Gambiaj.com – (TOKYO, Japan) – The Gambia and South Africa have agreed to finalize a Mutual Visa Exemption Agreement aimed at easing travel between the two countries, following high-level talks on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9).

Foreign Minister Sering Modou Njie of The Gambia met with his South African counterpart, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, on Friday, August 22, 2025, in Tokyo.

The two ministers reaffirmed the historic friendship between their nations and committed to expanding cooperation across key sectors.

A central outcome of the meeting was the agreement to advance discussions on visa-free travel for citizens of both countries. Once in effect, the measure is expected to facilitate people-to-people exchanges, boost business and tourism, and deepen cultural links.

The ministers also explored avenues for capacity building and diplomatic training, underscoring the importance of institutional cooperation. They emphasized sharing best practices and expertise to build stronger diplomatic frameworks capable of addressing emerging global and regional challenges.

Minister Njie, who was accompanied by Permanent Secretary Kinneh Jobe, expressed The Gambia’s readiness to accelerate collaboration with South Africa, while Minister Lamola reaffirmed Pretoria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.

Both sides concluded the meeting with a pledge to fast-track cooperation in the agreed priority areas, ensuring the partnership grows in scope and depth in the years ahead.