Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage investment in The Gambia.

The Minister for the Commonwealth and UN visited Gambia on 16 February, soon after their re-admittance to the Commonwealth. He met the Gambian Trade Minister during his visit to Gambia and also held discussions on agriculture and tourism, in particular on how Gambia could increase the number of British tourists visiting.

I congratulate the Government of Gambia and look forward to their participation in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April. This will be an opportunity for them to commit to good governance and signal to UK companies their commitment to creating a business environment that encourages investment.