Boris Johnson Makes First Official Trip to Gambia
British Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, arrived in The Gambia on Tuesday, marking the first official visit to the African country by any British minister in more than 50 years.
Gambia elected their new president, Adama Barrow, at the end of 2016, and he officially took office on the 19th of January this year.
According to reports, Barrow is keen on rejoining the British Commonwealth.
Gambia left the Commonwealth under former president, Yahya Jammeh, who frequently rallied against Britain and their Commonwealth.
Gambia used to be a British colony, but was granted independence in 1965. Johnson’s visit to the country will, therefore, also be the first time a British minister visits the country since its independence.
Johnson will meet with new president, Barrow, during this visit to rebuild ties between the two countries. He is also set to visit the Medical Research Council, which is funded by Britain.
Barrow also has personal ties to Britain, where he worked as a security guard years ago. He has been open about his desire for Gambia to rejoin the Commonwealth and to reinstate a relationship with Britain.
Gambia, under the leadership of Barrow, is also the first African country to inform the United Nations of their decision to rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC), after several African countries made the decision to leave the ICC last year.
Former president, Jammeh, withdrew Gambia from the ICC back in 2013, claiming that the ICC was just an “extension of colonialism”.
Johnson’s visit to the African country is, however, smeared with controversy. In the past, Johnson has made several contentious, racist and damning comments about Africa.
When former Prime Minister of England, Tony Blair, visited the Congo in 2002, Johnson recalled Blair’s visit and arrival on African soil in an extremely racist and controversial manner:
“The tribal warriors will all break out in watermelon smiles to see the big white chief touchdown [sic]”.
Johnson is also scheduled to meet with Ghanian president, Nana Akufo-Addo, in Ghana on Wednesday.
