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We wish to thank the Royal House of Aranan, a Royal family in the Sultanate of Sulu Dar al-Islam in the Southern Philippines for recognising the tremendous contributions of President Jammeh in national development by conferring on him the prestigious ‘First Class Gold Medal or Datu Mulia’.

The award, which is specifically in recognition of the president’s laudable achievements in the areas of traditional medicine, culture and in the diffusion of love, peace and brotherhood indeed came at a much better time and beyond all reasonable doubt shows that the immense contributions and achievements of the president is increasingly gaining international acknowledgement and approval.

We know that the latest award conferred on the president, like others, came because of the practical evidences that are daily manifested by our society. Suffice to say, these awards continuously received by the president do not blindly come to him, and the awarding institutions do not just issue them just for the sake of doing so.

The awards vindicate the pragmatic leadership of President Jammeh, which is committed to transform The Gambia into a financial centre, tourist paradise, trading, export-oriented manufacturing nation, thriving on free market policies and a vibrant private sector, sustained by a well-educated, trained, skilled, healthy, self-reliant and enterprising population, and guaranteeing a well-balanced ecosystem and a decent standard of living for one and all so that we can climb up the ladder of self-actualisation in modern development paradigm.

Of course, the president’s personal contribution to the advancement of culture, traditional medicine and cementing brotherhood among peoples is an open secret. His quest to promote peace and harmony in Africa and beyond, revalorization of national culture through festivals like the Kanilai International Cultural Festival and breakthrough in traditional medicine are blissful.

The Royal family in the Sultanate of Sulu Dar al-Islam in the Southern Philippines did not make a wrong decision; President Jammeh’s government is one that has placed at the core of the governance agenda the necessity to promote development through culture and the principles of brotherhood. And the country’s achievement in these spheres over the years is no surprise to any individual and organisation that is consciously following the development trend of the country.

We once again thank the royal family for the award.