The Gambia's Ambassador to Turkiye, Alkali F. Conteh, has positioned The Gambia as a strategic hub for production, tourism, and economic investment in Africa. This was during the celebration of Gambia Day in Ankara on September 18. The event, themed "The Gambia as a Tourism and Investment Promotion Destination," aimed to unite Gambians and showcase the country's cultural identity. It also sought to strengthen social cohesion and national pride among the Gambian community in Turkiye.
Ambassador Conteh acknowledged key development partners, Albayrak Group and Negmar Company, and encouraged them to expand their investments into agriculture and the public sector. In his keynote address, he stated that Gambia is open, ready, and a destination for the next adventure and big investment. He highlighted Gambia-Turkiye diplomatic relations dating back to 1965, which have evolved through three phases: diplomatic friendship, deeper military and multilateral cooperation, and a broad institutionalized partnership.
The partnership between Gambia and Turkiye has led to significant milestones, including President Adama Barrow's 2018 visit to Turkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's historic first-ever visit to The Gambia in January 2020. These visits elevated the relationship into a multifaceted partnership covering politics, defence, education, health, trade, energy, and tourism. On trade, Turkiye is among The Gambia's largest trading partners in Asia, accounting for 14% to 15% of The Gambia's imports from Asia.
According to Ambassador Conteh, The Gambia's imports from Turkiye rose from GMD1.3 billion in 2021 to GMD1.4 billion in 2025, an increase of 9.8%. Major imports include cement, fertilizers, iron and steel, mineral fuel, machinery, flour, dairy products, and furniture. Exports to Turkiye, mainly groundnuts, fish, and vegetable fats and oils, surged from GMD133,000 in 2021 to GMD11 million in 2025, representing over 800% growth.
Despite the growth in exports, The Gambia still maintains a trade deficit due to differences in productive capacity. Ambassador Conteh highlighted major Turkish investments in The Gambia, including Karpowership supplying 40% of electricity to Greater Banjul from 2018 to 2026. Turkish Airlines launched direct Istanbul-Banjul flights in 2018, and Negmar Investment started the first private ferry service between Banjul and North Bank.
Albayrak is implementing a $700 million package to modernize Banjul Port and build a new deep seaport in Sanyang. Ambassador Conteh listed The Gambia's competitive advantages, including its strategic location, political stability, investor-friendly policies, and rich cultural heritage. The country also offers access to the ECOWAS market of over 400 million under the ETLS and 1.4 billion under AfCFTA, and incentives through GIEPA.
Ambassador Conteh emphasized that The Gambia is not just a place to visit but a place to invest, with opportunities in nature-based tourism, river cruising, heritage, hospitality, waterfront development, and community-based tourism. The Gambia offers a year-round warm climate and the "Smiling Coast of Africa" brand, making it an attractive destination for investors.
Key points
- The Gambia is being promoted as a strategic hub for production, tourism, and economic investment in Africa.
- The country's diplomatic relations with Turkiye have led to significant milestones and investments.
- The Gambia offers competitive advantages, including its strategic location, political stability, and rich cultural heritage.
