Egyptian/Gambian Investor moves to revive Gambia’s cotton trade

31 Décembre 2017

Banjul, Gambia, December 31 (Infosplusgabon)  - Hatem Raslan, an Egyptian investor, has expressed readiness to revive Gambia’s cotton production and export.

He made the disclosure on Saturday during an interview, conducted in his office in Sere Kunda, Gambia’s largest town and commercial city.

“We are ready to expand our activities into agriculture and cotton trade. We have secured land to grow cotton and we will register Gambian cotton in many international markets,” Mr. Raslan, who is also a diplomat, said.

According to him, his company, Saad M Raslan International Trading, which has been dealing in electronics and other goods in The Gambia and West African sub region and the Middle East for over two decades will now expand into agriculture, food processing and other sectors.

Cotton was among Gambia’s cash crops during the colonial era and the first republican government of former President Dawda Jawara and the country used to produce and export large volumes to outside markets.

However, during the 22-year-rule of former dictator, Yahya Jammeh, the cotton industry was left to decay, leaving farmers frustrated and turning on to something else.

Meanwhile, Mr. Raslan, Gambia’s Honorary Consul, is determined to revive the industry in the West African country. “We will make sure farmers get good seeds, fertilizer and pest control,” he remarked.

This, he adds, is in line with the wishes of Gambia’s new President, Adama Barrow. “He is very concerned. He really wants the cotton trade to come back,” Raslan reiterated.

According to the Egyptian/Gambian tycoon, efforts are on to get investors come down to Gambia to do business with the advent of the new regime.

He has embarked on a promotion drive in the Middle East, Europe and elsewhere in bid to woo investors to Gambia.

He says so far eight leading business executives will fly from Europe and Egypt in the coming days to venture into real estate/housing business, agriculture, security and other sectors of the Gambian economy. “Now, we have a country of law and God has given us a peaceful leader, so good investors should feel free to invest in the Gambia,” Mr. Raslan emphasized.

He recalled that before the dictatorial regime of Jammeh, Gambia was a commercial hub for many sub-regional countries. “The Gambia used to be the free zone for the whole West Africa. So we want to get the old glory back. It can become the Dubai of West Africa,” Raslan opined.

He spoke of President Barrow as a suitable leader who would make things work for the business community, saying he was a former businessman and so knew the concern of the sector.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/BCX/GABON 2017

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