On Tuesday, February 6, the United States Embassy hosted a working luncheon for a select group of women in business to initiate discussions on ways to expand their businesses and increase trade between The Gambia and the United States. The lunch at the Corinthia Atlantic Hotel in Banjul was attended by nearly 20 women representing the Department of State for Trade, Industry and Employment, the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and various private enterprises and financial institutions.

The invitees viewed segments of a film entitled ‘AFRICA, OPEN FOR BUSINESS’ which highlights successful and imaginative business endeavors in Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal. The Political-Economic Officer at the U.S. Embassy, Ms. Menaka Nayyar, who hosted the event, said the idea was to show women entrepreneurs in The Gambia how their colleagues in other countries were dealing with common obstacles, such as difficulties in securing mortgages and loans.

Embassy officials also briefed the women on the status of The Gambia’s application for an AGOA Textile Visa which would enable the country to export textiles and garments to the U.S. duty free and quota free. They also urged Gambian entrepreneurs planning to attend trade shows in the United States to plan ahead so that they do not encounter any last minute difficulties.

The women entrepreneurs had a very lively discussion which covered several areas, such as the importance of specialized training for tailors to meet the high standards demanded by the international clothing market. They also urged Gambian businesswomen to share their knowledge and experiences with each other and emphasized the importance of marketing and promotion of their various businesses.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Department of State for Trade, Industry and Employment, Mrs. Naffie Barry, thanked the U.S. Embassy for sponsoring the event and said as the principal Gambian government department responsible for private sector development, her department is interested in cooperating with any agency providing assistance to the private sector.

Latest AGOA Trade Data currently available on AGOA.info


Click here to view a sector profile of Gambia’s bilateral trade with the United States, disaggregated by total exports and imports, AGOA exports and GSP exports.

Other regularly updated trade statistics on AGOA.info include: (click each link to view)