GAFI Receives Gambian Government Delegation on Study Visit Organized in Cooperation with Afreximbank to Explore Egypt’s Experience in Investment Promotion and Attraction

The delegation included representatives of several ministries, the Central Bank of The Gambia (CBG), the Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA), the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the Gambia Standards Bureau (TGSB), and the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA).

• Dr. Eman Mansour: We aim to strengthen cooperation with African institutions and exchange expertise in facilitating investment procedures and developing institutional capacities.
• Mr. Mamadi Dampha: We seek to benefit from Egypt’s experience in improving the investment climate, facilitating the conduct of business, and managing investment and free zones.

In line with the directives of Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade (MIFT Minister), to strengthen economic and investment cooperation with African countries, Dr. Eman Mansour, GAFI Deputy CEO, received a Gambian government delegation headed by Mr. Mamadi Dampha, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MOTIE), as part of a study visit organized in cooperation with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). The visit aims to explore Egypt’s experience in investment promotion, facilitating investment procedures, and supporting exports.

The delegation included representatives of several ministries, the Central Bank of The Gambia (CBG), the Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA), the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the Gambia Standards Bureau (TGSB), and the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA). The visit aims to facilitate the exchange of expertise in developing the business environment and strengthening productive and export capacities.

Dr. Eman Mansour underscored the importance of integrating investment attraction efforts with export development to support economic growth and enhance product competitiveness. She also highlighted GAFI’s efforts to improve the investment environment, including enabling companies to be established electronically, developing its e-portal and equipping it with a multilingual intelligent assistant, and providing investors with integrated services. She further outlined the role of the Investor Dispute Settlement Center (IDSC) and the Golden License in streamlining procedures and accelerating project implementation.

Dr. Mansour commended Afreximbank’s role in supporting African trade and exports and building capacities. She expressed GAFI’s interest in strengthening cooperation with GIEPA through the exchange of expertise, capacity building for human resources, and promoting investment opportunities in both countries.

For his part, Mr. Mamadi Dampha expressed his appreciation for GAFI’s warm reception, emphasizing the importance of benefiting from Egypt’s experience in attracting investment, improving the investment climate, facilitating the conduct of business, and managing investment and free zones.

The visit featured a presentation by the Gambian delegation on the country's export structure, priority sectors for export diversification, challenges hindering export growth, and the country's aspirations in the field of manufacturing. GAFI’s representatives also delivered a presentation highlighting efforts to attract foreign investment, key indicators of the Egyptian economy, Egypt's position as an investment destination in Africa, and the development of investment services.

The visit concluded with a tour of the Investor Services Center (ISC) and the Investment Map offices, where the delegation was briefed on the services and investment opportunities available, as well as the mechanisms for investor care and investor dispute settlement. The delegation also visited the Nasr City Free Zone.