By Binta Jaiteh
The Chinese Embassy in The Gambia has engaged National Assembly members, government officials, and civil society organizations in discussions on poverty alleviation.
The initiative, part of the “China-Gambia series of interactive events”, aims to strengthen mutual understanding and foster closer ties between the Chinese and Gambian people.
Chinese Ambassador to The Gambia, Liu Jin, welcomed the initiative, highlighting China’s commitment to supporting African nations in poverty reduction.
“This year, we invited over 1,000 Gambian participants to various seminars. Gambia’s collaboration in achieving modernization and overcoming poverty reflects our shared commitment to development,” he said.
Ambassador Liu recalled that when the People’s Republic of China was founded 76 years ago, the country started from scratch. He noted that China’s poverty alleviation efforts, particularly since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012, have been unprecedented in scale and have benefited millions.
“China has successfully eliminated extreme poverty nationwide, achieving the first target of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda—ten years ahead of schedule,” he added.
The ambassador stressed China’s readiness to share governance experience with The Gambia, deepen sectoral cooperation, and expand strategic partnerships to build a poverty-free community with a shared future.
Deputy Governor of the Lower River Region, Momodou Camara, described China’s poverty eradication as a strategic, people-centered success, lifting nearly 100 million rural residents out of extreme poverty and contributing over 70% of global poverty reduction since the late 1970s.
“China’s approach demonstrates that genuine poverty alleviation requires precise diagnosis and tailored solutions. Strong political commitment and infrastructure investment were central to this achievement,” he said.
Secretary General of the National Consultative Council, Abubacarr M. A. Kinteh, outlined China’s precision poverty alleviation approach, which included identifying poor households, diagnosing constraints, and delivering targeted support in education, healthcare, relocation, and industry.
Over three million officials were deployed to villages to ensure implementation. Investments in rural roads, electricity, and irrigation have boosted incomes and improved market access,” he noted.
The meetings also included Gambian participants sharing their experiences with China and discussing future cooperation to enhance people-to-people connections and implement outcomes from China-Africa cooperation forums.