Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Government of The Gambia has announced the appointment of Ambassador Professor Muhammadou M.O. Kah as the new Coordinator of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Group of Least-Developed Countries (LDCs). Ambassador Kah has also been elected to serve on the Executive Board for Phase III of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), a key WTO-led initiative supporting LDCs in global trade.

The announcement was made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Gambians Abroad, highlighting the diplomat’s expanding leadership role on the international stage.

Ambassador Kah currently serves as The Gambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Offices in Geneva, the WTO, and other international organizations in Switzerland.

The WTO LDC Group comprises 37 member countries, forming a unified negotiating bloc that champions the interests of the world’s poorest economies on matters such as trade rules, digital commerce, and support for countries graduating from LDC status.

In his new role as Coordinator, Ambassador Kah will steer the Group’s technical and ministerial engagement ahead of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference and lead outreach with partners from other developing-country alliances and donor states.

In addition to this appointment, Ambassador Kah’s election to the Executive Board of the EIF Phase III (2025–2031) places him at the forefront of global efforts to enhance trade capacity in LDCs.

Scheduled to launch in October 2025, Phase III aims to mobilize $200 million in catalytic financing to support trade-related development projects in LDCs. The initiative builds on new donor commitments made in July 2025.

WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala welcomed the appointments, emphasizing that recent pledges to EIF Phase III reflect growing momentum. She also called for sustained and reliable support for LDCs to achieve long-term development goals.

Ambassador Kah’s dual appointments mark a significant recognition of The Gambia’s diplomatic leadership and reinforce the country’s commitment to advancing equitable trade policies for the world’s most vulnerable economies.