Relations between the governments of The Gambia and Ghana took a rather renewed congenial status with a recent brotherly meeting between the leaders of the two countries, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh and Professor John Atta Mills.

As broadcasted on GRTS last Monday, the two leaders met at the fringe of the recently concluded assembly of the heads of states and governments of the African Union, at the Libyan resort of Sirte. The meeting which ended with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) by the foreign ministers of the two countries, on 2nd July 2009, anticipates renewal and maintenance of a closer working relationship after a UN-ECOWAS joint investigation team cleared The Gambia of any involvement in the killing of eight Ghanaians, whose bodies were found in this country in 2005.

The Gambia's Foreign Affairs minister, Dr Omar Touray, and Mohammad Mumini, Foreign Affairs minister of Ghana, in the presence of the Ghanaian-born ECOWAS Commission chairman, Dr Muhammed Ibn Chambas, and the deputy secretary general of the United Nations, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective countries.

In his statement shortly after the signing ceremony, the Gambian leader, Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, described the incident as the 'most unfortunate' he had ever experienced in his fourteen years of leadership.

The Gambia and Ghana, President Jammeh stated, had enjoyed common objectives. He made reference to Ghana's participation in The Gambia's constitutional review during the transitional period. "This is the craziest accusation I have ever faced," he said. According to the president, as a result of the incident, even when a dog disappears in The Gambia he was bound to be accused the following day. "I will not allow indifference to come between The Gambia and Ghana," he stated. "The Gambia did not kill the over ten thousand foreigners living in the country, so why would we kill Ghanaians?" he asked.

The president then remarked: "I am grateful that the chapter is closed and we look forward to a positive attitude." He thanked the United Nations, stating that it is only their investigations that bring out the truth. Ghanian president, Professor John Atta Mills, for his part, said "I am happy that we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am really relieved to see the MoU being signed, and indeed it is even relieving that the two countries have accepted to mend the broken fences."

According to Professor Mills, from now on, Ghana will always continue to maintain her relationship with The Gambia. The report of the ECOWAS technical team, he said, is for the two countries to read and draw their conclusions. "I agree that the report has established the fact," he stated.

The Ghanaian leader then assured his Gambian counterpart that his country will always endeavour to strengthen the bilateral friendship that binds the two brotherly countries. "Let's move on, time is not on our side," he urged. Soon after the signing ceremony, the two leaders had a symbolic hand shake and reassured each other of a sustainable friendly relation.