The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry last Friday, June 15, 2007 launched International Financial Cooperation Skills Development and Small Micro-Enterprise Growth Training Programme held at the Reliance Financial Services offices, along Kairaba Avenue.

In his address on behalf of the Secretary of State for Trade, Industry and Industry, Lamin Dampha thanked GCCI for organising such training programmes for its members. He said that the training will go a long way towards building capacities of trainers to enable them better place themselves in today’s “highly competitive” business environment.

Mr. Dampha said: “The Gambia has a huge potential to serve as the engine of growth and to achieve the objectives of Vision 2020. With limited employment opportunities in the public sector, coupled with mixed fortunes in the productive sector, such as agriculture, a growing number of Gambians are training.”

Outlining the roles of micro, small and medium enterprises in the economic growth and development of the country, Mr. Dampha said the government has recently formulated a national micro and small enterprise policy to facilitate their development and enhance their contribution.

For his part, Mam Cherno Jallow, Chief Executive Officer of GCCI, said the economic trends in The Gambia from the early 1980s have inspired the government to embark on alternative measures as contained in the framework of Economic Recovery Programme (ERPs) which among others encouraged the private sector development to fully participate in the economic development of The Gambia.

Other speakers at the ceremony included Baboucarr Khan, Chief Executive Officer of Reliance Financial Services and Charlotte Ndow IFC Representative based in Senegal.