By Yunus S Saliu
The Gambia is participating in the 27th Meeting of the Tourism Working Group of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC), taking place in Ankara, Türkiye, from September 16–17, 2026.
The Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture are represented at the two-day meeting by Lamin Bojang, Product Development Manager and Sustainable Tourism Expert.
The meeting is being held under the theme “Impacts of Climate Change and Mitigation Strategies for Sustainable OIC Tourism.”
It brings together representatives of COMCEC member countries to exchange experiences, good practices and policy approaches aimed at strengthening the resilience and sustainability of tourism in the face of climate change.
The first day of the meeting featured a presentation of the Draft Research Report on the impacts of climate change and mitigation strategies for sustainable tourism across OIC member countries.
The presentation was delivered by Professor Gürel Çetin and was followed by discussions on the perspectives and experiences of member countries.
The discussions provided participating countries with an opportunity to share their national approaches, challenges and opportunities in responding to climate-related impacts on the tourism sector.
Participants also heard from international organisations, with Ali Cem Deniz of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) highlighting the role of international cooperation and development partners in supporting climate action and sustainable tourism.
The second day focused on a policy debate aimed at developing recommendations for consideration at the 42nd COMCEC Ministerial Session.
The policy debate is addressing climate change impacts and mitigation strategies for sustainable tourism across OIC member countries, with discussions expected to contribute to future policy directions within the organisation.
The Gambia’s participation provides an opportunity for the country to contribute its experiences to the international tourism policy dialogue while learning from other OIC member states and international partners about emerging approaches to climate-resilient and sustainable tourism development.
The participation also underscores The Gambia’s continued engagement in international tourism discussions, particularly on issues relating to sustainability, climate change adaptation and the long-term resilience of the tourism sector.