Bush Sees the Gambia As a 'Growing Democracy' The Daily Observer (Banjul) NEWS October 8, 2002 Posted to the web October 9, 2002 The United States has "seen progress in building a growing democracy in The Gambia, but important work remains to be done", President Bush told The Gambia's ambassador September 25. While accepting the credentials of Ambassador Essa Bokarr Sey at the White House, Bush urged the ambassador's government, "maintain a steady course to improved the life of your people and to integrate your country into the global economy". President Bush who represented the United States at The Gambia's Silver Jubilee in 1990, said, "We look forward to working closely with you and your embassy on expanded trade, regional stability, democracy and human rights, and other aspects of US - Gambia relations." President Bush also expressed his hope that The Gambia will "do what is necessary to qualify for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)". In his remarks, Ambassador Sey told President Bush that the historical link between the two countries dates back many years .. "from the era of Kunta Kinteh to our Independence Silver Jubilee in 1990," When Bush, not yet president, visited the country. Ambassador Sey also condemned the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. "The Gambia continues to be in the forefront in sub-Saharan West Africa in the fight against terror and those who promote it," he told President Bush. Ninety per cent of the Gambian population are Muslims, yet we lost two of our sons on September 11-this is a clear indication that terrorism is inhuman and un-Islamic," he added. "The historical link between our two countries dates back to 10 centuries or beyond, from the era of Kunta Kinteh to our Independence Silver Jubilee in 1990 when George Walker Bush was invited as a good son of former President George Herbert Walker Bush to attend that auspicious ceremony. History has repeated itself, Sir and today we are proud to witness the same Bush, a friend of The Gambia, being the President of the greatest nation on earth. On development, Ambassador Sey said: "We, in The Gambia, believe that our struggle for economic development, improvement, improved education, and managing a great health care system will help us to prevent terrorism and violence and promote peaceful growth to other countries in Africa". -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2002 The Daily Observer. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~