Gambiaj.com – (BEIJING, China) – Two Gambian delegates have distinguished themselves at a high-level seminar on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) policy in Beijing, emerging as the best-performing participants in an intensive academic program held as part of a China-Africa exchange on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Modou Lamin Gassama and Binnet Roberts received top honors for their outstanding performance in lectures and assessments on economics and geographic affairs. Their active participation, presentations, and overall engagement earned them the highest marks among delegates from several African countries.
The pair are among a six-member Gambian delegation currently taking part in a two-week exchange programme in China focused on SME development, trade policy, and economic cooperation.
The initiative aims to expose African professionals to China’s SME growth model and explore how similar strategies can be adapted to support enterprise development in their home countries.
Delegates from Nigeria, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Ethiopia are also participating in the program, which combines classroom lectures with field visits to SME hubs and policy dialogues with Chinese academics and researchers.
Speaking after the recognition, members of the Gambian delegation described the experience as both enriching and inspiring.
“We came here to learn and to understand how China built millions of SMEs from the ground up,” one delegate said. “What we are taking back is not just theory but practical ideas that can help support young entrepreneurs in The Gambia.”
The seminar forms part of broader efforts under the Belt and Road Initiative to deepen China-Africa cooperation in trade, investment, and capacity building.
For The Gambia, participants said the program has highlighted practical lessons in SME financing, digital innovation, industrial clustering, and market access that could strengthen the country’s private sector.
The Gambian delegation is expected to return to Banjul in the coming weeks and submit a report containing recommendations for policymakers, youth organizations, and business associations on how the knowledge gained can be applied to support entrepreneurship and economic growth.
By Mustapha Jarju, The Gambia Journal Reporter | Currently in Beijing, China
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