Mohammed Foday Yumkelia, the outgoing high commissioner of Sierra Leone to The Gambia, yesterday, bade farewell to Vice President Dr Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy at State House, after a three and half-year devotion to duty which resulted in the  strengthening of relations between Banjul and Freetown.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after an audience with the vice president, Mr Yumkelia thanked the government of The Gambia for creating the enabling environment which enabled him to score such an achievement.

He said that some of his compatriots in The Gambia have continued to play a significant role in the development of the country in the areas of education and health, two areas of importance in a country's development drive.

He added that finalising the joint commission between the two countries and removing barriers that hinder integration were achievements he would have loved to have accomplished during his tenure.

But he was quick to acknowledge President Jammeh's benovelance in waiving some taxes for Sierra Leoneans in The Gambia.

In a separate development, Vice President Njie-Saidy also received in audience Alasan Senghore, head, Zone, West and Central Africa of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, based in Dakar, Senegal.

He told newsmen shortly after the audience that their discussion centred on The Gambia Red Cross Society and the role it plays in disaster management and control.

He saluted The Gambia for having the best disaster management and prevention framework among the 24 countries under his jurisdiction. To him, The Gambia is a role model and he thus called on other countries to emulate it.