In a rare message addressed to the Gambian leader, Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, the commander-in-chief of The Gambia Armed Forces, the minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, Hon Stephen Smith, has expressed appreciation of the efficient manner in which the Gambian security forces handled the case of a kidnapped Australian, Justin Liebig.

That ugly incidence occurred between 2-10 February 2009. Below is a reproduction of the full text of the message from the top Australian diplomat.

Your Excellency,
It was a pleasure to meet you at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa on 29 January. As the first Australian foreign minister to address the Executive Council of the African Union, I look forward to enhancing Australia’s engagement with The Gambia and other African countries in the coming years.

I write to you today to express my deep appreciation to the Government of The Gambia for its assistance in relation to Australian citizen, Justin Liebig. As you may be aware, Mr Liebig was briefly kidnapped between 2-10 February in Banjul. I understand that the Gambian authorities have arrested eight individuals in relation to the kidnapping.

I would particularly like to take this opportunity to convey my deep appreciation to Police Commissioner Sonko and his officers for their efforts in assisting Mr Liebig. I look forward to working with you to further develop the relationship between The Gambia and Australia. Best wishes.

More congratulatory messages for president Jammeh
President Jammeh also received at State House a number of goodwill messages on the country’s 44th Independence anniversary celebrations from a diverse number of Gambians.  

Writing on behalf of the Student Union of the University of The Gambia (UTGSU), the secretary general of the students’ body, Ansumana Ceesay, prayed that God the Almighty continue to give the president good health, long life and wisdom to continue leading the nation for the next decades.

"On behalf of the entire students of the University of The Gambia," the message reads, “we congratulate you on the 44th Independence anniversary of the Republic of The Gambia." He added: “Your Excellency, we are fully aware of all the assistance you have been rendering to the university, which are uncountable. You are not only the father of the university but virtually everything to the university. Let me use this medium to assure you of our continued loyalty to you and your government." Ceesay also reiterated the loyalty and support of the entire students of the university to the government of The Gambia.

Writing from Kabafita Upper Basic School, Maribi S Jammeh expressed sincere congratulations to the Gambian leader on the occasion of the country’s  44 Independence Anniversary.

The message reads: "I also want to take this opportunity to praise you on the rapid infrastructural development that your government is embarking upon for the Gambian people.

May Allah the Almighty salvage you from the evils of your enemies.
May He prolong your leadership to continue the development projects that you are pursuing."

The message from Jarga Baldeh of Sarreh Debbo in the Upper Fulladu District, CRR, contained prayers for good health & long life, with the greatest of luck and ever lasting prosperity, for the Gambian leader.

"I am praying to God for all the beloved citizens of our great Gambia to be as patriotic and devoted to national development as you are; in other words to take you as a role model, especially the youths, so as to help you in the great work you are doing just to see the development of the nation," he said. Jarga Baldeh also congratulated the Gambian leader on the tight and well enforced security of the nation.

He concluded with prayers for the president to continue leading The Gambia towards its development aspirations. "Finally," he said, "I just have to pray to God to give you and your family and the entire Gambian population, long life, prosperity, good health and above all to always shower his blessings upon us all, Amen”.

The message from Abdou Jallow and Pateh Kebbeh reads:

Your Excellency,
We wish to write and congratulate you on the tremendous developments achieved in The Gambia within a decade and a half,  ranging from education, health, communication, information, the economy, etc.

We are students under your recently introduced Integrated Education Project (IEP), under the Education department, which is helping in mainstreaming the people with visual impairments to be fit, confident to demonstrate our potential for the progressive development of The Gambia in the years to come.

We write to congratulate you, your government and the Gambia at large.
Your Excellency, we are wishing you, your family, government and The Gambia a peaceful year.