Gambiaj.com – (CAIRO, Egypt) – In a significant step towards enhancing aquaculture in The Gambia, Egypt’s Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Elsayed Elkosayer, has pledged extensive support and cooperation in this field. The commitment was made during a meeting with Musa Drammeh, The Gambia’s Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources, held in Cairo.

Elkosayer highlighted Egypt’s recent achievements in aquaculture, emphasizing that the country is on the verge of achieving self-sufficiency in fish production. “Egypt has come close to achieving self-sufficiency in fish, in addition to exporting the surplus of some types of fish that Egypt is distinguished in producing,” he stated. Elkosayer further underscored Egypt’s leading position in African aquaculture and its status as the sixth-largest producer globally.

During the meeting, the Egyptian minister proposed several potential areas for collaboration between the two countries. These include training and knowledge transfer, technology sharing, fish farming techniques, the establishment of hatcheries, and fish health management. To formalize these initiatives and expedite their implementation, Elkosayer directed the preparation of a memorandum of understanding.

Musa Drammeh, The Gambia’s Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources, expressed his gratitude for Egypt’s willingness to support The Gambia in developing its fish resources. He showed particular interest in enhancing cooperation in marine fish cages and training, including the deployment of Egyptian experts to The Gambia.

Hussein Farhat, Executive Director of Egypt’s Lakes and Fish Resources Protection and Development Agency, reiterated Egypt’s commitment to supporting The Gambia. He outlined the agency’s readiness to provide training, expertise, and support in various aspects of aquaculture, particularly in marine cages.

The meeting was also attended by Saad Moussa, Supervisor of Foreign Agricultural Relations in Egypt, and Ambassador Omar Gibril, the Gambian Ambassador in Cairo.

This collaboration marks a promising development in the field of aquaculture for The Gambia, potentially leading to increased fish production and self-sufficiency, mirroring Egypt’s success.