The government of the Republic of The Gambia has announced that it will grant visa-free entry to nationals of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, effective immediately. This decision aims to strengthen the already strong bilateral relations between the two countries and to facilitate and encourage travel of Saudi nationals to The Gambia for investment, trade, and tourism, in line with the aspirations of their respective leaders.

This move means that The Gambia will streamline and simplify entry procedures for all Saudi citizens traveling to the country for purposes such as investment, trade, and tourism. The implementation of this decision with immediate effect is being announced simultaneously by both countries, as is customary in such cases.

In November 2023, the Gambia’s Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Seedy Keita, and the Governor of the Saudi Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority, Eng. Suhail Abanmi, signed an agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and The Gambia to avoid double taxation and tax evasion. This agreement aims to enhance cooperation in the tax field by providing exemptions to public investments in both countries, with the goal of boosting trade exchange.

The agreement reflects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to strengthening economic relations and cooperation with The Gambia, particularly in the tax field, to ensure fair taxation and equal opportunities for investors.

Additionally, The Gambia’s Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration, and Employment, Baboucarr Ousmaila Joof, signed four agreements with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to recruit Gambian public and domestic workers, along with Saudi Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor Dr. Abdullah Abu Thnain.

These agreements aim to facilitate the legal recruitment of workers to work in Saudi Arabia, protect the rights of workers and employers, monitor the implementation of these agreements, and ensure their optimal application to serve the interests of all parties involved.