Ms Janet Jackson, Western Cluster Chief Division of the UNFPA, who is currently on a working visit to the Gambia, Dr Adama Cicindo UNDP Officer-in-Charge, The Gambia, Dr Barmabas Lee, Director of Global Heart of Medical Mission and Ms Margemily Mahoney Bryant, Executive Director of GAMESCO, yesterday paid a courtesy call on Dr Isatou Njie Saidy, Vice-President and Secretary of State for Women’s Affairs, at her office in State House, Banjul.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after their individual audience with the Vice-President Isatou Njie-Saidy, the Diplomats  expressed their satisfaction over their visits.

Ms Janet Jackson, UNFPA Western Cluster Chief, said her discussion with the Vice-President centred on the important areas of development and poverty reduction, especially on the need to raise awareness for investment in these areas.

She described the UNFPA programme in the Gambia as a success. “However, despite the huge successes, maternal mortality remains highest in the world. We need to have concrete data on how far we have come and how far we are to,” she said.

Dr Adama Cicindo, UNDP officer-in-charge in The Gambia, thanked Vice-President Njie Saidy for giving him and his delegates the opportunity to brief her on the UNDP and Government of the Gambia cooperation.

“We specifically talked about the donor conference that the Gambia is organising in November 2007 in The Gambia and we are working together to make that event happen,“ he said.

He revealed that last Friday, UNDP and Government of the Gambia signed several project to the tune of more than 3 million Dalasis and they have briefed Vice-President Njie Saidy on those important projects along other topical issues such as capacity building etc.

The UNDP office-in-charge then spoke on the importance of the forthcoming donor conference to be held in Geneva, Switzerland and its likely impact on the development of the world. He described the Gambia government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) as an important open and participatory document. He highlighted on UNDP’s mode of operation in any given country. “We are now operating within the frame work of a country programme document that was approved by the UNDP Governing Council last September. UNDP’s intervention areas for the period covering 2007-2011 are very much in line with the government of the Gambia’s policy document,” he said.

Dr Barmabas Lee, Director of Global HOMM, noted that, construction work for the clinic is in progress in Bijilo, Western Region and once completed, it will cater for many clinical operations and facilities for use by the general public. He said in 4-5 months time, the clinic will be ready for use.

He expressed thanks to Vice-President Njie Saidy and the government of the Gambia for allowing him to operate the clinic in the country.

Margemily Mahoney Bryant, Executive Director, Gambia Agricultural Economic Socio-Cultural Organisation (GAMESCO) also briefed the Vice-President on her organisation’s roles, especially on women’s empowerment.