Banjul Mayor Malick-Lowe Announces Major Partnerships After “Highly Productive” Visit to China
Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick-Lowe says her recent official visit to Nanning, China, has yielded significant gains for the Gambian capital, describing the trip as “both highly productive and profoundly insightful.” The mayor said the journey marked “a significant milestone in international cooperation for the city of Banjul.”
In a statement, Mayor Malick-Lowe said the visit began with a strategic engagement at Guangxi MESDA Group, a global leader in heavy-duty industrial machinery and a longtime benefactor to Banjul. She noted that the tour of the company’s advanced facilities showcased “modern industrial excellence, characterized by precision engineering and a remarkable culture of teamwork and innovation.”
The mayor highlighted MESDA’s sustainable practice of repurposing metal barrels into furniture, calling the initiative particularly inspiring. She said discussions with the firm led to the establishment of “a framework for unprecedented collaboration, opening concrete pathways for partnership that will greatly benefit Banjul’s development.”
According to her, the delegation also visited the award-winning Guangxi Sub-tropical Crop Research Institute, where they explored opportunities in agricultural innovation. Mayor Malick-Lowe said the Institute’s seven-decade legacy of developing sustainable crop varieties aligns with Banjul’s urban and rural farming goals. “We have secured an agreement to immediately resume and coordinate collaborative development efforts,” she stated, noting that this partnership will be implemented through REFELA The Gambia and the Banjul City Council.
Mayor Malick-Lowe attributed the success of the mission to collective effort, expressing gratitude to her delegation for their resilience throughout the engagement. She also acknowledged the support of Chinese officials, including H.E. Liu Jin, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to The Gambia, and Mayor Hou Gang of Nanning, whose assistance was “instrumental in facilitating multi-sectoral agreements spanning eight institutions across Nanning.”
The mayor said the agreements reached during the visit represent a “monumental step” toward achieving Banjul’s long-term development vision. She added that in the coming months, her office, in collaboration with REFELA The Gambia and the Banjul City Council, will unveil specific projects aimed at accelerating the city’s transformation. She concluded by thanking the city of Nanning for its hospitality and expressed optimism about welcoming Chinese partners to Banjul soon.
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