The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in its drive to be the pace setter in promoting Gambian business, is putting up finishing touches to the bid to successfully host this year’s Trade Fair in The Gambia.
This year’s fair on the theme “Tapping the Growth of the Small and Medium Enterprises,” will, among other things, provide the platform for businesses to showcase their products and also stimulate public interest in Gambian products.

The event, which is expected to run for nine days (1st – 9th December), is aimed at creating external networks, enhance the productive base of small and medium scale enterprises, create a more visible service sector and open doors for formal financing.

Speaking yesterday at a press briefing on the trade fair site at the Independence stadium, where the stalls are being mounted, Mrs. Beatrice Allen, the Trade Fair coordinator, said this year’s trade fair would be quite different from the previous ones as there would be a heavy presence of about 40 International Companies from Spain, India, Indonesia, as well as the West African sub-region.

According to Mrs. Allen, the objective of the trade fair is to bring companies together to expose their products, show what they can deliver, so as to open more markets to enable them expand their businesses.
The trade fair coordinator added that trade fairs are organised to help promote the growth of businesses, expand and expose their products and enlighten the public on what Gambian businesses offer.

“We invite international participants so that they can come and see what we have and in the process partnership can be forged,” she said, adding that key companies in the country are sponsoring the trade fair.

Speaking earlier, Muhammed Jagana, chairman of this year’s trade fair, assured that the organising committee has achieved a lot with regards to the necessary preparations put in place for the upcoming trade fair.
“We have learnt a lot from the previous trade fairs and as a result we have put in place all the necessary logistics in place,” Mr. Jagana added.

For his part, Mr. Bai Matarr Drammeh, president of GCCI, said the trade fair would enable businesses to show what they have.
“Most of us don’t know what Gambian businesses can offer but I believe with such trade fair, a lot can be learnt,” said Mr. Drammeh, adding that the fair would encourage young people to also embark on businesses that will benefit them and the nation as a whole.