changing the country's pedigree globally?

The Gambia is to be congratulated as the first to register a plan of Nationally Determined Contributions that will meet the Paris Commitments. It sets an example for all countries to follow and illustrates that it can be achieved with exemplary political commitment.

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The High commission recently jointly hosted the capacity building for the Human Rights Committee of the National Assembly. What other priority areas of intervention does the High commission attend to in The Gambia?

Our priority is to support the democratic gains The Gambia has made in recent years. We have projects that support the election process and build capacity within the judiciary and parliament.

We also have a strong focus on climate change and the environment, working closely with the Government and Civil Society, including adaptation and resilience projects. We have also been increasing the engagement between the British military and the Gambian Armed forces, focusing on training for peacekeeping operations.

The country is described as the Smiling Coast of Africa. From your experience, what would you say is your unique experience in the country? The Gambia is rightly known for its warmth and hospitality; the willingness of people to help strangers and offer them hospitality is part of the unique charm of The Gambia. People can very quickly feel at home here, which is why they keep coming back.

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We are victims, but we can become an example of how we respond and spearhead initiative using clean energy and others

-Graca Machel

African Countries Must Develop Strategies To Mitigate The Impact of Climate Change

The Former First lady of Mozambique made a call on African leaders to develop strategies to mitigate climate change on the continent. She made this call while receiving the Award as the 2020 African Climate Champion of the Year, during the International Forum on African Leadership (IFAL) 2020, held virtually on the 26th of February 2021.

While stressing the impact of climate change in the region, Graca Machel cited the Cyclones that fustigated Mozambique between March 2019 to January 2021. The effects, she noted had not only impacted Mozambique but the neighbouring countries as well; an event she said raised her consciousness on the impact of climate change in the continent.

"More importantly, it is to raise the importance of countries developing strategies to mitigate the impact of climate change. We are victims, but we can become an example of how we respond and spearhead initiative using clean energy and others. We are at the forefront of the transformative response to climate change." "...we are trying to have women respond in a positive dynamic and connected way and accepting that we are not victims, we are makers of our own life and region". "I want to thank you very much for this recognition, and I take this as an opportunity to do more, not as a person but with the networks we have been working with", She concluded.

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AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

JEWEL HOWARD-TAYLOR VICE PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA

THE SILENT ENABLER

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For Her Excellency Jewel Howard Taylor, the Vice President of Liberia, the concept of leadership is about humanity and the girl child. From scholarship for indigent young girls to jobs and wealth creation for the teeming young people of Liberia, she leads from the front and refuses to see challenges. With over two decades in politics, she is an ardent believer in "project Africa" and hopes to see a continent driven by ideas and innovation. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine UK, she bares her mind about leadership, Vice Presidency; Agriculture, youth unemployment, among other issues. Excerpts:

Thank you very much for that commendation, Your Excellency. I sat down here a couple of minutes ago, and I read the nine simple reasons you are an inspiration to girls across the world, not just Africa. I want to say that you have been forged through fire. You have been through so much before becoming the Vice President of this great country. What are some of the high points of your life that have led you to where you are today, understanding that you are an inspiration to women and young girls worldwide, and they are looking up to you?

Thank you first for this unique opportunity and to the African Leadership Magazine for providing me with such rare opportunities over the years. I don't think I would be the Jewel that is herald across Africa if I had not connected with the Magazine, and it is just a unique opportunity. I pray that I will continue to be worthy of the work that each of us does.

If you look at my story, which I still have to write, I have been delaying that a little bit. Looking back, I know how inspirational it seems, but the

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Of course, the last name I carry, 'Taylor', brings its complicated compound issues. The former President, Charles Taylor, has only two reactions people have towards him. It is either you love him, or you hate him. There's no inbetween. He is no longer on the scene, and it seems as if some of those prejudices have been attached to me. The law requires that everyone be held responsible for their actions, but then again, human behaviour is that you are prejudicial to someone for maybe a reason that the person doesn't even know. I think this is the toughest challenge that women face. 'What is she doing there?' 'Why is she even here?' 'What can she bring to the table?' Questions are not asked of any male candidates or males who step up in strange and unusual places. But once a female is attached to it, you get all of these, which every woman would face.

We have to look at it in the eye and continue to step forward because if you pay it the attention they are looking for, you lose your step. So, I have learned as I walked this tough road that you have to find your passion, decide that you will make something positive that you remain where you are, and then you forget the naysayers. They will always be there, whether you do good or bad, but we are under a so intense microscope for women. It is hard, and you can't say you have to keep working and act as if everything is okay.

I like politics because it is a fight for the heart and souls of people. It is a fight for the destiny of our nations. It is a fight for what we want our children to be, and it is only in this sphere that you get a chance to make the changes. If not, you are in a prolonged process, and it takes forever. So, women who want to be politicians, and I am encouraging as many as possible because we keep losing space on the African continent to remain focused through working hard to succeed and then forget the noise.

As a grassroots leader and the former Chairperson for the Senate Health and Social Affair Committee on Gender and Women and Children Development, what has been your experience interacting with the hinterland?

Well, Kingsley, it would surprise you to know that I never had an iota of thought that I would be a politician growing up. I wanted to be a banker. So, I went to school in the first phase of my life and did banking & finance, but I

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I realized that those caught up in the war, of course of no fault of theirs, happened to be in the situation, and they needed someone to show them care. So, I would go into those situations and try to offer a word, provide blankets for babies. If there were a situation where a mother was critically ill, I would have them transported to the hospital, and that's how my humanitarian work began, making sure that everywhere I went, I tried to make a difference. That started the platform for which I could stand up for elections when my county's elders approached me; I come from the 3rd largest county in the country, but I am also from the most prominent tribe. When the elders approached to be their Senator, I laughed and asked, 'How can I be your senator?' 'What do I know?' I am still in my early thirties. But I had learned during those early years of the crises in helping that what it required was just someone who cared; someone who was willing to raise their voice to make the change because they usually call lawmakers' noisemakers' here. There's a lot of noise. Everyone is shouting on top of the other, and he who has the loudest voice and can make the largest tremble gets what he wants. So, I had learned

I like politics because it is a fight for the heart and souls of people. it is a fight for the destiny of our nations.

It is a fight for what we want our children to be and it is only in this sphere that you get a chance to make the changes

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found myself in a political space because I married Charles Taylor and was 33 years old. You can only imagine dealing with all of the things happening at the time. There was a civil war and conflicts everywhere, but something happened during those few years that shaped my personality. I realized that I couldn't sit at home, drink tea, and bring my friends to buy and drink wine. I had to get in the field. So, I started visiting displaced camps and engaging the women and children in those destitute situations. Everyone had left the other parts of Liberia, the counties, and were stuck in Monrovia. So, they were caught up in school buildings, public buildings, churches, and just visiting from one displaced centre to the other; you can imagine the situation.

There was not enough water. There was barely anywhere to sleep. People were having babies in those situations because they couldn't even get to the hospital. These were displaced people. How do they move from a camp an hour away from Monrovia to JFK? So, it was a tough place for me.

I had just come back from the States. I spent 15 years there going to school, and just being thrown into such a situation seeing the dire needs of our people did something to me.

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truth is forged through fire, as you say. Nothing is ever easy, whether you want to be a housewife or you want to be a scientist or an astronaut, or just a politician. The challenges we name for women are the same. Some of the challenges I faced were tough, but I would like to zone in on a particular one, and I think all women face that in the different spheres of our lives. The discrimination and prejudice attached to what we do, sometimes deserved, sometimes not. First thing, I am a woman. In Africa, it is perceived that women must stay in their place; I would say it the way my father said it. If they want to step out of their position and be the extraordinary people they are meant to be, especially women, they will face many challenges. But I think the idea of discrimination and prejudice automatically reacts to you in a particular way just because you are a woman.

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that that was what was needed at the time.

As I began my work as a Senator, I became an advocate from that experience seeing what women went through, the difficulties, and the dashed hopes and aspirations of mothers and children. Several times I raised the issue, that passion came out because I knew it wasn't just from a place of comfort. So, I think if I had not had such an opportunity, maybe I would have been one of the Senators sitting at the legislature and being concerned about what my nails looked like and what colour of suit I would wear. But I became a grassroots because I knew that my work had to impact women at the grassroots level. So, I campaigned for microloans for women. I campaigned for water to be brought closer to the town. They would take the water 3 miles. Why would you have your wife and daughters walk 3 miles for water? And, the men would say, 'oh, they are making noise'. Can you imagine the risk you put them through because the water pumps are usually far from the village, and they are walking alone on those roads and coming back? What would happen if you put it nearer to the town? Even you would have more water to drink, but there are so many prejudices in leadership and the way men think instead of women. Even schools would have elementary schools 3 miles away. Who will send their daughter 3 miles away to walk to school and come back?

So, the girls don't go to school until they are like 8 or 9

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years old. Those became the issues that I felt connected to, and I knew it would make a difference in the lives of regular women. It became my mantra, and I am so happy that I have found something to be passionate about because you have to be passionate about something as a politician. How do you transform the lives of people? That's how I became a grassroots by contacting the women.

But you know, in 2014, when I went for reelections, something strange happened. Again, because I kept the men engaged, two years before the elections, I said Bong Country, which is in the heartbeat of our country; it is a vast county, and there were many places I still hadn't gone to. I would be overrun if I waited until 2014 because the elections would be noisy. 'Oh, she hasn't done this, and she hasn't been here, and she has not yet met with this person.

So, we began two years before. When I called my staff in my office, and I said we would begin the campaign two years before, everybody laughed. How can we start the campaign two years ahead of time? I said, 'I don't know, but we will start it'. So, again I got a chance to reconnect. I got an opportunity to recommit to the work that I had begun doing as Senator. I had an opportunity to make new friends and let people feel me because it is different when you are in an office than when you are going and sitting with the women. I would go into the villages and pick rice with them.

I would go and join them in cooking. It was a fantastic time,

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I think we are doing the best we can. I am always looking at these institutes, and the processes that evolved is not an event. That is what makes the human spirit sometimes weak. It is a joining because you cut off all of the good things happening here. I grew up here. I didn't leave here until I was 21. By the time I went to the university, I already had a job in one of the government agencies, so you were sent to as an intern whatever you wanted to be. All of those programmes have ended. So, they get up and look on the streets, asking, 'Where are we?'

'What's happening?' 'How do I come off my own?' 'How do I take care of my children?' there are no longer willing, and of course, it doesn't make sense to have a child who is in the fifth grade, and you are in the fifth grade. They don't want to go back to the regular school system. We must now find a hybrid system to provide some skill training, some form of education, maybe a little bit of English, Writing and Mathematics, so they can survive.

There is a program called the 'Youth Opportunities Program' for Liberian youths. We are providing training opportunities and funds to help them get started in their own small businesses

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How do we engage them? They are angry because when you look at the internet and Instagram, you see other countries where young people are doing great things, and the question is 'What is happening here?' 'How can we be stuck?' If you talk to an average Liberian young person, they want to get out. They see Europe, America, and Asia as better opportunities for them, not knowing that it is better to stay at home when you get into those environments. Again, we have to do a So, everywhere I go, whether it is lot to reconnect the hope of the young the county I used to represent or the nation at large, people want to see who people to our continent. We are dealing this Jewel Taylor is, and sometimes I am with these war babies. They are now amazed at what they say and how they heads of households without fathers to guide them, without mothers saying, feel. I am just a regular person doing what God has set my heart to do. But I 'Hey, this is enough, don't cross this line. They don't have the patience to think that is the work of women. That wait. It is an issue, an emotional issue, when you get elected into such an but it is also a physical issue. office, it is to make a difference at the grassroots level and to keep the hope We have done to begin to work alive that any child can grow up to be with youths across the country. There is whatever they want to be, and that the a 'Youth Opportunities Program' women feel that you feel them and you program for Liberian children. We know what's happening in their lives. provide training opportunities and Amazing. Listening to you again, you funds to help them start their own became a Senator at a very young age, small business. In the Government is and the continent is young. If I may ask, about 99,000 employees and you are what are some of the challenges you talking about 5 million people. Maybe would say young people face in this the private sector hires another 50,000 country, and how is the administration or 60,000; what do the rest of them do? trying to manage these challenges thus So, we have engaged with them to far? provide these opportunities for skill training, encouraging them to open Looking at our history in the most their cooperative businesses. recent or the past 40 years, we have Agriculture also gives us a prominent come from civil war and didn't have place to begin because you can make external aggression. The aggression money if you produce and sell. That's came from inside, and why that was a what the issues are for them. How do complicated process was because we make our lives better? How do we people felt marginalized, inequality provide for our children? The persisted. Some families had it all, and Government cannot do it because we most of the families had none. So, this don't have that many job opportunities. whole sense of turning this system Still, thankfully the UN systems, the around created the war. It was World Bank systems have been inequality and lack of opportunities. assisting Liberia to provide funding to Through the last 40 years, you have this particular group to ensure that they young children who are war babies can have their dreams and work them being born, given that our population is out. But of course, some of them are on 60 per cent from about 18 to 25. These drugs, and you can understand that were young people born in the war

they do not have hope from the war years. It is easy to become an alcoholic, to become a drug addict as a way of thinking you will forget about your current situation.

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years, living in displaced camps and not having education opportunities as I did or training. So, 40 years later, we have a group of them that are 60 per cent of the population, and they are now having their children.

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and what it did for me was bring my heart closer to the people I serve. So, it's been a long, challenging route, but I think it helped, and in the end, on the day of the election, when we got out, there were long queues. They stood in lines and cast their ballots for me. I went against 12 men, and I could beat all of them. And mind you, in 2014, we had Ebola. Little did I know. If I had just sat at home to say I would wait for 2014, I would probably have lost because, during Ebola, we wouldn't have time. The country was shut down.

We couldn't move around as we should.

I believe my instincts kicked in, and it enabled me to continue to keep connected.

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But it is a callous order, and when you look at the numbers of young people we are talking about, this is not just a Liberian issue. It is an issue across Africa. I still think Africa has so many opportunities. If we begin to utilize the benefits of the natural and human resources that God has given us, we can now turn the situation around, and this young person can work. Once you can work, you can provide for your home. The level of violence against women will reduce. The illiteracy level will drop, and then those young people growing up now will look at their fathers more positively. That he is not just hanging around and doing nothing. He is coming and providing.

It is a process, and we have to keep working on it.

Hopefully, we can turn Africa into an industrial continent to stop shipping our raw materials. Anytime we export raw materials, we export our peace and the security of our children. Because they are all tied to the fact that if someone is stable and has an opportunity to work and take care of their children, they remain peaceful. If the existing chances are small and it does not incorporate a majority of the young people, we will have migration, crime, and drug abuse issues. We must look at it as a continent, and I am happy that the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is now up and running. Hopefully, we can begin to see what we do and set up these new systems. We have opportunities for green agriculture because we don't have these vast factories producing all of the things we need. We have opportunities to create new industries for solar and wind power. Because we have nothing, we can now step up the bar and begin to do environment, do Government, do governance in ways that propel the continent as the continent for the future, which indeed it is.

Amazing. That brings me to the next question, considering the agricultural exports and mining being the main economic activity of Liberia as identified by the AfDB group, what is the appeal to young people to take on these industries considering that a lot of them find it archaic and outdated? We understand that it is not so. A country that feeds itself can raise its head, and also, as you said, it creates security, creates employment and all the rest of it.

Then, how do you make it attractive for young people?

I think Africa has not done well in showcasing what agriculture can be. In western countries, you see a wealthy

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farmer. He has all of the industrialized tools, and they are not moving cattle all over the place to cause all kinds of havoc. But that's a conversation for another day.

People have a farm. There is a stable land, and they work it generation after generation.

We need to learn from what's happening and showcase how farming is the best short-term career to get our young people involved, especially those who have not had the opportunity to be appropriately processed. I have a grandson who is 12, and I asked him the other day, 'Charles, would you like to be a farmer?" "No, why would I want to be a farmer?" he said. I was like, "Wow, do you know what farmers do?"

"Yeah, they plant food," I said, "that's all?" "That's all they plant food," he said "they suffer", because if you look at the African farmer, women are toiling from 6 am to 6 pm. There is barely enough to take home. Even in the farms that we plant, the food doesn't get to the home of those that plant. You go home, and you barely have food for your children. So, the perception of farming being something that doesn't provide the benefits you need has to be changed. Government has to do its best. Those providing financial benefits to the sector must go beyond where we are. We need tools. We need small implements that we can use to make farming a little bit easier. If you see a 30-yearold woman in Africa who is a farmer, she looks 70. Whereas, if you find an 80-year-old farmer in the US, he is strong. He is on a tractor because everything is easy. How can we make farming easier for our people? We need to connect the dots. Someone who is farming shouldn't have to worry about where the fertilizer comes from or who will buy his products, or how it will be shipped wherever it needs to be consumed? So, a connection is required, and the agribusiness players now have the link. Someone has a truck that will pick up the food from where it is produced to the warehouse. Someone else has a business where eCommerce works for farmers, and right on the internet, products are sold. Containers are brought. Things are lifted on it, and then it is shipped outside. The whole process has to be considered as we work our land.

Look at Liberia; we have not done much in agriculture over 40 years because we have been in crisis. If you travel, you see how green everywhere is. When you are flying over Liberia, all you see is forests. You can imagine how fertile our soil is, but who encourages our young men to take a

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from his head. He is now trying to get groups of young people in the different counties to come together and help him. You get a percentage of what is being created to go to the farmers. He has a video showing when he started engaging the farmers at first. Everybody was like, just go and sit down until he began to pay. Once he picks up the palm kernel, he pays you on the spot. He doesn't say come back in 30 days. So, the women are now so happy. Funds are going into homes. Those are the positive stories we have to tell. If we don't tell them, people will keep sitting

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Look at Liberia, we have not done much in terms of agriculture over 40 years because we have been in crises. If you travel, you see how green everywhere is. When you are flying over Liberia, all you see is forests. You can imagine how fertile our soil is, but who encourages our young men to take a piece of land and plant pepper for example.

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piece of land and plant pepper, for example. I know if I plant pepper, it will feed my children. All they see is the old farmers still suffering; they will grow produce that can't come to the market. Half of the crops are damaged because of postharvest waste. We have to change the narrative, and I think it is the Government's responsibility, but it is also the responsibility of our partners to see how we can begin to change the narrative. We have one young man, and I hope you will get to meet him before you go. He has a small company called J Palm. He is not even 30 years old. He decided to create beauty products out of palm kernel oil, so all he did was find farmers who have a palm. They want palm oil. So, they would do what they needed to process the palm oil; then, they would throw the kernels away. It was easy for him to say, 'Okay, I don't want to bother you. Can I have the palm kernel?' They quickly gave that to him. He has a fully functioning business today. He is trying to expand. The World Bank has given him a small grant to provide a small machine for palm oil. The old way of making palm oil takes days. There is a machine that you can use the handheld to turn the palm flesh into the oil. The time to mill the palm oil is shorter. So, quickly, you see them working to do this while he gets the kernel, and he can make the palm kernel oil he is using for his product. Those are the kinds of stories we need to tell, and he has now become one of the Liberian icons for agriculture. He is so excited about what is happening, especially when he gets his grant. But he would tell you it was difficult at first. Then, there was no opportunity for donations. Others can begin to do something. If we tell those stories and see him today, he is such an amazing young man. He has all these ideas coming

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and waiting for Government jobs where they can probably think to be corrupt to get what they want in a few years.

We have to work our soil so that our young people are engaged. There is a process, but how we spark the passion in our young people, like my grandson, to start thinking about agriculture, whatever he wants to be; he wants to wear a tie and suit and sit in an office somewhere, but that's not where the money is. Money is in agriculture, and we have that all around us.

opportunity only because my father believed that children were equal. He didn't give any extra treatment to the boys in our family than the girls.

Everyone will face the same world, so everybody must be prepared. I would like to go and tell my story to them, but how many times can I do that?

itself puts me on a firing line. I talk about things people don't want to hear, and I go to places they don't want me to go.

The typical day for me is that I am up by 5 am. I do my prayers and go to my paperwork because once I get to my office, there's one person who Time is not enough, and I am wants to see you and another person. stressed about that. Then I have my So, I have to do my work early in the work as Head of the Liberian Senate, morning. I sit at my computer, get my dealing with the bills and different emails, answer them, do the notes I things to the legislature. Of course, I am need to do and get ready for work. I A famous saying is that 'it is hard a much sought-after motivational make sure I say 'Good morning and to get to the top, and it is even harder speaker and role model, so I am out. have a good day to my grandchildren to stay on top'. You have received many How do I balance all of these? I always because they live with me here. I am commendations globally, within the say what suffers is my home because I usually out about 10 am. If I have continent, and within the country for am up from early to late at night. I speaking engagements, I do that before your commitment to service. It shows barely have time to speak to the going to the office. I have a small your efforts at the top, and you have children to find out who is doing what. project I am working on to provide consistently maintained that tempo.

Sunday is my most relaxed day. If I training opportunities and a safe home How do you intend to sustain this as come from church, I just crash because for girls who are victims of sexual and your vision continues to grow?

I have been running and running. What gender-based violence. It is a project I pray would happen is that many more right up the street. Every 2 or 3 days, I What makes it more difficult is that women will pick up the fire. You don't receive a progress report. I like to see you get all these commendations. have to do everything, but you can do how things are. Then, I go to the office, When I step out of my door, I have to something which reduces the stress on meet people, do some letters, speak to put up this façade like you have it all the women who have reached this level. different places, make donations in together because people don't expect It is not an easy thing. You have to be you to have challenges. So, I have to good at everything, which is not put on my makeup, get dressed, and possible. You have to be a good move around as if everything is fine. It speaker. You have to look good. You worries me sometimes, though, but have to exercise. You have to keep on how do I keep this up? You always have the radio. You have to keep your voice a to do new things to raise the bar, and lot. It's a tough battle but what I keep in you live under much more stress. mind is that I have been given a unique, Sometimes I want to relax, but you can't rare opportunity to serve, and out of because you start thinking about things the millions of women across the world, that aren't done yet. And I have so I am now the first female Vice President many things on my desk. I do in my country. humanitarian work. I have an NGO I have an NGO called the called the 'Jewel Starfish Foundation' I must continue working. I must 'Jewel Starfish Foundation' that provides young girls scholarships. continue making the impact that is that provides scholarship for We are now in Malawi. We are going to needed. I must continue being the role young girls. We are now in Freetown. We are trying to move model that I have set the standard, but Malawi.

We are going to beyond Liberia, but that is a different sometimes it is challenging.

Freetown.

We are trying story because I am a hands-on person.

I know you have touched a bit of this, to move beyond Liberia, I hardly let the Executive Director do but take use through the typical day of but that is a whole different what she is doing. a Vice President of a great country like story because I am a hands-on Every minute I am asking Liberia? person questions. Is this done? Where are we?

You have to remember that the How do we get this done? So, it is typical Vice President has always been stressful working in a field that provides male before this time. So, I come to this an opportunity for girls. Once the girls table where the Vice in Africa should be gather in different places, I want to be silent; should stand in the back; should there because they are about 2,000 not be heard because you are to across Liberia. I want to inspire them. I support the President. But I am a Vice want to remind them of the President who is an activist. That in opportunity they have; I had a similar

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is the head of the ECOWAS now, was present. When I realized he was coming into my speech, I added a piece of it. I was talking about the fact that there was a 30 per cent minimum That's a typical day. If I am not in qualification for women at ECOWAS. I the country, I am busy speaking and said, 'Mr. President doesn't fit that bill'. dancing with women and everything They are all men in the Ghanaian that we should be doing in the middle parliament, and in the ECOWAS has, I of all of this.

I want a vibrant Liberia where think, just one woman. We must do everyone has the opportunity to what we say. It is not about just putting It's amazing. What are your hopes for achieve their goals and their aspirations documents on paper and leaving it to the future of Liberia? without intimidation and be applauded by people. discrimination, and harassment. That's I pray that I will get up one the Liberia I want to see.

He responded, 'Well, I promise you morning, and I will still be alive to see that at the next turn, when we are Liberia transition from where we are We say a huge 'Amen' to that, and we redoing the ECOWAS representation, today to a fully engaged country at hope to see it in our lifetime. we will make sure to provide peace with itself and the world. It means we must adapt and provide One final question. As an inductee into inclusiveness for women'. So, I think that was a powerful platform. We can opportunities for our young people to the African Leadership Hall of Fame, talk about Free Trade. We can talk see them work out their dreams. It how would you use your office to about integration. We can talk about means women must have equal rights. mobilize other African leaders to securing jobs. We can talk about We say we do, but the fact is we don't. leapfrog Africa's development? industrialization. All of these are what Even in the political setting, if you look This award is a huge one. You are we hope the Africa we want to be at the 24 political parties that we have talking about the African Leadership would be. I believe I will continue to use here in Liberia, there are only twoHall of Fame, where prominent African the different platforms that I have. headed females. I am one of those. And leaders are already members. As I said Hopefully, I keep getting invited to most of the National Executive earlier, I feel privileged to have been speak.

Committee members are male. There is given such an opportunity. But a law that states there should be a remember, I am Vice President, giving minimum of 30 per cent female at the me a tough place to stand. However, I NEC, but of course, nobody pays can use my voice in many places that I attention to that. I forced my political get to go. Like many platforms that I party to provide space for women have to stand on, I can be that voice of because I was the head. If a man heads advocacy. I can remain that voice of one it, they will tell you we don't know calling out for what all of us should do where to find the woman. without fear or favour. Most times, I want an industrialized country when I get off the stage, people are utilizing God's opportunities to build, like, 'I don't believe you said that, and I export, engage with our neighbours, say 'but it is the truth'. The Africa we and be integrated. ECOWAS has now want has to be imagined in our minds moved from a community of States to and believed in our hearts, and if people with products in Guinea and people don't speak it to come to pass, Ghana, and Nigeria made in Liberia. how do we get it done? I think out of Then, we would be fully engaged with all the other things that I could do, the I want a country that's building our lives and building our platform of an advocate is where I industrialized, utilizing the country. There are very few buildings would like to continue. To remain to opportunities God has given even after the war. You find out that we talk about Africa, we want to see using us to build, to export and to have maybe five hotels, and none of the medium of African Leadership, and engage with our neighbours, them can hold more than 200 persons. all of those who are already members to be integrated. ECOWAS So, if you have a major conference, you of the Hall of Fame shows that we each has now moved from a can imagine how it is getting people to leave a positive legacy. My heart is in community of States to a set up. We have a lot to do. We have to girls' education, and I think that we are community of people where build. We have some of the most lacking. Anytime I get a chance to you have products in Guinea beautiful tourist sites in our country, speak, I talk about that. and Ghana and Nigeria not yet tapped. That again is a soft A few months ago, I had the made in Liberia. place for hiring young people to help opportunity to speak at the opening of with the tourism sector. We want to see the ECOWAS parliament in Abuja and that engagement where we are a the President Nana Kuffour Addo, who

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country of return, unlike Ghana that has considered itself a country of exit. We are countries of return, Liberia and Sierra Leone, where people can come and learn from our culture, learn from the things that have happened here and ensure that our children know the history, so we don't repeat it.

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necessary areas, and I come home at the end of the day to sleep a little bit early, so I am up a little bit early to get to what I do.

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REDEFINING REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT IN THE GAMBIA

Bold, audacious and trendsetting are some of the fitting epithets for Saul Frazer, the Managing Director, Global Properties Ltd, Gambia. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine UK, he talks about the company's efforts to redefine service delivery and real estate development in the Gambia and beyond. Excerpts.

So many people have described global Properties as the country's premium choice for exquisite real estate development in The Gambia. Can you tell us more about your projects and various products?

When we say innovative property solutions, we truly mean it. Our portfolio is diverse and caters to a wide range of audience. Therefore when you talk about exquisite real estate development, we are the preferred choice to the majority of clients seeking for homeownership. We currently have several ongoing real estate developments which you have seen on your site visite. These projects are at different levels of completion hence showcasing the range of offers available to clients based on needs. Our newest development is an upcoming 12-story apartment complex building. My company will be the first developers to engage in such a massive residential complex in the Gambia. We are pioneers in the industry and continue to build a portfolio that addresses the needs of clients. This concept is applied in our regional country offices in Senegal and Ghana.

Prior to COVID, we had plans to also break ground in Sierra Leone. But, the renewed partnership with the African Leadership Magazine UK, we are hopeful that we can expand to more significant markets across the continent.

Your unique market understanding has set you apart from the rest in projects developments. Can you share some of your significant strategies for developments in the Gambian market?

Absolutely. Being in the industry in the last 14 years, we have mastered the Gambian Real Estate Market and understand the dynamics of time specific demands. When it comes to investment in property development, location matters. Over the years it has

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become evident that clients prefer residing in well developed estates located in urban areas with access to infrastructure and amenities. And with the Atlantic Ocean beneath our footstep, the desires for sea front developments also became popular. Another essential element is providing convenience which is achieved through the establishment of estate management components which come along with our developments. Realizing that Senegambia is about 15-20 minutes from the Banjul International Airport and the capital Banjul, the diverse and centrally located neighborhood become a hotspot neighborhood of preference.

Additionally, with the massive influx of repatriates moving to the Gambia alongside diaspora Gambians, West Africans, European and Americans, demand for housing is growing. With English as its main language, people find comfort to invest in the country. The beautiful beaches, restaurants and local attractions make the Senegambia neighborhood the place to be. So in 2018, we ventured into the establishment of apartments in Senegambia. We initially thought that Gambians were not ready for apartments but with the successful sellout within the 2construction period gave us motivation to venture into 2 new apartment developments. With a growing demand for developments of apartment complexes, we knew it was the right timing. Of the 139 apartments in each development, 50% has been sold out on both.

You know, indeed, you're doing something right to mean selling out most of your properties from groundbreaking to completion.

For me, there's something we've you know, from interactions that have been your style, where you have high-end developments.

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Another aspect of affordability delves into housing options for service men and women in partnership with their respective institutions whereby they can make property ownership possible through flexible payment plans.

We signed an MOU with the Gambia Police force where we have provided them with access to 1800 units of housing with 7-year payment plans to be deducted from salary interest free. Being a true player in the industry requires inclusiveness that addresses a wide range of sectors. So our portfolio allows us to be innovative in providing housing solutions for all. From luxury high end to affordable housing, we have it all.

I've had interactions with some players across the continent who argue that there will never be a time when you can have a new income or, well, I call it affordable housing because the cost of construction materials is growing. And you can balance it with the need to, you know, to create out or build houses that are you do, incentivized by government. What will be your reaction to that?

There's a misunderstanding between affordable housing and social housing. Social Housing schemes include a process whereby the government provides a land free of cost to a developer and mandates a specific price of the house to be sold to clients. This process is usually a public private partnership that is working towards addressing the government's goals. Such comes with perks including tax exemption which cuts down on expenses hence reducing the cost of the property.

With our affordable housing schemes, its difficult to match with such at the pricing level. There are neither incentives nor free land. The developer must provide their own land, infrastructure and financing prior to being able to sell. Hence the cost becomes higher. UN-Habitat pegs affordable housing between $25,000 to $27,000.

Matching such prices as a developer is difficult considering the challenges faced especially from COVID19.

Concerns such as import restrictions, transportation and etc. contribute to the higher prices. But we believe that public private partnerships will go a long way is reducing this gap.

When we started our affordable housing project, we sold those units for $25,000. But the challenges with COVID including delay in importation of goods, foreign exchange

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You recently signed an MOU with the African Leadership Group for market expansion. One would ask, you've taken the Gambia, you've done Senegal, you've also done Ghana, how prepared are you for the larger African market?

The Gambia will be hosting the OIC in 2022 and will Chair the organization for another three years. How will the global properties benefit from the immense opportunities that this program is set to unlock for the Gambia?

With information circulating about the upcoming OIC years back, we took advantage of the opportunity by getting a head start with our developments surrounding the conference center. Realizing the demand of housing for the OIC, we completed an apartment project right next door.

Following that we stared the two new projects, which are due for completion mid 2022. So we have already position our developments to generate income by utilizing it as rental options for conference attendees. These self-catering apartments are usually the preferred choice over hotel accommodation.

In addition to that we also have multiple developments within the surrounding neighborhoods, which will also be available for rent. As we have seen the benefits of hosting an OIC conference from our neighboring country Senegal, the Gambia is looking forward to change that will propel faster development of the country.

You are in high demand as a speaker, and many young people are looking up to you. What shaped you to decide to provide mentorship guidance and opportunities for growth for mentorship for young people of the Gambia and Africa at large?

My inspirations growing up came from watching foreign public speakers to get motivated. So I felt that needed to change. I believe the Gambian youth need to have someone relatable that they can look up to. Someone they can relate to within the local context and get motivated to take action toward earing a better life. This I believe is more impactful.

Over the last 15 years, I have welcomed so many youth in my office asking me for advise, guidance and mentorship.

Many have benefitted over the years from the services I

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With the proven track record over the last 14 years, we could not have been more prepared. We expanded into Senegal two years after operating in The Gambia and then two years later we moved to Ghana. We have a well experienced and strong team that is built to adapt to expansions. Having the African Leadership group on board contributes a great deal towards our growth and presence in other countries. The foundation that they have existing in these countries serves as a buffer to start us off on the right footing. This new partnership allows us to expand our horizons with a partner by our side. The entire team is well equipped and ready to get started.

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Our formula is to provide access to housing to as many people as possible. This is a critical strength of Global Properties that is evident in the clients we have served over the last 14 years. Part of our niche caters to the high-end market by providing luxury sea view apartment developments. But our portfolio allows us to accommodate various levels of the property development spectrum to include affordable housing catering to the middle class income earners who desire lower end pricing for either land or a house along with a mortgage or payment plan offers.

risks and etc. has contributed significantly to a price increased of almost 20%. Though the prices are slightly higher than affordable housing margin in the markets, we are still deemed to have the most affordable and quality houses in the Gambia.

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You have low-end developments, basically, as a policy to show balance, or balance the scale as it were of affordability and all the rest of it. Why is that a strategic plan for global properties?

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internships at our Affordable housing project in Tujereng. With male and female students from the Gambia partner skills center, we had bricklayers, electricians, and plumbers trained onsite. So it's a trend that we want to continue as it leaves a positive impact and gives the youth as many opportunities as possible to learn to trade within the industry whereby they can sustain a living and develop their future.

What is the World to expect from Global Properties in the coming years? offered to them. I quickly realized that if I wanted to make an impact, I need to reach out to the masses. To accomplish this, I had to go outside my comfort zone, take some public speaking classes and started the YouTube channel, where I now broadcast so that the wider audience can have access to these materials. So far, it's been fantastic. They are now broadcasted on national TV every Monday at 7 pm. So it has given me a lot of encouragement. I took a brief break of 6 months but received tremendous calls and emails to resume the show as they benefitted greatly. This motivates me to continue speaking. The youth of the Gambia, or Africa at large, need to hear the stories of someone successful and alive, not stories from someone who's done it and passed away. I'm 44. And I still have a lot to give. And I want to invite people to understand my story, journey, and struggle so that they know that if I can do it, so can they. My mission is to motivate others by sharing my story and life experiences and guide them on accomplishing their goals.

Let's talk about your corporate social investments. That's what we've been advised to use instead of corporate social responsibility, right as an investment; you know that you're a stakeholder. And let's talk about global properties and their commitment to corporate social investment. What are some of the areas of priority for you?

Our corporate social investments are heavily embedded in community development activates. We ensure to give back to the communities that we work in through a variety of means. Positive impact ranges from providing jobs to locals within the community to supporting community facilities including healthcare and youth sports engagements. Our most recent corporate social investment is the partnership to train 200 students through

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The future of our company lies in the expansion of our reach through strategic partners in development and financing. We have exciting projects lined up that will continue to address the growing property development needs. We will embark on more developments that promote green cities as with the upcoming Greenville estate in Gunjur. The first environmentally friendly project that has approval from the National Environmental Agency in the Gambia. Partnerships such as the African leadership group will promote development opportunities across the African continent.

The continuation of delivering innovative property solutions is a priority.

We believe in giving clients what they need at the right time. I definitely enjoy partnerships as it creates synergy and delivers bigger results. Therefore with more partnerships and strategic alliances, we would develop faster and become better going forward.

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We are Committed to Promoting Gender Equity in Nigeria – Catriona Laing, British High Commissioner to Nigeria

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The British High Commission in Nigeria has continued to support the government towards promoting good governance, trade, and women representation in key sectors of the economy. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine UK, the High Commissioner, Catriona Laing, talks about the UK government's commitment to supporting the Nigeria to achieve major milestones in key sectors of the economy. Excerpts

Nigeria is one of our most important missions in Africa. And I'm one of the most senior British diplomats stationed on the continent, which underscores the importance of the UK-Nigeria relationship.

You have worked in Africa for some time now. Can you share your experience with us and your journey thus far before your posting to Nigeria? What's been the journey for you as a female leader and a female diplomat so far?

To start with Nigeria as my destination. I've been here three years, and I'm the first female British High Commissioner to Nigeria. Nigeria is one of our most important missions in Africa. And I'm one of the most senior British diplomats stationed on the continent, which underscores the importance of the UK-Nigeria relationship. So for me, in terms of career progression, this is the job I wanted. . And of course, it couldn't be more exciting and more challenging. My interest in Africa, started when I was about 11 years old. We moved house from a white middle-class area to a much more cosmopolitan, multicultural area and I suddenly had a completely different set of friends, from Ghana, from Nigeria, from India, from Pakistan. And it just completely changed my perspective.

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One of my closest friends is Ghanaian, and her mother was a dominant figure in her household. I was very impressed with her, and her presence was very strong. And just hearing the stories of Ghana and Nigeria and other African countries, it just hooked me completely. And I just knew even from that young age that I was going to work in Africa. I didn't see how that would happen, but I knew it was going to happen anyway.

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Fast forward, I found out studying economics was a good way into international development. I studied economics, got my master's, and then applied for an Overseas Development Institute fellowship program https://odi.org/en/odi-fellowship-scheme/. This is a brilliant program, which places about 20 young people in Commonwealth countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific. So you go in as a junior economist, effectively, to work in a Ministry. And it's a brilliant program because you see things from the perspective of the government of that country. I was sent to Botswana and was lucky because it's a fabulous country with a brilliant planning system. So I learned the ropes of how a sound planning system works.

I eventually worked my way up from being the most junior to the most senior Planning Officer in my team. I felt like I was making a difference doing everything from helping develop Bostwana's transport plan to the privatisation of their national airline. It was just amazing work; you get so much experience. From there, I joined what was then the Overseas Development Administration, the precursor of the Department for International Development – or DFID – as a junior economist.

I have spent most of my career working in Africa. I went to Somalia in 1993-94 to work in the UN mission UNOSOM, where I managed the transition from the then crisis emergency to recovery. That was a very tough assignment but I found I really enjoyed it.. From 2007-09 I headed up the UK office in Sudan, when it was still one country, before the breakup with the South.

Before that, I took five years out to work for Tony Blair in his Strategy Unit. There I got to see how my own government works. And I think if you're working in other countries, you should have your eyes open to your own country and its challenges. Every government has its challenges and problems, whether you're in the UK, Nigeria, Kenya, wherever.

After Sudan I spent three years in the UK Ministry of Justice from 2009-12 as the International Director. Following the 2008 financial crisis and government departments were facing significant workforce cuts I knew that I would probably lose my job so I took another plunge and applied for a job to be the head of the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan. From there I went to Zimbabwe where I was fortunate to end up during the countries period of transition from Mugabe to Mnangagwa - that was an exciting time. I loved Zimbabwe, it was fascinating, and I adopted my daughter there. So that was great. And then, on the back of Zimbabwe, as I said, I always knew I was going to end up in Nigeria.

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We are an important trading partner of Nigeria's. The current trade volume stands at about 3.2 billion pounds per annum. But to be honest, I think we're underperforming and should be doing much better than that.

As we are aware, one of your significant mandates is promoting Business-to-Business and people-to-people engagement and looking at our history, Nigeria. Looking at where we are coming from and where we are today, how would you describe the trade relations?

So, as you know, we are an important trading partner of Nigeria's. The current trade volume stands at about 3.2 billion pounds per annum. But to be honest, I think we're underperforming and should be doing much better than that. There's a long legacy, obviously, the oil and gas industry and those investments. So we're aiming for a much broader partnership, particularly looking to the economy of the future in Nigeria, around tech, and fintech, particularly creative industries. And we are making excellent strides there.

For example, my old alma mater, the London School of Economics (LSE), has just set up an entrepreneurship hub in Lagos. So LSE now has a massive program of entrepreneurship. They're looking to set up sites in many countries, including the UAE, for example. But their first one in Africa is in Nigeria. The idea is that if you're a young entrepreneur, and you've got a great idea, LSE will match you with mentors and help you raise funding and so on.

And as we know, Nigeria is full of talent across the country.

So as we develop the Trade and Investment Partnership, it will grow more prominent; the future business will be much more around tech and creative industries and innovative finance, such as green bonds.

We've already helped Nigeria launch its first green bond, and we're going to do more of that. The City of London provides a platform for companies to list through the London Stock Exchange.

I feel that agriculture is a huge opportunity. Nigeria has suffered from the Curse of Oil: when it discovered oil it stopped investing in its core agricultural base, which was doing well. But that also means there are now loads of opportunities, and we've seen companies make a difference.

There's a joint British-Danish dairy company, Arla, in Nigeria

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And there are many examples where we're working with the government to try to link UK investors to Nigerian investors with the market opportunities in the UK. Because we've got that history and shared education system and so on, it means those links are quite natural usually. So in sum, I think we were underperforming. But I'm confident we can raise the game.

One thing I should add, of course, is that one of the critical things for investors is the policy environment has to work. In Nigeria, Forex policy represents a challenge. For most companies, their biggest problem is accessing foreign exchange. And when we're lobbying, our key messages are you need to deal with the Forex issue, you need to remove fuel subsidies, which are draining the country's fiscal purse, and it would help if Nigeria sorted out all the complexity around customs. Nigeria will take off, I think very well, once those fundamentals are in place.

Your country was one of the significant partners in Nigeria's efforts to combat the impact of COVID-19 in the country.

Can you share some of your government's efforts towards supporting the country?

The numbers have not been as bad, which is good, but the economic shock was enormous, particularly for countries like Nigeria, largely dependent on oil exports.

As you know, the oil price at one point crashed to below $20. As a country which relies heavily on oil revenues that meant that overnight the budget was entirely off track. The Vice President and Minister of Finance responded with an economic sustainability plan. I think Nigeria did a good a job in handling the financial crisis following Covid. On the international side, we realised we needed to respond quickly and speak with one voice. We created a “Key Political Partner's Group” of the UK, the US, Germany, the European Union, the World Bank and the IMF, with the UN as the convener. The UN was encouraged to set up a basket Fund, which we all contributed to ensuring that our COVID support went through one mechanism.

From PPE equipment to other products, it came through this fund.

We also helped the Nigerian government through the Centre for COVID-19 sent shock waves Disease Control and other agencies to worldwide, and it was felt throughout manage its response. Both the UK and Africa, even though the health the US have had a very long-standing implications weren't as severe as people collaboration with the health sector feared. For whatever reason, people still here. However, the impact of the speculate. Particularly in West Africa, economic shock was quite enormous. more so than any other part of Africa.

The World Bank told us that 5.4 million

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aggression?

So as you said, I think there are numerous security challenges. I think there's a clear link to the COVID shock.

There are also deep structural challenges. So, for example, climate change is a factor with the farmerherder tension, as there is much less pasture and much less water. So pastoralists are having to move further South. And that's a Sahelian wide phenomenon, - not just Nigeria. So when you get a combination of these deep structural challenges with a shock like COVID, you've got a severe problem, but specifically in the Northeast.

On what the UK is doing - So following the Chibok girls kidnapping, the British military, came in at the request of government to support their efforts.

The government did a good job in tackling Boko Haram but the rise of Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) is perhaps more challenging and dangerous. The British military are supporting with training, equipment and with campaign planning. But the military element alone will not solve this problem. So we also support the government in applying a “comprehensive approach” bringing together civilian and military efforts.

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You mentioned the nexus between insecurity and COVID19, and we would like to look at the rising insecurity in Nigeria.

Banditry, and terrorism, secessionist groups in the south-east. How is the UK government supporting the country's effort to rid the country of all forms of

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people were thrown into poverty and unemployment as a result of COVID. And most of those are still unemployed. I think the COVID-19 economic shock is also one reason we are seeing the rising insecurity level in the country.

which is already transforming the dairy industry, getting much more productivity out of cattle - you get the nutrition right, you get the breeding right they will produce much more.

That's just one example.

And in parallel, we're working to support Nigeria to meet the high standards that you need if you're going to export to the European market.

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For example, in a place called Banki, in Borno state we have supported the excellent Governor Zulum in stabilizing this area. We have helped build a secure perimeter, police have gone in to provide the security, we've helped rebuild the infrastructure and the government is now delivering services to the people so their livelihoods can carry on.

With regards to the Middle Belt, we need to help Nigeria address the underlying drivers including livelihood opportunities. A large part of the solution there is through the economics through providing sustainable livelihoods for the herdsmen through ranching.

The livestock transformation plan needs to be implemented and investors need to come in. There are investors interested in states like Kaduna to do ranching.

The terrible rise in kidnapping is I think also driven in part by economics.

If young men don't have a job and cannot feed their families they may turn to a life of crime including kidnapping.

So if the economy takes off again and creates opportunities for people; a part of the insecurity will be addressed.

Other drivers of insecurity that need to be tackled include demography, climate change, and identity politics around ethnicity and religion.

Let us talk about youth and women development in Nigeria. What is your government doing to support this critical demography?

So well, let me say this first - the end SARS movement was a bit of a wake-up call. I think this has been a political awakening for the youth to realize their voice really can make a difference. So I guess I'm feeling quite optimistic about that. I want to encourage young people to register to vote, which they are doing; the numbers are pretty encouraging. And obviously, to vote to try and put some candidates forward. They need support and help, and the political parties themselves need to help young people move forward. So, I think the youth realize that they can help determine the outcome of this next election; if they register to vote and make their position

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known, the parties will have to respond quickly.

So then we come on to women in politics. Nigeria's record on this is appalling. It's gone backwards, not forwards. But we have been on that case. There are many female ambassadors in Nigeria at the moment, and we're pushing very, very hard. The American ambassador, the French ambassador, the EU ambassador, the German ambassador and me are all women.

people who will give back to their country after graduation. That's the deal, you study, and then you come back and give back, whether you're in the public sector, civil society, or private. And we've had some brilliant Nigerians go through that.

I think we have had some challenges. One is, and I will hold my hands up and say our visa system could be improved. And the good news it is improving now following Brexit. We've now had more deliberate intent to reach out and expand the scope of We are engaging with the President visas. So for students now, whereas of the Senate and the Speaker on this, before you weren't able to stay on after pushing hard. No country makes rapid you have graduated, you can stay for progress without carrying the women two years if you either do a degree or a along, possibly through a quota system. master's and three years, if you do a So that's crucial. But then for the PhD. So, I think that is helping a lot. political parties again, and the aspiring We need to link the education part candidates, I say to them the one who's with other things, including research. brave enough to put a female VP on their ticket will be the one who wins the I'm keen to build robust research next election. That's what I am saying to partnerships. I plan to develop collaboration between top research the candidates. You see what has institutions in Nigeria and in the UK. happened in Tanzania, and the world And that's a big theme for this hasn't ended. Women are taking over government in science partnerships, and it is ludicrous to tell me that this tech partnerships with countries with country is not ready for it – if not now that capability. So we're already doing it when will it ever be? in the health sector.

You've got great examples like Amina Muhammad out there as the UN As I said, Nigeria is one of our focal Deputy Secretary General and Ngozi countries for genomic testing. So I'm Okonjo-Iweala as the Director-General building on that, and I think we can go of WTO. So it would help if you had a a lot further on health collaboration, younger candidate, and you also need not just in COVID but in other complex to get the women involved with the diseases and so forth. Nigeria has forthcoming elections in 2023. And brilliant scientists; we've got top-notch that's what we need to support in scientists, therefore establishing Nigeria, which is a sense of hope for research partnerships is one area I'm the future. Absolutely. I can't give up on keen to develop.

Nigeria! It can turn things around.

And of course, the other high Education will play a vital role in the priority for us is particularly girls renaissance that you talk mentioned. education, not that we don't care about How can more Nigerian have access to boys, but we know that once a girl the quality educational system that is studies, she is much less likely to have available in the United Kingdom? children at a young age to marry young, etc. Education increases her Well, as you know, we've got strong income by 20%. And that for our prime education links. And many Nigerians in minister, and our foreign secretary is a senior positions have studied in the UK huge priority. And we have massive and are Alumni of our top universities. educational programs here in Nigeria.

We have, of course, our flagship So that's always been one of our focal Chevening Scholars Program, which is points. So, we are looking at the our one-year master's graduate foundational schools, as well as tertiary program, and many Nigerians have and higher education as well. This is the gone through this programme. We look only opportunity for the world to for not just very bright people, but change the dynamics and the narrative.

AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

INTERVIEW

Critically for African communities living at the frontline of changing climates, governments have committed to double the overall climate finance for adaptation and to better address the threat of loss and damage in climate-vulnerable countries. In what was a significant step forward, more public and private finance was mobilised to support climate action in developing countries than ever before, with new pledges made at COP26 bringing us closer to meeting the $100bn annual climate finance target next year – and ensure we will exceed it after that. The whole world played a role in reaching this deal.

There was a low turnout the last time, but the actual process was better than the previous one. This time, we're going to have electronic transmission of votes; that's another step forward. So this all helps build the resilience of Nigeria for people to see their benefits and democracy. We know resilience, like in many places, has been built through a set of compromises that Nigeria had to reach to stick together, these include through the idea of a rotational presidency between north and south and so on. And I suspect there will have to be some restructuring at some point.

But that needs to be done with As Nigeria prepares for a very crucial consensus and buy-in. And you know, election, what will be your message for the people's voices need to be heard, the country? not hushed. The key for me is to have a good election with a high turnout, Well, our message is to share how particularly from the youth and women, important this election would be for the with a leadership that can set a country's growth. I don't think people schedule for the future and build a should underestimate this election. So plan.

The election will be about hope Nigeria has been on the democratic and the future for the country. journey since 1999, and I don't think it gets enough credit for actually sticking with this. Nigeria is surrounded by

COP26 also saw over 90% of the world's forest covered by the historic pledge to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030, with over 130 countries signed up. And 65 countries also committed to phasing out the use of coal power, and all major coal

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I am proud, after two years of intensive global climate diplomacy, of And 154 countries and parties the historic climate agreements reached presented Nationally Determined at COP26 in Glasgow. The UK is a Contributions, with Nigeria amongst committed partner to African nations on climate action. those who presented ambitious plans for reducing emissions. Ahead of COP, The Glasgow Climate Pact agreed at Kenya became the first African country COP26, commits countries to phase to introduce a Climate Change Act. It down unabated coal, supports a just was brilliant to see that Nigeria has transition for developing countries, and now also done that so soon after the agrees for the first time a common conclusion to COP26. timeframe and methodology for national commitments on emissions Over the coming year of the UK's reductions.

COP Presidency I look forward to working with partners from across We know that African nations are Nigeria and Africa to deliver the responsible for just 2-3% of global commitments we made at COP26. emissions and at COP26 the message came across loud and clear – the whole This is just the beginningThe critical world needed to step up to the 1.5C global warming goal only remains challenge and I think the outcomes within reach but only if we keep our from COP26 showed that the world did promises and translate commitments step up. into rapid action.

countries going through coups and presidents who are determined to extend their term limits. There are many successes to build on in Nigeria, and this is very important. Nigeria is the biggest democracy in Africa; it matters to Africa. It matters to the world that this democratic journey progresses and that each election at least makes some step forward. I'm not saying perfect, but some advancement from the previous.

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financing countries have committed to end international coal finance by the end of 2021 – this was a major step forward in phasing out the world's use of the single largest contributor to climate change.

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The UK has shown outstanding leadership with the hosting of COP26.

What does this represent for African countries?

AGRICULTURE

WINNING WITH AGRICULTURE

An ALM Exclusive with Dr Bimal Kantaria, MD of Elgon Kenya Ltd.

By Meresia Aloo

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48 Agri-business is still considered a dynamic and systematic endeavour that seeks to serve consumers globally and within the African continent through innovation and management of multiple value chains that deliver valued goods and services derived from sustainable orchestration of food, fibre, and natural resources.

Analyses from the World Bank have established that in 2016, 65% of poor working adults made a living through agriculture.

Hence, Dr. Bimal Kantaria, MD Elgon Kenya Limited, the Chair of Agriculture Sector Network (ASNET) and Director at Kenya Association of Manufacturer's talks to us about the Role of Agribusiness in Africa and the importance of adding value to the agricultural sector. Excerpts According to AFDB, Africa's agribusiness sector is predicted to reach US$1 trillion by 2030. Presently, only US$ 7 Billion has been invested in the industry. Do you think there is a need for African leaders to now shift gears in boosting small holder farming alongside access to safe and nutritious food?

Agriculture in Africa is changing, and we have to admit it. Most African countries are now developing very quickly, and we are now moving from a low base to sort of medium-income countries. So we have to expect many changes to happen in the way we do our agriculture, particularly in the food sector. Take Kenya for instance, where property prices are very high! why would somebody who owns land spend so much time farming when they could sell the piece of land, develop it into a property or perhaps turn it into industrial development? Anything that can put a small factory up? So lots of things are changing in these countries, and it's becoming more and more concentrated agriculture, more and more sophisticated, more and more technologies used in agriculture throughout Africa this year. So definitely, there's going to be a significant change in the way we look at agriculture going forward in Africa. And as I mentioned to you, it is moving very quickly. New things like irrigation systems that are very predominant in a smaller patch of land could do a lot more in agriculture.

The second big change happening all over Africa is the borders!

Our borders are reducing. If you look at COMESA and the Africa free trade agreement that is now in place, their objective is to reduce costs of cross-border trade so that more and more food can flow

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within the African countries.

According to AFDB, Africa's agribusiness sector is predicted to reach US$1 trillion by 2030.At present only US$ 7 Bilion has been invested in the sector.

Do you think there is a need for African leaders to now shift gears in boosting smallholder farming and invest in Agribusiness, alongside access to safe and nutritious food?

I think the way the demographics are currently happening in this country; young people don't want to go into agriculture. A lot of you called the generation(Z) are more interested in IT or distribution, something that is less manual perhaps, and more city-oriented. The average age of a farmer now is getting older, so the smallholder farmer is going to get much more concentrated.

He will have to consolidate his farm or even do something else with his land and at the same time, get more cleverer with his land.

You mentioned Egypt and South Africa, but if you look at our own example in East Africa, 1/3 to about 40% of our GDP is agriculture-based. The top four of the top five previous exports are all agro-based. Coffee, tea, horticulture, floriculture.

So they're not depending on a small farmer, they

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AGRICULTURE

AGRA is a major turning point in Africa's agriculture, specifically in East Africa where almost similar events have occurred. How do such events impact Agribusiness in Africa?

The beauty of Agra is that the national government funds it. you know, be it Africa or around the world.

And it is focused on how to bring in new ideas into agriculture in Africa.

Hence, there's been a dramatic transformation change all over agrobased countries.

So when we met some of our young farmers at the National Farmers awards, it was absolutely fascinating that we got some very clever university graduates who couldn't necessarily fit into a job but they wanted to start their small little factories using agriculture as the predominant part of them or as business models.

There are plenty of opportunities for youngsters to get involved in So if you look at what our exports agriculture. The second big program we The event focuses leaders' are, obviously they are massive as are doing as Elgon Kenya ltd with the attention to agriculture. What is compared to what our imports are from youth is that we are working with agriculture going to be in the next the eastern region. And that for me is Nairobi University to set up an 10,20 or 30 years? People taking such a where the game is. If you can transform innovation center of agriculture to keen interest just to stimulate thoughts Kenya to be pro-agriculture, we have bring in the latest technology for the and discussions on whether this the enough neighbors in this part of the youngsters at the university and teach right model for Africa to be in, or if world who are cheap and even cheaper them what is happening out there. The there are better way of doing things. So than us in growing agriculture.

University has very clever, intellectual we were quite active there as ASNET Therefore we need be there to add and book smart students. But we want and also present in the UN food value to the product and work towards to have a little bit of practical service. As a private sector it is increasing our manufacturing and that's experience. So we are working on a important that we are the center of all exactly the direction we are going. partnership with the university to these discussions because whether we like it or not the government will be Through the UN SYSTEM summit, there for the purpose of reputation and Africa's manufacturing industries have one of the things they will pay attention now been able to recommit to the to is policy setting. I am very happy goals set for the continent to end with what Agra is doing in the private hunger by 2030. It is possible to deliver sector as they are doing much more this because we already have the than they did five or 10 years ago. resources and experience that will take We are aggressively going Africa to the next level. For this to through a transformation Recognizing the importance of food happen, the youth must be part of this. system transformation and how they really and I think in the How do you at Elgon Kenya Ltd aim to drive economic growth in Africa, you next 40 to 50 years, we are realise such an agenda? were recognized by the president of going to see a dramatic Kenya for your major contribution to I will tell you one secret of what we upheaval in how we handle Kenya's agricultural sector. In your do as ASNET. We've obviously got the food and that may not mean professional view, how do we transform National Farmers award and have been necessarily that we grow sustainable agriculture from the prerunning a competition with the Ministry our food. production to the post-production of Agriculture for the last seven years. stage?

The idea of the competition is that we as the private sector fund this exercise

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I'll give you a good example. The other day we went to Busia on Namanga border post. and on one of those days we counted 160 trucks coming from Tanzania, and 123 trucks coming from Uganda all full of basic agriculture foodstuffs, like tomatoes.

Why were they coming into Kenya ?Because Kenyans are big consumers of these products. But Kenyan factories are then transforming these raw materials into finished products and that is what I insist Kenyans are very good at. We take the very basic raw material or basic food commodity and transform it to a higher value product which we sell back into the region.

and the ministry of agriculture become the judges. It used to be called the presidential farmer's awards before now and one of the categories is youth and agriculture. We spend a lot of time developing young farmers. But that's not really the purpose of this. Our thinking is that youth may not be interested in tilling the land or doing manual labor but they're very interested in other parts of the value chain of agriculture like distribution and IT. All of these things add value to agriculture and at the end you realize don't really have to be the farmer to add value to the system.

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One of my passions in life is adding value to agriculture. As you know, I was the Director of Kenya Association of manufacturers, whereby 60% of Kenyan manufacturing is agro based. You realise this is a shocking statistic. But it's what we are good at. We are good at bringing in raw material from wherever and transforming them to food, which is sellable.

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are depending on large sophisticated technologically driven farms. And I think that's where the drive is going to go in Africa. The land is becoming scarcer as populations are increasing. I think we have to get clever and I see that happening quite a lot all over Africa, where the small farmer, unfortunately, is going to be more and more less active on the farms while consolidated demand becomes bigger.

So there's going to be a very big dramatic shift in the next fourty or fifty years.

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incorporate the youth in the Agriculture what is Africa's current position on food system transformation, and do you sector. think there is a need for African In line with the Sustainable countries to come together to double Development Goals, (SDGs) and Africa's down and deliver food security and Union Agenda 2063, how do we prosperity for people in our planet? enhance a resilient Africa's food system from external shocks and its fragility We are aggressively going through having been exposed to COVID 19 a transformation really and I think in Pandemic? the next 40 to 50 years, we are going to see a dramatic upheaval in how we COVID was a blessing in disguise handle food and that may not mean because it focused on what Africa's key necessarily that we grow our food. strength is. We have had a big disruption in logistics and around the Kindly explain some of the gameworld. changing solutions that would represent a coordinated African voice Last year 2020 was the best year of to the global platform. agriculture in Africa for a generation. I think if you look at the statistics in some of the big important things Kenya, agriculture was the only sector as I mentioned are infrastructure, the that grew at the peak of COVID. A lot of roads and the railway transport. IT has people went back to their farms and become incredibly part of our business. opted for Agriculture because jobs Now internet speeds and other 5g were scarce in Nairobi. So 2020 networks are coming in. We have a lot Coupled with good rainfall made it an more technology-based hackathons excellent year for agriculture. People being driven. So as a tactic metric that now realize the importance of having a we have around agriculture systems in side hustle. this country, we've got new types of technology coming in and new types of In your view as MD of Elgon Kenya, so many new ideas have been

populated in the system. Some of these strategies that you mentioned like the reduction of border controls are adjusted in the right direction. I think we are very excited as a company that the next 5,10,15 or 20 years are going to be really exciting agriculturally.

What is your view on the role of women in revitalizing the agricultural productivity in building back from the effects of the COVID 19 Pandemic?

I think women are key in any part of agriculture. You go anywhere in any part of Kenya and women are the ones doing a lot in the society not just in agriculture per se, which I do. But for Elgon Kenya ltd, you will find that most of my main distributors are women.

If you look around all the main markets that run these food markets, women are the biggest customers.

Women are just better at running businesses and one can trust them better. I always say the majority of my customers are women and I trust them much more. They are front and center in agriculture.

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We've obviously got the National Farmers award and have been running a competition with the Ministry of Agriculture for the last seven years.

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AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

INTERVIEW

Digitalizing Trade And Pioneering Ai For Trade Solutions In Africa

Artificial intelligence and digitalization are already beginning to have a transformational impact on trade. Can you tell us more about the importance of AI and digitalization in breaking down trade barriers?

So today, artificial intelligence is very nascent. In fact, in international trade, it's something very new. We often believe that AI will revolutionize business and play a vital role in the sector's future. Today, we have millions of transactions daily on trade imports, exports information, and AI will transform the way governments and private sectors work. In fact, in the domain of trade, AI has the potential to be a game-changer. We can see this from automating repetitive and manual tasks, such as data entry and verification. Today, machines can automate all this and leave more exciting work to manual tasks.

We see that AI has been used to detect fraud in the financial sector for years. So this is why we are interested in purely pioneering these AI solutions and trades that we have dedicated teams working on AI. We don't talk about AI as a concept today; you hear people talking about AI as contextual things they could do; we already have solutions working in artificial intelligence in countries. And this in the results are pretty interesting, better than what we usually do. Basically, as humans, it helps humans to be able to take the proper decisions. And this allows, in the end, to facilitate trade and makes movement of goods easier, more accessible and faster.

It helps to study patterns and make an informed decision as it were, as people's

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behaviour or buying behaviour or buying choices, you know. It will also help ensure that data, as it were, is captured real-time data for research purposes for marketing purposes and all the rest of it. An interesting example, which we do in AI, is risk management. We target goods within customs to know before they enter. We can detect if this is a fraudulent importation. We analyze the data, and based on that; we can determine the risk in protection. If you leave it to a human being, it isn't very easy to compute 1000s and 1000s of PACE data past information here what we do. AI allows us to analyze past data and take decisions.

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Artificial intelligence is breaking down barriers to trade and helping quick decision making. It is also helping buyers and sellers to track buying behavior, thereby enhancing planning, as well as research and development. Webb Fontaine is a leader in providing tailor made solutions for trade facilitation and digitalization. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine UK, the Chief Executive Officer, Alioune CISS, talks about the company's efforts to enhance movement of goods and services in the continent, using AI and digitalization. Excerpts.

Webb Fontaine –

According to available data by the African Union, Intra-Africa trade stands somewhere around 10% to 15% in Africa, compared to 40% - 60% as achieved by the EU. Can you tell us how you see the AfCFTA promoting and growing the Intra-Africa trade?

I believe that the Continental Free Trade Area will provide an excellent opportunity for our countries basically to move forward. During the last decades, many efforts started a long time ago. Before the AfCTA, we needed to work on the regional level and did a lot of regional integration.

We have more work to be done in the East African Community, ECOWAS, and SADEC. I think many things have already been done, we've been working on, and now we have to go a little further. We were moving basically to a new step where we have to develop basically, South-South cooperation. We have not been doing it; we've already been going to dinner. So opportunities are there. I think today we're talking about the market of 1.2 billion people. Right, where we'll be able to trade. Yeah, yeah, within 1.2 billion, trading services, agriculture, industrial product, I think is going to be very interesting, just compared to, to the E one, you were talking about less than 500 million citizens, we're talking here about 1.2 billion, so the market is there. So it's up to us to come up and end to end to start trading within ourselves, start producing and start selling; I believe, as well, that this implementation, we have not seen it today. Right. But I think it's going to be coming very, quite soon, we'll be seeing the increase of the FDI foreign direct investment. Okay, people will start investing because there's the market. You'll see people like Volkswagen, people like Volvo coming to say, I want to build an industry, a factory in Africa, because there's a market where I can sell cars. And so you'll see a lot of more companies coming to invest within the garden; I think this will be pretty beneficial.

Our role would be basically to digitalize as much as we can the processes of inter-country exchange; I think this is important within this, this, this setting up the CFDA will have to find a way to gain trust between

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the countries. And I believe digitalization will allow us to assure that goods made in Africa are effectively made in Africa. The kids made in Africa are effortlessly made in Africa, which is quite essential. We need to have an African label made in Africa so that only these goods are allowed to move within the continent at preferential rates. So all this has to be digitalized. I think that we have we're working with different Secretariats.

We need to digitalize the process to ensure that goods are effectively produced in a country.

Your stated mission is to leverage technology in delivering innovative solutions for trade facilitation. Can you tell us how you have fared in fulfilling this particular mission?

processes are faster, and goods are cleared very quickly. So these are things that we are doing that we are very proud of these solutions. Setting up our solutions is not an easy thing. It's very challenging. It isn't very easy. But I think it's things that we like doing, and we try to reinvent the future with our clients, proposing solutions that will change the dynamics.

R & D is at the heart of sustainable business growth and Development.

Research and Development are like the Livewire of significant corporations and organizations. Can you tell us more about your company's R & D investments in Africa?

So we've started looking into this early this year, and we are progressing quite quickly; we realized that every year we have, I think, about 12 million We love technology and like to find young Africans joining the workforce. It talents—people who love what they do. is part of why we believe that our next Our team enjoy working with our R & D Centre should be in Africa. So we company. So basically, we've launched are working on this. The idea is really at multiple trade facilitation programs in the mature stage. different countries over the last few years. We recently signed some We have identified five countries; contracts in Abu Dhabi and Egypt. So basically, we have already studied the we are proud of all of these recent five countries. The study takes into partnerships, where we are account several parameters. We looked implementing state of the art solutions. at proficiency language in French and We are implementing tools to allow English. We looked at software skills, smart classification of goods. These development skills, which language solutions will enable us to detect fake programming is used? We looked at invoices and fake electronic documents. salary levels as well. We looked at ease When we're dealing with electronics, of doing business; What is the ranking; we're moving from electronic to Is it difficult to set up a company. We digitization, and it's crucial to be sure also looked at government incentives that copies are not faked. So we have to support R & D. This report will detect algorithms that compare current which country we will implement. We documents, an invoice with 1000s of should be done by early 2022. Once we invoices produced by the same are done, we will start the recruitment company. process. We are moving very quickly, we would have loved moving a little In Egypt, we set up something quicker, but I am doing something relatively new, entirely new for many substantial. But I think that we are countries. It's what we call a centralized getting there. We're proud. To be or interagency solution. When starting the R & D centre very quickly. importing, you have all the different At the last count, Webb Fontain has a regulatory agencies - customs, presence in about seven African Ministery of Agriculture, ministry of trade, among others. So we have set up countries. Can you share some of your a risk management system. So basically, growth and expansion strategies for the all the risks between these agencies will continent? be considered when importing a good.

We are around in seven countries, If there's something wrong, you will but it changes very quickly. In Kenya, have a joint inspection, and all this will Namibia, Nigeria, Central Africa, and be automated and simplified. So the

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Congo. And we are planning to sign new products as we are moving on. We are in advanced discussions with threefour other countries, and we believe that those agreements will be signed soonest. But there is a real need. I think that in our countries, we are starting to realize that we have to move fast and take advantage of technology to gain the time that we have lost. But, indeed, we have probably one of the best solutions in the market. So, we have been asked to work with a lot of countries. And we are ready to do this.

When we implement solutions in a country, we combine local talent and the expertise of our team. We use many skills from the country we're executing, and we transfer know-how to the people.

What are we to expect from web Fontane as we advance?

We are working on many innovative solutions and things that I cannot discuss today. But we are moving forward on many other solutions that we are offering. Of course, we continue working on what we know, and we are specialized in the digitalization of trade processes - trade as a keyword. We don't want to go into other sectors. We don't want to lose our heads; we are focused. We'll continue focusing on that but providing new solutions for the benefit of the end-users and users, which is the private sector.

AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

C E L D

Women Leadership Development Forum & Retreat 2022 Theme: High-Level & High-Impact Female Leadership in Uncertain Times

16–20

February 2022 VENUE:

Shangri-La Dubai Hotel, Dubai - United Arab Emirates

To participate, visit:

celdng.org

YOUTH & DEVELOPMENT

3 WAYS YOUTH-LED SMES IN AFRICA CAN IMPROVE THEIR BUSINESSES POST COVID

By Alkali Amana

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Projections from the United Nations estimate that given the high fertility rates South of the Sahara, Africa will account for more than half of global population growth in the world within the next decade. The continent will be adding 1 billion people to the global population, thus putting it on track to overtake central and south Asia soon after as the world's most populous region.

To this, it is no longer news that the population of Africa is rapidly rising as it is also the continent with the highest number of youths in the world, with 60 percent of its population below 25. With the teeming numbers being recorded, Africa sees a lot of entry into its labour market by educated youths who wish to create meaningful and lasting impact each year. On average, 11 million young people join the labour market, yet, the continent can generate only about 3.7 million jobs, hence the shift to entrepreneurship which has seen the hard work and representation of youthful zest, increase Africa's reputation of being an SME hub.

The continent boasts of the world's highest entrepreneurship and female entrepreneurship rates. Data from the African Development Bank reveals that 22 percent of Africa's working-age population are starting businesses, and 27 percent of the female adult population is engaged in early-stage entrepreneurial activity.

However, while the entrepreneurial potential is high with impressive numbers, the contribution to economic growth and the development of SMEs has been limited. A counter statistic places Sub-Saharan Africa with the highest business discontinuance rate at 8.4 percent. The issue rests in the survival of African SMEs and how they can enable them to grow better.

Covid19, on its part has strangled economies, leaving a lot of

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entrepreneurs to seek solutions and devise means of staying afloat.

Mainly, when it comes to determining solutions to the survival of businesses, it is not out of place to consider funds or capital as a primary element that must not be compromised. Howbeit, capital alone does not guarantee the success or survival of businesses, especially in these times. Certain other measures must be taken into consideration beyond funds, and careful implementation of strategies that will form the working knowledge with which to build and sustain the relevance of such enterprise as an individual will wish to engage in. The question then is: How can youth-led SMEs develop their businesses to beat discontinuance and create a sustainable venture Post Covid? Business culture is built around a lot of activities and proven methods experienced over time, and SMEs in Africa can boost sustainability through: Training Programs As much as it is necessary to have the required capital to start up a business, it is also essential to possess the required skills to build and develop such a business. Exploring the value of training to a business, Henry Ford, the Founder of the Ford Motor Company noted that 'The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training them and having them leave'. On his part, Peter Drucker, the Austrian-American management consultant and educator, noted that 'every enterprise is a learning and teaching institution. Training and development must be built into it on all levels;

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training and development that never stops.

Partnerships and Collaboration:

The importance of what training programs provide to businesses and enterprises cannot be ignored as they are an ultimate form of self-investment for the entrepreneur. The benefits associated with training programs include improving skills and knowledge, preparing individuals or employees for higher responsibilities, improving commitment to business as the value in person is increased and broadening the perspective of the entrepreneur involved in the business. Training programs can be in different categories like Management training, Sales training, mentoring scheme etc. It is most important that youth-led SMEs in Africa consider developing their enterprise by subscribing to training programs that can boost their capacity.

The essential element of partnership is the wide horizon and multiple possibilities it opens a business up to. Youth-led SMEs can engender collaborations with industry giants and competitors in related fields or otherwise, as long as relevance is achieved, survive.

Partnerships increase an entrepreneur's lease of knowledge, expertise and resources to make better products and reach a greater audience.

There is a saying which explains at first glance that 'Your network is your net worth', and it can be adjudged to be less than an inch near the mark if it does not accurately nail the importance of building a network on its head. Networking for small business owners creates a platform to form a relationship with others in the same or related fields which can eventually help to expand the ability to find new customers, partners, and grow. SMEs can capitalize on networking to get business leads, identify new trends and best practices in the market, increase the confidence of businesses and build connections.

In essence, you build your net worth as you build your network. Networking provides and allows you opportunities you might not be able to find or access on your own. It is a crucial part of business models that has seen top businesses survive the storm of difficult economic times, just like Covid19.

Hence, a healthy network of friends and contacts will prove useful in thriving and challenging times.

The element of survival for businesses requires planning and strategy alongside the provision of the requisite capital to improve function and results.

Youth-led SMEs, generated mainly out of the need to end unemployment via personal means, cannot be left to chance and anticipation from the input of a certain amount of funds. Practical steps must be taken to achieve. It is estimated that Africa will need 122 million jobs by 2022, and it is no secret that the highest employer of labour on the continent are these small and medium enterprises. Alongside the input of SMEs to stay afloat, African governments are also encouraged to provide access to the listed ways above and other necessary items which can help the growth and development of businesses generally.

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Partnerships increase an entrepreneur's lease of knowledge, expertise and resources to make better products and reach a greater audience.

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Networking:

55 Helen Keller noted once that 'alone we can do so little; together, we can do so much'. That is the story of partnerships. When SMEs key into partnership opportunities, they are likely to experience certain benefits that will boost their growth and survival.

These include access to knowledge, competitive advantage, enhancing the credibility and image of their businesses, increasing their customer base and allowing for long-term stability.

Afric n Leadership

Forum on

Free Trade Zones ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT Golden Tulip Accra - Ghana

March 22- 25, 2022 For inquiries call: +44 23 92 658 276 or email: info@africanleadership.co.uk

To participate, visit: events.africanleadership.co.uk

INTERVIEW

NCDMB, NNPC invest in N10.5bn Standard Chartered Bank: Brass Products 127 YearsPetroleum of Excellent Services Delivery inTerminal The Gambia

For the past 127 years, Standard Chartered Bank has remained the Bank of Choice, supporting economic growth and prosperity in The Gambia. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine UK, the Chief Executive Officer, Chucks Ugha, talks about the Bank's rich history of supporting economic growth, jobs, wealth creation and prosperity in the Gambia. Excerpts.

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Aside from that I can also tell you in terms of protecting the environment we have over the years supported the planting of 70,000 trees and only two months ago, we helped with cleaning the ocean in partnership with an NGO, Gambia Ocean Heroes to get rid of plastic and other nonbiodegradable waste along our coastline. Like you know already, the Bank has very clear intentions to continue to drive a sustainability agenda. Our goal is to be the world's most sustainable Bank so everything we do is focused along those lines. We are excited that the Gambia is where it is, and we are delighted to support to continue that journey.

The Bank also has a history of promoting economic and social development, and it is not different from what we have seen in other markets where you are currently operating. How would you say that you're doing that in the Gambia?

I'm happy you said that what we are doing in other regions is not different to what we are doing here. Standard Chartered Bank is a leading international financial institution; we are 160 years old. We are one of the top 100 companies quoted on the London Stock Exchange. We are also quoted on two Asian stock exchanges. Our primary goal is to drive prosperity and commerce for the people and the businesses that Bank with us. Our goals, objectives and visions are aligned globally. We have one purpose and that is to drive commerce and prosperity for people and businesses operating in our footprint in Africa, Asia and the Middle East through our unique diversity. We have a common approach across all our

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I am happy you know a bit about Standard Chartered Bank and The Gambia. One of the Bank's critical pillars going forward is accelerating net zero. Accelerating the net zero transition is among the three stands we have chosen to take.

As a bank, we are uniquely placed to direct capital and advice to support decarbonisation where it matters most. By leveraging our strong relationships with governments and businesses, we can help to catalyze the creation of a lower carbon future. I will say that we have started taking those steps here. The good news for us is that The Gambia is the only country on course to deliver climate action that is in alignment with the 1.5C pathway of the Paris Agreement. To support this outstanding progress moving forward in terms of channeling capital to productive ventures a critical consideration would be for the project to be clean, green or sustainable in terms of overall environmental impact. The Bank has also decided to only invest in clean energy. As you know, there is still a gap to cover between achieving sustainability and clean energy especially for Africa.

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We have followed Standard Chartered Bank's commitment to sustainability and climate action across its countries of operation. Looking at Gambia's excellent records in pursuit of Net Zero, how is the Bank supporting the Country towards achieving climate action as a bank. And we have also seen your support towards achieving the climate change target?

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markets, we have the products, expertise and capability. We have gained a lot of experience; we are operating in 59 countries of the world. We have 85,000 staff from 131 countries so, that unique diversity helps us to be able to drive our goals with the same consistency across the locations where we operate.

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You have worked in other countries across the continent, looking at your experience, approaching three decades of experience in the banking industry. What's your unique understanding of the investment climate if you were to take or analyze the investment climate in the Gambia?

I think the Gambia is, in some ways, not too different from other African countries, but in other ways, also uniquely placed. For the similarities, like in many other African countries, there are infrastructure deficits. That is pretty much standard for many of our countries. We already talked about the gap to close between sustainable and clean energy. There are also opportunities in terms of what makes the Gambia genuinely unique; if you look at it, our GDP here is around 2 billion US dollars. So, coming off that low base; there's an opportunity that has a considerable upside. If you look at the average age of the human population, it's less than 20 years (19.9). Huge opportunity.

It will be one of the fastest-growing economies in the world at 4.9%. But that is only the early projections for 2020 growing off the back of the COVID pandemic; slightly under 5% is impressive. So if you put all these things together, youthful population, GDP that can really take off, surrounded by large economies in the West Africa region, like Senegal, and Its nearness to the sea, presents enormous growth opportunities for the Country . We also see massive interest for tourism here. So, to recap, the youthful population, the low base of GDP to bounce off infrastructure development, and as a bank committed to The Gambia, we have the expertise, capacity and the willingness to support the Country on her infrastructure journey.

I'm pretty excited we are meeting you. And just one year since you took over, I'm going to ask you a fundamental question. What's your plan?

There are several things to consider and some of them we have already discussed. So first and foremost, our bank's strategy is pretty clear we have three pillars to which we must align our future growth. My plan is aligned to those pillars which are, accelerating net-zero, lifting participation and resetting globalization. I will l explain that. We have talked about the first one. The second one is raising participation; what we intend to do as a bank, both here in Gambia and globally, is to address the financing needs of the less empowered women in business and the disadvantaged people. So that's one of the primary targets that I have here. When we talk about resetting globalization, we must leverage on technology to delivery our products and services. And that's one of the advantages here where you have the youths being able to key into technology and help develop it further for the benefit of the country. So, working with them, we will leverage the technology that we

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have and work with them to adapt it to what is available within the Country to help us address our long-term goals.

Looking at the Country's youthful demography, how is the Bank's product offering catering to this critical segment of the population in the Gambia?

That's an exciting question. First, our products are centered around providing retail banking, corporate and treasury management services. So, out of the 160 years that Standard Chartered Bank has been in existence. We have been in the Gambia for 127 years. In the very early years, we were actually seen as the Central Bank due to our contributions in developing and enhancing the banking sector in The Gambia. We have a deep and rich history here.

One of the things that I have been proudest about as CEO here is the richness of brand recognition that we have here.

The reason why I say this is, as the CEO of such a rich brand in the Gambia, it is not just a responsibility; it's a duty to be able to preserve and also to add value to that brand. And if we say that the majority of the population is the youthful one, it makes sense that we direct an agenda towards serving them.

Now, part of what I said initially was resetting globalization; and that involves digitalization. So, typically, when you are resetting globalization, you are not targeting older people like me; you are targeting younger more impatient people who want to see things changing quickly.

One of the programs we have rolled out as a bank is Future Makers to help young people learn, earn and grow.

And it's based on three fundamental tenets: education, employment, and entrepreneurship. What we do is we train the young population working with our implementing NGO partners to prepare them for the future to be either employable or be successful in entrepreneurship. We teach them and provide both soft and financial skills that make them financially savvy. Skills that will help them interact with banks or other relevant institutions appropriately and enable them to become employable. Future makers is specifically targeted at the population of young people. We also have the Goal Program, where we equip young adolescent girls with life skills through sports, helping them

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Our goals, objectives and visions are aligned globally. We have one purpose and that is to drive commerce and prosperity for people and businesses operating in our footprint in Africa, Asia and the Middle East through our unique diversity.

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First and foremost, we are the only international Bank operating in The Gambia right now; we are truly global. We have the advantage of having that visibility beyond the borders, beyond the region and beyond the continent. We are also the go-to Bank for Gambians who are not present on the continent. We currently bank large numbers and are constantly looking to expand our customer base, so we are continuously working on simplifying our processes to make them easier for existing and new customers.

Germany, Russia or in whatever part of the world you are in, and you do a remittance into your account you don't need a third-party intermediary Bank.

You can also issue instructions to pay whoever you want. In addition, with our USSD deployment, you can instruct payments locally to any accounts in the far or more remote areas of the country.

What would you want to be remembered for at the end of your duty in the Gambia?

Let me take you to my proudest moment here. I've been here one year.

There are so many reasons why I've been so happy to be a Standard Chartered Bank employee over the years specifically in The Gambia. Our brand promise is to be Here for Good, so I was very proud recently when the Bank really walked the talk. Walking the talk is why the Bank is Human. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bank set aside profitability as the primary goal for remaining in business and decided to be more Human. Looking at our key stakeholders, the community where we operate, our clients, and our staff the Bank decided globally, not just in Gambia to provide emergency covid-19 relief funds to help countries fight the However, we can provide the same pandemic and I had the pleasure to type of service to customers that we implement it here. For the community, already know very well also because we we looked at the best way to impact are our own correspondent bank for and prevent the spread of the virus. We foreign currency payments. As a partnered with the local health customer sitting in Spain, the UK, authorities and the World Health

I would like you to understand that anti-money laundering laws are crucial here because as a global organization, also regulated by the Prudential Regulatory Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority in addition to the CBG, we have to be very cautious because money remittance service, requires us as an international organization, to identify the last person on that chain. So if I'm going to pay to somebody in a remote location, I need to be able to have a fairly decent knowledge of who that person is and sometimes it's not practical so we don't do that kind of money remittance service.

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With our staff we provided them with flexible working and gave them the resources to effectively work from home. We championed a voluntary vaccination drive with UNICEF that gave majority of our staff the opportunity to take the vaccine.

For our clients the bank provided some concessions in terms of loans, we restructured loans for those that needed to have some breathing space during the most difficult times by reducing interest rates to acceptable limits and restructuring the loan, if needed, to allow customers tide over the economic disruptions that COVID caused. So those are some of my proudest moments.

Our bank tends to measure us in terms of the quality of the revenue we make, not simple profits made irrespective of circumstances. You have to drive for increased revenues but make it decently and that has a higher priority in the Bank.

So, what do I like to be remembered for? I want to be remembered for perpetuating the same kind of humaneness that the Bank has exhibited over the years; in situations like this, that will be something that will be exciting for me.

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Overseas remittance in the Gambia plays a vital role in the economy. How is the Bank harnessing the opportunities available in this structure?

Organisation to increase laboratory testing across the entire country, train health personnel, procure PPEs and other vital laboratory equipment. We created video content about what you need to do to stay safe and broadcasted them on the main television station, we donated $150,000 to implement these.

We also made a similar donation in Senegal through Institute Pasteur.

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with the social skills and the confidence they need to go out into life to become productive participants in their local economies.

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SENEGAL AND GAMBIA

Are Committed To Sustainable Peace And Security In The Region –

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Senegal Ambassador To The Gambia Senegal and Gambia are committed to Sustainable Peace and Security in the Region – Senegal Ambassador to The Gambia Senegal and Gambia enjoy and excellent relationship – presenting a template for neighboring countries across the continent, currently enmeshed in one boundary related issue or the other. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine UK, the Senegal Ambassador to Gambia, His Excellency, Basirou Sene talks about both countries' commitment to sustaining the enduring peace and brotherly corporation that exists between both countries. Excerpts.

Senegal has a lot of attractions, and it has witnessed increased visits from people around the world. What would you describe as the pull factor to the

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country?

countries have witnessed Coup de tat, but that has not been our story. We So, first, as you know, Senegal has want to have economic and social experience of consistency in politics development, but that will be nearly and democracy. In 2000 President impossible if we don't have peace and Abdul Diouf called President Abdulahi security. We have witnessed peace and Wade to congratulate him because he security and very clean and systems. It won the election. gives all other sectors, like tourism and the energy sector, to thrive. When President Diouf was in power for Nigerians come, they feel like they are 20 years. President Wade called in Abuja or Lagos. It t is the same style President Macky Sall to congratulate him and Ably was on board to support of living. They like our dressing, they like our food, and they want our him. So, we have witnessed stability, which is a major attraction for investors people. Senegal is also a symbol of music and a country with 700 and tourists to the country. Senegal is on top of the list of democratic nations kilometres of beach and sand - where political parties change, but the kilometres. Like all of Africa, we also have the sun; we have electricity. Now people and leaders remain united. As dependable, you can have 24 hours of you may have seen in the past couple electricity without interruption before it of months across the continent, many

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You see, Gambia and Senegal used to be one country, but the Berlin Conference was responsible for dividing us for the political convenience of the west and administration. We are one people, Senegal and Gambia people. If you go to the Gambia, you see the niece; if you come to Senegal, you see the uncle, it is the same. It is all these prominent political actors that are responsible. The same people, the same language or the language spoken in the Gambia are spoken in Senegal.

So you are one family?

Yes, we are one family. Even when we are politically divided, we remain one. The same way we want peace and security. Yes, Gambians and Senegalese, the most important thing for them is to live in peace and security. Even if we have some difficulties between families, there is always a mechanism for solving the problems. It is the mechanism we took from our ancestors. It is why the link is easy, because culturally, socially, we are one people. It is only the borders that separate us—the conference of Berlin, confirmed by African chatter of 25 May 1963. The African Charter of this conference was taken after Berlin Conference; Senegal and Gambia signed this African Charter, we should respect our borders and our sovereignty. That is why we now have an ambassador of Senegal in the Gambia, and Gambia's ambassador is currently in Senegal. So, it is a background. And now we are helping each other because if there is no peace in the Gambia, as it is used to say, there will be no peace in Senegal. After all, it

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people benefit from it. In solving border challenges, I believe that our experiences and the unique difficulties in other regions may be different. Still, we can tap on our common humanity to solve the issues. We must put the interest of our people first. And that is what the two leaders have done.

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The main objective of this recapitalisation process was to stabilise the Bank's financial and prudential situation so as to be able to recover and reinforce trust levels from the Market, Depositors, the Authorities and other stakeholders the Institution has.

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It is important to note that what we are doing in this world will affect what others are doing in the other leg. Our President was here recently to join the President of Gambia in launching the OMVG project. It is an organization created around the Gambia River between Senegal, Gambia, Guinea But since the bridge was built, it Bissau and Guinea to provide potable has made life easy for our people. It water for our countries. You may have was created through a collaborative seen the current issues around the Nile, effort from both heads of state. with Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan. But, in Before this project, our farmers our case, we have decided to organize often lose their farm produce, ourselves and not fight, but work especially the perishable ones, due to together for the common interest of the delay in connectivity, but that's no our people. We manage our countries longer the case. So, we thank God for to create this dam, which is paid for by giving us the Gambia as neighbours. our countries with the help and The country is vital to us. assistant of partners. So, it is a massive opportunity for our country to benefit How can we use this Gambia and from 2,225 covers, which you can add Senegal example in solving some of to the existing capacity.

It will help our these unique cases of border crisis we country get electricity 24 hours to help see in East and Central Africa? our industries get less expensive energy As I told you, our cultural and be competitive. If you have power background is our chance; it is now, you are more competitive. And imperative. And second is the political our people and young people can go to will of our leaders. So very, very the internet to profit from new important. We finish building the technologies that require electricity to bridge. Now, on the other side of be able to use them if you have your Senegal, in the north, we are willing to tablet, you have your laptop, your TV. If make the bridge between Roso Senegal you don't have energy, electricity is because the Senegal River is unique. nothing. So power is essential. In some We also had our issues with the countries like Senegal, we have now previous administration, and our Virtual University. Where they are people suffered for it. But. Today, both working with a tablet, it is a new Presidents are excellent friends, and our technology. If you don't have enough

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We see a good relationship between the Gambia and Senegal in Gambia. Can you tell us a bit about the history? How did this start? What is beyond the relationship when it comes to peace and security here? What else are those things that connect the Gambia and Senegal?

is in the centre of the country. So, economically if you see the integration process with the bridge, they recently named Senegambia bridge is instrumental because this Gambia River was an obstacle. If you want to cross from Senegal to the other part of Senegal, the south, you must go through the Gambia. It is perfect for us, the economy, and the population. We also ferry perishable goods through this region to connect the other parts of Senegal, and if not for the bridge, it would have been a very uphill task. So it was a trendy project.

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was not the case, but now it is a case.

Since President Macky Sall is around, we have this capacity now to enjoy electricity to enjoy water sufficiently without any difficulty. So, from what you asked me, what I can say is, it is lovely, again, the most crucial factor is peace, security and stability.

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and sufficient electricity, you can't follow your course; you can't do your exercise, you can't do your homework.

So, it is imperative, energy.

peace in the continent. And so, what is happening now in the continent and the growing trend of Coup de tat, will be a significant focus of his Chairmanship. In Africa, we witnessed This is why our Head of State has three coups in two or three years. We made this project a priority. So, I think it see Chad, Mali, Guinea, and now four; it is an example to show how our two is too much. His thinking is that for us countries are going slowly, but surely, it to have developed and the Free Trade will give ideas to other countries Agreement to work correctly, we must because some countries have rivers have peace and stability in our between them. Maybe it will be an countries. This is one of his most occasion for them to say it is time now important priorities. Education and to bridge our two countries. And other infrastructure development are also countries also do the same. critical to him. Roads infrastructure is very vital, to enable us to connect our Your President has become somewhat countries. Travelling within the of a poster boy for success and continent is very difficult, and this achievement in West Africa and the should not be the case. It is challenging continent. He assumes. Hopefully, I for us if you want to go to Lome or think next year the Chairmanship of Abuja. And we also look at moving our African Union. What are we to expect goods from one country to the other. from his Chairmanship?

These are some areas I think his From what I have seen of his Chairmanship will be looking at, but Presidency, he is very particular about before he assumes office, I am sure he

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will make his plans and priorities known.

As a ranking diplomat with several years' experience, we get to engage with many diplomats. What is one thing you would say about the Gambia?

Why should people come to the Gambia?

You see, I have my people, Senegalese people here. Findings show that they are 500,000 to 1 million Senegalese living in Gambian. Why? If they fight and kill every day, they will not be here. They are here because the Gambian people are hospitable and open. The government is committed to promoting peace and stability. So, I recommend the country to anyone looking to come.

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Promoting Trade Driven Industrialisation in Africa

By Meresia Aloo

The term Trade Driven begs many questions. However, this can only imply that the continent (Africa) is now ready to take a different shape in the way it conducts its day-to-day activities in various sectors from trade, health, energy, among many others.

Earlier this year, conversations about AFCTA and INTRA Africa trade took center stage and almost all African countries opened their doors for the idea.

The Republic of Ghana remained Historical for having and still serving as the official residence of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCTA). The country remained in the spotlight and was recognized for being the world's largest trade area since the formation of the World Trade Organisation.

According to H. E MoussaFaki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), “Ghana is a historical trading centre and remains an important center of commerce on the continent and beyond''.

The continent is now shifting its gears and is now trying to welcome new ideas on how it can propel the much-welcomed idea of Free Trade Area and Intra Africa trade, among others. .“An increase in trade is the surest way to deepen regional integration in Africa.”….Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana.

And so, that is where the concept of promoting trade-driven

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industrialization comes in. I bet by now we already know what industrialization is and of course, the next big question is how do we actualize this process? or is it the ultimate long-term solution towards a Global level of trade?

To answer this question individually, pause for 2-3 minutes, take a deep profound breath, and then try to visualize what an expert would say about this very simple yet elucidative question on trade-driven industrialization.

According to Mr. Peter Biwott, a development economist based in Kenya, trade plays a critical role in ensuring our economy grows. He puts it out that for African countries to materialize, they will need to look at markets beyond borders. This will enable the transition to a higher economy, promoting tradedriven industrialization.

“If we have to grow industries of high markets, you must sell products outside your country. Japan for instance is developed, yet it is a small country.

Therefore, trade-driven industrialization is a good thing because, for countries to industrialize, they'll have to look at markets beyond borders.” “Japan”, he points out' “despite it being a small country, exports

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According to early literature, industrialization was treated as the vital element in economic development. The experience of the industrial economies showed a close association between development and industrial expansion. The industries were also thought to provide certain spillovers which were in a big way expected to benefit other activities such as enhancement of skills, training of managers, dispersion of technology, and so on.

Previously, for lack of a better word, China took advantage of us. But the conversation is now directed towards building our locally made industries within the continent of Africa.

Suppose you looked keenly at the Africa-China trade or Africa-Us trade or even Africa - European nations' trade relationship, in that case, you will notice that Africa was transported raw products to countries overseas then buy them after as fully manufactured products simply because of what is termed as “lack of high-quality industries in Africa.

A trip down memory lane reminds us that in 1989 the United General assembly proclaimed 20th November as Africa Industrialization Day to mobilize what they termed as the international community's commitment to the industrialization of Africa. The United Nations even dedicated the two decades from 1980 to 2000 to promoting industrialization in Africa.

Countries like China are very good at exporting raw commodities and spending vast sums of money on manufactured imports. We as Africans have gotten the scope of the game and the challenge is now thrown to us to develop and come up with high-quality products to be at the global level of competitiveness. So China takes our primary goods and sells us manufactured ones since there is no involvement of skills transfers.

Indeed, it is worthy of mentioning that the case for industrialization in Africa has been a discussion at the table, and the agreement at the end of it all has been that without the continent's economic transformation Africa is unlikely to happen without significant industrialization.

To wrap it up, by favouring the export of raw materials over processing goods, the African Continent denies itself the opportunity to add value through manufacturing, providing more jobs and generating additional revenue in Africa.

I am glad that the debate is now changing and slowly but surely, African countries are now beginning to discover loopholes in the manufacturing Industries. The trade happening within the East African region is just one but a good example.

Countries like Tanzania and Uganda export raw materials to Kenya which gets manufactured and exported back to the regional countries for sale. And if this continues with other regions within Africa, we will be sure to take it to an even global level.

In my own opinion, If Africa decides to take a tradeinduced mode of industrialization, then it should be interactive and coherent with a country's national development strategy.

“I'll give you a good example. The other day we went to Busia on Namanga border post and on one of those days, we counted 160 trucks from Tanzania, and 123 trucks from Uganda all full of basic agriculture foodstuffs, like tomatoes. Why were they coming into Kenya? Because Kenyans are big consumers of these products. But Kenyan factories are then transforming these raw materials into finished products, and that is what I insist Kenyans are very good at it. We take the basic raw material or basic food commodity and transform it into a higher value product that we sell back into the region. So, if you look at what our exports are, obviously they are massive as compared to what our imports are from the eastern region and that for me is where the game is” ………. Dr. Bimal Kantaria, agribusiness mogul based in Kenya.

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Farmers see enhanced food security and resilience in places where climate-smart agriculture is now applied.

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Agenda 2063 places great importance on trade roles in developing economies and recognizes that trade is a powerful engine for economic growth and development.

Over the past two decades, it has been worth noting that some African countries have been registering double-digit rises. This is because much of the growth has been fueled by high demands for mineral and agricultural resources.

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There might be mixed feelings that different governments may have different objectives regarding the topic in question.

However, small talks amongst Africans suggest that the leaders might be tempted to behave in a manner that suggests a dissociation from the weight attached to them as a result of this. Although One thing that is guaranteed for sure is that they will support trade-driven industrialization, for it can alleviate poverty and reduce income inequalities in Africa.

Deliberate trade policies and practices consistent with African Countries 'development goals could attract industrialization, which again could help to transform and strengthen the economies.

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motor vehicles globally. And as a result, Japan has transitioned to a high-income economy and has built sophisticated Industries.” …. Mr. Peter Biwott, a development economist.

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Rising Food InsecurityWhat Now For Africa?

By Walcott Aganu

Africa's capacity to provide food security and combat hunger is threatened by climate change.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), undernourished people in African countries has grown by 45.6 percent since 2012. Agriculture is the backbone of Africa's economy, employing the bulk of the continent's population. As a result, Africa is a climatic variability and change "hot spot" for exposure and susceptibility.

According to IPCC projections, warming scenarios could have disastrous crop production and food security consequences.

The decrease in crop productivity due to heat and drought stress and

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the increase in pest damage, disease damage and flood impact on the infrastructure of the food system all represent significant agriculture concerns with severe food safety and livelihood consequences at regional, national and household levels. Major cereal crops cultivated across Africa will be negatively impacted by the middle of this century, with geographical variations and variances across crops.

Africa's response to climate change will influence how future generations are fed. According to newly released research, over 64% more people in Africa became food insecure between 2016 and 2020, with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)

Agriculture is the backbone of Africa's economy, employing the bulk of the continent's population

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Science has great potential to deliver sustainable solutions for food security, including innovations to enhance climate change adaption, science-based management of productive resources (land, soil, and water), and food storage and transportability to decrease food waste and loss. Effectively leveraging research necessitates translating scientific solutions into packages that can be distributed and implemented at scale by farmers, both at the farm and landscape levels. This endeavour necessitates strong collaboration between international, regional, and national research organizations and farmers and extension institutions.

Farmers see enhanced food security and resilience in places where climate-smart agriculture is now applied. The Land Husbandry, Water Harvesting, and Hillside Irrigation project in Rwanda, for example, has helped to prevent erosion, increase yields on existing land, and give improved drought protection. According to a Brooking analysis, maize yields grew 2.6 times between 2009 and 2018, with significantly higher gains for beans, wheat, and potatoes.

Increase Capital Flow Into Food Sustainability Strategies/Private sector partnerships Furthermore, African governments must implement tax, investment, regulatory, and subsidy policies that encourage increased capital flow into the transition to viable food sustainability. Strategies such as investment in cell-based and plant-based meats—adopting regenerative agriculture practices, such as agribusiness marketplaces and farm robotics, mechanization, and automation must be utilized.

Meeting the food sustainability challenge will need innovation and a new level of collaboration between the public and private sectors. Governments should consider establishing a high-level commission of government and private-sector professionals to develop a holistic food sustainability plan.

Africa is hungry; it's time for its leadership to hasten the quest to solve the food crisis. It is time for Africa to act ambitiously, applying imagination and strategic determination to this seminal twenty-first-century problem.

Harnessing Digital Technologies Advancements in emerging technologies can solve the food problem and increase Africa's capacity to adapt.

Breakthroughs in global technology such as fifth-generation telecommunications, robots, artificial intelligence, and nanotechnology will impact the future of food sustainability.

Specific areas of technology investment that will contribute to higher levels of productivity and efficiency in food generation with a decreased impact on the environment encompass initiatives in agricultural biotechnology, such as genetics, microbiome, breeding and animal health; alternative food products, including plant-based forms of alternative protein, which are surging in popularity and adoption; farm management systems, including sensing and data analytics software; farm robotics, including automation and drone based monitoring; and new farming structures, such as indoor farming and aquaculture.

Several instances from around the world show how technology is changing the lives of farmers. Farmers in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya, for example, may now rent machinery that they previously had to buy or couldn't use at all through Hello Tractor, which connects tractor owners with farmers through text messaging. Tractor services have

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Over the past two decades, it has been worth noting that some African countries have been registering double-digit rises and much of the growth has been fueled by high demands for mineral and agricultural resources.

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Leveraging Science To Adapt Agriculture To Climate Change

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In light of climate change, African countries can achieve food security for all through transforming agricultural and food systems.

been provided to over 500,000 farmers. Around 60% of farmers report increased production, and over 90% indicate an overall improvement in quality of life. Platforms like Digital Green and Plantix may significantly boost agricultural output by making it easier for farmers to learn new skills like crop quality monitoring. Plantix is a diagnostic and monitoring application that allows users to submit photos of ill plants, diagnose diseases, pests, and nutrient shortages, and then share their findings with the rest of the community. These technologies immediately contribute to increased productivity throughout the food value chain.

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pandemic likely to exacerbate the problem. According to research, food insecurity hit over 98 million people in Africa in 2020, up from 59.7 million in 2016. Worryingly, the global burden of acute food insecurity has moved to Africa. In 2020, Africa accounted for 63% of the total world number of people who did not have enough food, up 54% in 2019.