Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, the governor general of the Commonwealth of Australia have sent letters of felicitations to the Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh on The Gambia’s 45th Independence Anniversary celebrations.

The messages read:
As you celebrate your national day, I have much pleasure in sending my warmest greetings to Your Excellency and the people of The Gambia together with my best wishes for a special and prosperous future.
Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II
…………………..
On the occasion of the independence day of the Republic of The Gambia, I wish to convey to you and the government and people of The Gambia my warmest wishes, together with those of the Australian government and people.

Australia and The Gambia share a warm and cooperative relationship. I am pleased to note that Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Stephen Smith MP, had the opportunity to meet with The Gambia’s minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Ousman Jammeh, at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Port of Spain in November 2009. This meeting provided a valuable opportunity for Ministers to discuss how to continue to build the relationship between our two countries.

I am pleased that The Gambia will have access to technical assistance and scholarship under the Australian government’s new program of development cooperation for Africa, which is being increased as part of the government’s commitment to enhanced engagement with Africa. I note that under this program, eight post-graduate scholarships have been awarded to Gambian candidates in health and public sector management for 2010.

Permit me to use this opportunity to reconfirm Australia’s desire to work with The Gambia to help address the serious challenges facing today’s world including international development, climate change and conflict prevention. Such issues require global solutions and Australia is firmly committed to supporting and enhancing the vital role of multilateral institutions, including the United Nations, in meeting these challenges.

May I express my confidence that the friendly relations existing between our two countries will continue to prosper in the coming year.
Please accept, Your Excellency, my personal congratulations and the assurance of my highest consideration.

Her Excellency, Ms Quentin Bryce AC
Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.