By Haddy Touray
The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Seedy S.K. Njie, on Monday held high-level talks with the President of the Austrian Parliament, H.E. Walter Rosenkranz, in a bid to strengthen parliamentary cooperation between The Gambia and Austria.
The meeting, held at the Austrian Parliament in Vienna, focused on expanding bilateral relations through legislative diplomacy, technical assistance, and institutional collaboration.
Hon. Njie is in Vienna on the invitation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reflecting The Gambia’s growing involvement in international cooperation, especially in peaceful nuclear development.
During the discussions, both leaders exchanged ideas on the role of national assemblies in promoting democratic governance, sustainable development, and global peace. Hon. Njie emphasized the National Assembly’s dedication to building international partnerships that improve transparency, capacity, and effectiveness in legislative work.
He commended Austria’s robust parliamentary systems and proposed the creation of a Parliamentary Friendship Committee to formalize cooperation between the two institutions. The proposal was immediately welcomed by President Rosenkranz, who pledged to send an Austrian parliamentary delegation to Banjul before the end of 2025.
“We believe that institutional partnerships like these help strengthen not only governance but also the human and technical capacity of our institutions,” Njie stated. “We are committed to inter-parliamentary exchanges that bring value to our democratic processes.”
President Rosenkranz applauded The Gambia’s parliamentary leadership for its proactive diplomacy and reaffirmed Austria’s readiness to support joint initiatives. He instructed his office to begin coordination with the Gambian legislature to implement the proposed areas of cooperation.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from both sides, including the Honorary Consul of The Gambia in Vienna, H.E. Kronsteiner, and Mr. Sainey Konteh, Director of Table Office at the Gambian National Assembly.
The visit marks a key milestone in The Gambia’s parliamentary diplomacy and is expected to open new avenues for professional development, legislative reform, and institutional exchange between the two countries.
