The Gambia’s 44th Independence Anniversary, celebrated on the 18th of February, has continued to attract loads of messages from wide spectrum of people across the world, among them world leaders.

The latest messages to have arrived at the State House in Banjul come from the presidents of Algeria and North Korea, and the Governor General of Canada.

Below are the full text of the messages:

Abdelaziz Bouteflika,President of the Republic of Algeria
Your Excellency and dear brother,
The Independence celebration of the Republic of The Gambia gives me great pleasure to extend, on behalf of the people and government of Algeria and on my own behalf, my warmest congratulations and sincere best wishes for Your Excellency’s happiness and good health, progress and prosperity for the brotherly people of The Gambia.

I take this opportunity to renew my commitment to further strengthening the relations of friendship and cooperation that bind our two countries.

Please accept, Your Excellency and dear brother, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Kim Yong Nam, President, Supreme People’s Assembly, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Your Excellency,
I warmly congratulate Your Excellency and, through you, your government and people, on the occasion of the 44th Independence Anniversary of The Gambia.

I take this opportunity to express my conviction that the relations of friendship and cooperation existing between our two countries will further develop in future and sincerely wish Your Excellency greater success in your work for the development and prosperity of your country.
 
Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada
Your Excellency,
On behalf of all Canadians, I wish to convey my warmest wishes to you and the people of The Gambia on the occasion of your country’s National Day.

I have every confidence that the friendship between our two countries will continue to broaden. As members of the Commonwealth and the United Nations, we look forward to ongoing co-operation on issues of both bilateral and multilateral concerns.
I wish you and your fellow citizens the very best on this day of celebration.

Season’s greetings
In separate letters, the president and prime minister of the Republic of Macedonia,  their excellencies Branko Crvenkovski and Nikola Gruevski respectively, and the prime minister of India, His Excellency Mommohan Singh, also sent Season’s Greetings cards to His Excellency the President of the Republic, Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, on the occasion of the New Year.
 
Head of Quadiriya Muslim Sect felicitates Jammeh
The Khalifa General of the Quadiriya Muslim Sect, based in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Cheikh Bunani Ould Cheikh, Taliboya Ould Sheikh Sadibou, has written a letter to the Gambian leader, Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, commending him on the development of The Gambia under his leadership.

Below is the full text of the message:
Your Excellency
I hereby write, indeed with great pleasure, to convey my sincere greetings on behalf of the Quadiriya Muslim Sect, the Sheikh Sadibou Legacy, and indeed on my own behalf.

It has been well over five decades since my first arrival in The Gambia and over 12 years now since my last visit. I am overwhelmed with the massive sublime of your multi-sectored development achievements, which you have been able to achieve since my last visit, not to talk about the numerous mosques and your daily interventions and desires as I reliably learned, to see that the Muslim Ummah is on a sound and quality footing.

It is with this cognizance that I, being now the head of the Quadiriya Muslim Sect, intend to pay you courtesy call and together for us to convene a forum to pray for the country under your leadership and to pray for you and members of your family so that Almighty God will continue to bless your aspirations and efforts even more positively.

I really cherish and look forward to meeting you as I only wish to follow the footprints of Sheikh Sadibou and our numerous family members whose main interests have always been to help by offering prayers to save mankind in all their endeavours especially God-chosen leaders like your good self who are daily showing concern in the positive affairs of mankind.
 
Also writing from Busumbala Village, Western Region, Abdourahman Kunta from Pakau Kerrewan Departman De Sedjou in Senegal, extended prayers for the good health and prosperity of the Gambian leader, expressing admiration of the rate of development of The Gambia under the wise leadership of the president. Kunta also prayed for long life, happiness, peace and stability for the country and its leadership.