VP World Bank HDN to Visit Gambian VP

The Department of State for Basic and Secondary Education has announced that Ms. Joy Phumaphi, Vice President of the World Bank Human Development Network, will be on an official visit to the sector from August 20th to the 22nd, 2008. She will work with officials of the sector to strengthen the already cordial relationship with a view to provide her with a stronger basis to give her endorsement to the newly prepared EFA/FTI proposal which should be presented to the board for approval in September 2008.

Her Excellency, Ms. Phumaphi and delegation will pay the usual ‘courtesy call’ to the Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia to register her compliments and appreciation for the smooth relationship between the World Bank and the Gambian Government.

Her Excellency Joy P Humaphi, a Botswana national, is Vice President of the World Bank’s Human Development Network. Before joining the Bank in February, 2007, Joy served as Assistant Director General for Family and Community Health at the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva, and represented the World Health Organisation on the Board of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations (GA VI).

From 1994-2003, Ms. Phumaphi served variously as a Member of Parliament, a Cabinet Minister with responsibility for lands and housing-in the course of which she developed Botswana’s first national housing policy-and Minister for Health. During her tenure as Minister, Ms. Phumaphi restructured the health ministry to make it more focused on results, and implementing a multi-sectoral plan to provide prevention, care, and treatment services for HIV/ AIDS.

Joy Phumaphi holds a Master of Science degree in Financial Accounting and Decision Sciences from Miami University, Ohio.

The Gambia Olympic team and delegation will be leaving for the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing, China August 1st 2008.  The delegation will be leaving via Dakar where they will be connecting with their flight for the Olympic Games which will kick off on August 8th 2008.

Fred Lioyd Evans, who is Team leader, said two of the Gambian delegation will be participating in the Olympic youth camp.

He said, “ Jainaba Manjang of Abuko Upper Basic School and Ousman Jallow of Fatoto Upper Basic School will be representing The Gambia in the youth camp.”

He pointed out that the slogan of this year’s youth camp is “youth create future were every country will have youths to represent and exchange cultural program”

He further stated that the IOC Youth Camp is an educational and cultural exchange program under the Olympic play for the young people age of 16 to 18 years of age.

 The youth camp kicks off and finishes before the beginning of the Olympic Games.

 The sporting delegation is as follows Suwaibou Sanneh and Fatou Tiyana 100 and 200m distance runners, Badou Jack a boxer.

Ansu Sowe and Bakary Jabbi, who are currently training in Kenya, are waiting for confirmation from IOC on their wild card and if granted they will be joining the delegation. The two athletes are not qualifiers for the Olympics but could be given the opportunity by the IOC to witness the games as they are sponsoring them in their training which is done by the IOC worldwide.

Chef de Mission Mr. George Gomez, Team leader, Mr. Fred Lioyd Evans, Mr. Walter Mohr boxing coach, Mr. Dodou Capi Joof Technical, Mr. Sulayman Jobe athletics coach are part of the delegation.

The NOC delegation includes Alhagi Abu Dandeh Njie president, Alhagi Abdoulie M Touray Secretary General and Peter Gomez Press Officer.

Secretary of State for Youth and Sports Hon. Sheriff ML Gomez will lead the ministerial delegation.

Meanwhile the Gambian, Swedish based, boxer Badou Jack is currently training in Thailand with his Swedish personal coach.

Jack was earlier in Germany for training before leaving for Thailand where he will be joining the Gambian team for the Olympic games.

The FIFA Development officer for West Africa, Sampon J. Kablan, together with Eric Harrison, were expected in Banjul last evening and will today visit the FIFA projects in The Gambia.

The visit will include Gambia’s first Artificial Turf Pitch in Brikama and the first goal project for Gambia and the GFA Centre of Excellence in Yundum. 

The second goal project which is the Football House for The Gambia (Secretariat of the Gambia Football Association) is also under FIFA Goal Project and aimed at assisting National Associations in developing countries.

President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, accompanied by a high-powered delegation, will leave Banjul today, Tuesday, June 10, for the Republic of Guinea Bissau on a state visit.

The president and his delegation will take off at the Banjul International Airport at 03:00pm.

It could be recalled that President Jaoa Bernado Nino Viera paid a four-day state visit to The Gambia on April 18, this year.

The Senegalese mission, according to a press release, stated that all the arrangements for the game in Banjul were highly appreciated.

The mission, in collaboration with the Senegalese ambassador in The Gambia, and the Senegalese Sport Ministry composed of members like Mamadou Diakhate, Nouha Cisse and Jule Francois Bocande also visited The Gambia Football Association for good symbioses of the match modalities seating.

Sensitising the passionate football fans, both delegations have agreed both countries are one people and that a football match cannot separate them and that their match should be a game and not an example of hostilities. They said hostilities that will sour the diplomatic relations of the two brother nations will not be acceptable. They added that the relationships between the countries could serve as an example of African integration.

The derby match on Sunday is a crucial one for both The Gambia and the Senegalese sport authorities. Violence broke out between the supporters in their last confrontation in 2004 and the football fans of the two brother nations have not yet forgotten it. The authorities, highly mobilised, are joining their efforts to avoid scenes like those seen during passed regrettable incidents.