Riyadh: The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) organized a program for senior Gambian officials on trade and special economic zones, as a high-level Gambian delegation concluded a study visit to Malaysia. The visit, funded by the IsDB, aimed to benefit from Malaysia's experience in trade infrastructure and the development of special economic zones.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the study visit was organized by the IsDB's Reverse Linkage Division of the Cooperation and Capacity Development Department, in collaboration with the Regional Hub of Dakar and the Center of Excellence in Kuala Lumpur. It also aimed to provide the Gambian delegation with insights into successful development corridors and models of special economic zones, focusing on governance structures, policy frameworks, institutional support systems, and regulatory mechanisms.
The five-day program included high-level meetings with key Malaysian government bodies, such as the Ministry of Economy, the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC), the Public-Private Partnership Unit (UKAS) under the Prime Minister's Office, and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA). The delegation also toured sites of the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) in Kuantan and Rompin. The visit concluded with a session on project financing under Islamic finance structures at INCEIF University.
The Gambian delegation expressed appreciation for the study visit, noting that it had gained valuable insights from Malaysia's development experience, which are expected to play a key role in shaping The Gambia's transformative development agenda, particularly within the Trans-Gambia Corridor Special Economic Zone (TGC-SEZ).