As part of her commitment to boost the image of the National Assembly and to promote bilateral ties between The Gambian Assembly and those of the sub-region, the speaker of the National Assembly, Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay, accompanied by the majority leader, Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta; minority leader, Hon Momodou LK Sanneh; and the acting clerk of the National Assembly Momodou A Sise; visited the kingdom of Morocco from the 26th-30th April 2009, following an invitation from her counterpart, the speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives, His Excellency Mustapha Mansouri.

This information was contained in  press release sent to the Daily Observer.

According to the release, during the visit, the honourable speaker and delegation held many discussions pertinent to bilateral relations between the two assemblies, in particular on how to curtail the menace of the illegal migration of youths to Europe through North Africa.  They also discussed economic and political integration as well as cooperation in other sectors, particularly fisheries, education, culture and heritage, trade and agriculture. The release added that the two parliaments also considered and resolved to prepare and sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and to establish a Gambia-Morocco parliamentary friendship association.

The delegation, the release went on, also met with the prime minister of Morocco, who is said to have visited The Gambia as a special envoy of King Hassan II in 1979. The prime minister is reported to have hailed the Gambian president, Prof. Alhaji Dr. Yahya Jammeh, for the achievements he has registered in the areas of education, and infrastructural development, among others.

The release states that during an audience with the minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, discussions were centered on the need for unity and closer cooperation between the two countries, in which the two parliaments have a vital role to play.  The Foreign minister finally assured the parliaments of The Gambia and Morocco of his ministry's support.

In a separate engagement, according to the release, the ambassador of the Republic of Azerbajan in Morocco, Sabir Aghabayov, also called on the honourable speaker and delegation.  Ambassador Aghabayov and the Gambian delegation discussed a wide range of issues including the need to establish a parliamentary friendship group. He finally extended an invitation to the honourable speaker for The Gambian parliamentary delegation to visit Azerbajan.  

The release states that the proposed visit is to be worked out through the formal diplomatic channels. Finally, the release concludes, the honourable speaker thanked her Moroccan counterpart, the government and people of the Kingdom of Morocco for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded her and her delegation during their short but fruitful visit in Morocco. The delegation returned to Banjul on the 30th of April 2009.