President Ma Ying-jeou on April 14 spent a fourth day in the Republic of The Gambia on his journey to visit African allies codenamed "Project Benevolence and Friendship."
In the morning, the president went to Serrekunda Hospital to inspect the free clinic operated there by a medical mission from Taiwan's Mackay Memorial Hospital. The visit enabled the president to get a first-hand understanding of the achievements of the bilateral medical cooperation. During the stop there, the president praised the efforts and contributions of the members of the medical team from Taiwan to the health of the people of The Gambia.
At noon, President Ma went to the Presidential compound to call on The Gambia President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh. The two leaders signed a joint communiqué that emphasized the friendly and cooperative relationship between the governments and people of the two countries.
Below is the full text of the joint communiqué signed by the two heads of state:
At the invitation of H.E. Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, President of the Republic of The Gambia, H.E. Ma Ying-jeou, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), paid a state visit to the Republic of The Gambia from April 11-14, 2012. President Ma was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, other cabinet members, and senior government officials.
President Ma and his delegation were greeted on arrival at Banjul International Airport by President Jammeh, as well as the Vice President and Minister for Women’s Affairs, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chief Justice, cabinet members, other government officials, members of the Taiwanese community in The Gambia, and a cross section of Gambian society.
President Ma and the delegation received a warm welcome and kind hospitality from the government and people of the Republic of The Gambia, which testified to the close and cooperative relations that exist between the Republic of The Gambia and the Republic of China (Taiwan).
The two Presidents exchanged views, in a brotherly atmosphere, on various matters of mutual concern and on strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
President Jammeh, on behalf of the government and people of The Gambia, welcomed President Ma to Banjul for his first visit as Head of State of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and commented that the visit was a clear manifestation of the cordial bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Presidents expressed their satisfaction with the ties of friendship and cooperation that exist between the two countries, as well as their willingness to further promote the mutual interests of the two nations.
The Presidents agreed that all nations should, based on the principles of sovereignty and equality, work to resolve international disputes through dialogue, negotiation and other peaceful means, and that the two countries would work closely in the future to promote world peace and prosperity.
President Jammeh commended President Ma for his remarkable achievements in pursuing a policy of viable diplomacy, which has greatly reduced tensions across the Taiwan Strait, and brought peace and prosperity that the whole world could enjoy.
President Ma recognized President Jammeh’s great efforts in developing The Gambia and promoting the welfare of the Gambian people, and took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the government of the Republic of The Gambia for its staunch support for the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
President Jammeh expressed his appreciation for the assistance extended by Taiwan to The Gambia in agriculture, health, education, human resources, infrastructure and other areas of national development. President Jammeh also reaffirmed his support for the bid that Taiwan is making to participate in the specialized agencies of the United Nations and other international organizations.
During his visit, President Ma visited President Jammeh’s home village of Kanilai, the Banjulinding Women’s Garden, the Port of Banjul, the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital and the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Banjul.
President Ma expressed his gratitude to President Jammeh for the courtesies and warm welcome accorded to him by the government and people of The Gambia during his stay.
Done in duplicate at Banjul, the Republic of The Gambia, on the fourteenth day of April in the year two thousand and twelve in the Chinese and English languages, both texts being equally authentic. (end of communiqué)
In the afternoon, President Ma visited Ming Daw Junior and Senior Secondary Schools and took part in a friendly football penalty kick shoot-out against a five-member team of high-ranking government officials from The Gambia, including President Jammeh. The ROC team included President Ma, National Security Council Secretary-General Hu Wei-jen (胡為真), Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Chin-tien Yang (楊進添), Council of Labor Affairs Minister Wang Ju-hsuan (王如玄), and Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Lin Sheng-chung (林聖忠). President Ma scored three times in three rounds, leading the ROC team to a narrow win over their counterparts from The Gambia by a score of four to three. The friendly competition was carried out in an atmosphere of joy and harmony, and constituted a unique example of "athletic interaction" between the ROC and The Gambia.
After the friendly competition, the two leaders delivered remarks and again reiterated the strong alliance between the two countries. President Jammeh emphasized that the friendship between the ROC and The Gambia is founded not on financial assistance, but on brotherhood. President Ma expressed his deepest gratitude to President Jammeh and the government of The Gambia for their hospitality over the previous several days. He said he was deeply touched by the remarks made by President Jammeh, and expressed his confidence that in the future the two countries will continue to strengthen exchanges and interaction to create even greater wellbeing for the public.
In the evening, President Ma received a military farewell at Banjul International Airport, ending his stop in The Gambia on his journey to Africa codenamed "Project Benevolence and Friendship." The president's plane departed at 8:30 p.m. (4:30 a.m. on April 15 Taipei time) for the Kingdom of Swaziland, the final leg of his trip to Africa.