President Yahya Jammeh has described his three-day official trip to the Islamic Republic of Iran as one of his most successful trips in 2006.

The Gambian leader made this remark yesterday in an interview with reporters at the Banjul International Airport shortly after his arrival.President Jammeh held talks with his Iranian counterpart and senior Iranian officials culminating to the signing of a Joint Communique by the Foreign Ministers of the two countries.

According to the President, the trip was excellent in that both The Gambia and Iran are bound to benefit a lot but more so The Gambia.

“This is because I made a pledge to the Gambian people that in the next five years by the grace of Allah, they will see unprecedented developments in this country. It is not only in agriculture and international relations, but it comprises everything we can think of, from infrastructural development, socio-cultural, political relations and of course Science and technology and human resources development. So any area you can think of, has been catered for in this bilateral agreement”, he said.

President Jammeh said the trip to Iran was the most successful and comprehensive as the Iranians assured him of their unlimited cooperation to assist The Gambia in it’s drive to socio-economic developement.

The Gambian leader disclosed three areas of immediate intervention before January 2007 namely ,electricity generation water supply and agriculture.

In the area of electricity generation, he revealed that Gambians could now be assured that they have more than enough capacity to supply the Greater Banjul Area with 24 hours electricity without interruption. “

The President said with the arrival of the three new generators,Brikama and Kotu power stations put together, have almost 90 Megawatt which is more than what the Greater Banjul Area requires.

The Gambian leader emphasised the importance of the supply of high extension cables for the transmission and distribution network . . He renewed his pledge to electrify the entire Gambia. “I want to electrify the entire country and this is what I am poised to do after having receivedmassive support from the Gambians. I cannot let Gambians down. So we want to make sure that these cables are in before the technicians finish installing these generators so that when they are ready, we put everything on and the Greater Banjul Area will have 24 hours electricity”, he said

According to the President, another major challenge is the water supply systemwhich will be solved in ten days time with the arrival of Iranians technicians to see how best we can solve the water supply problem. The President disclosed that system had been in existence since 1966 and needs to be changed so that we can cater for everybody without suffering from low pressure.

He said the Iranians have also advised the Gambia to go for cheaper sources of energy such as hydro-electricity.

On his swearing-in ceremony, President Jammeh said Gambians should prepare for the ceremony describing it as their day. He assured them that he will deliver on every promise that he made to the Gambian people in this five years term. “So the Gambians should also come out in their large numbers to show that they really meant what they did. Because if they don't turnout, people will say “oh! they voted for him but they have regretted it”.

“So we want Gambians to come out in their large numbers and give each other a bigger ‘Alsammadeh’ on this occasion”, he stated. According to President Jammeh, there is going to be an inauguration for another five year term as well as the victory celebration with brand new musical equipment . “It is a very big victory celebration and an opportunity for Gambian youth to develop their musical talents. This government is a government for the youth and I will make sure that unemployment becomes a thing of the past”, he said.

The Gambian leader was pleased to add that before the end of this new five-year term, the Gambia will start exporting oil as he had earlier on promised.

“I am here for the youth of Africa, The Gambia in particular and the rest of mankind because the future of this country lies in the hands of the youth and we should know that only Gambians can develop this country. Therefore, the youth of this country must change their attitude because indiscipline will not take anyone anywhere”, he advised.

In a seperate developement, President Jammeh at the airport,bid farewell to 196 members of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), the fourth Gambian contingent of military peacekeepers to the troubled region of Darfur, Sudan..