The Gambia and Finland Deepen Maritime Cooperation in London Bilateral Talks London

Yet in another giant step on the 24 June 2025 – The Gambian High Commission In a significant step towards strengthening maritime collaboration, representatives of The Gambia and Finland held a high-level bilateral meeting in London on Monday. The engagement formed part of Finland’s diplomatic outreach in support of its candidacy for re-election to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council under Category C. The Finnish delegation, led by Ms. Minna Kivimäki, Permanent Secretary at Finland’s Ministry of Transport and Communications, met with Sulayman Suntou Touray, Deputy Head of Mission at the Gambian High Commission, and his team to discuss shared maritime interests and areas of cooperation. Both parties affirmed their commitment to the IMO’s overarching goals, including maritime safety, sustainable development, and capacity building within the sector. Ms. Kivimäki outlined Finland’s key priorities in its re-election bid—chief among them maritime decarbonisation, technological advancement, maritime education, and safety enhancement. Finland also highlighted its advanced national digital maritime infrastructure, particularly the FinTraffic system, as a potential model for technical cooperation with developing countries.

Mr. Touray welcomed the Finnish delegation’s initiative and reaffirmed The Gambia’s readiness to deepen bilateral ties in the maritime domain. He outlined The Gambia’s strategic priorities, such as professional training for seafarers, sustainable port development, and efforts to position the country as a regional maritime hub. He further noted that Finland’s technological strengths align well with The Gambia’s vision for its blue economy. As a mark of diplomatic solidarity and shared objectives, The Gambia officially endorsed Finland’s re-election to the IMO Council. Discussions also identified key areas for future collaboration, including digital port solutions, maritime security, and the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing—an urgent issue for West African coastal nations. The meeting concluded on a positive note, with Finland extending an invitation to the Gambian delegation for an upcoming diplomatic reception. Both nations expressed strong interest in sustaining the momentum through continued technical and diplomatic engagement.