The Gambia OIC Secretariat, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Gambians Abroad, has concluded a two-day intensive mid-level training on protocol, logistics, and security for members of its Local Organizing Committee, staff of the Secretariat and the Ministry, and officials from the Office of the President.

The training was conducted under the auspices of a Technical Assistance Programme between the governments of The Gambia and the friendly Republic of Turkey. 

The Chief Executive Officer of The Gambia OIC Secretariat, Mr. Yankuba Dibba said, the need to build capacity cannot be overemphasized and Turkey has been helpful in that endeavor.

“Turkey has been in the forefront of building The Gambia’s capacity. If you build capacity, it is retained for years to come. Turkey’s experience in hosting the Summit is pertinent to our preparatory efforts and their willingness to support is laudable”, he said.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to The Gambia, H.E. Tolga Bermek highlighted Turkey’s experience in summit hosting. He assured of their support in terms of sharing experience, knowledge, and training framework as The Gambia prepares to host the second largest world event.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Mr. Sulayman Omar Njie expressed thanks and appreciation to the government of the Republic of Turkey for their continuous support in Security and Protocol training that dates back to the 90s. 

He added that The Gambia will benefit from the knowledge transfer given Turkey’s experience in hosting high level meetings at various capacities. This training in addition to ongoing ones are aimed at building capacity at various levels as The Gambia prepares to host the OIC Summit in 2022.