From November 6 to 7, the 2025 “Belt and Road” Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management was held in Sanya, China. Hon. Abdoulie Sanyang, Minister of Interior of The Republic of The Gambia, attended the conference. The theme of the conference is “A Community with a Shared Future: Building a Rapid and Efficient Emergency Rescue Mechanism”. The conference reviewed and approved the accession of seven countries including The Gambia as members of the “Belt and Road” International Cooperation Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management (BRIDRREM).

BRIDRREM was established in 2023, aiming at strengthening exchanges and mutual learning, deepening pragmatic cooperation and promoting cooperation with the “Belt and Road” countries. It will contribute to the capacity-building of natural disaster prevention and emergency management, more effectively reduce the disaster risks faced by the international community, and promote the implementation of international initiatives such as the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

The Gambia's accession to BRIDRREM has opened up a new area of practical cooperation between China and The Gambia, writing a new chapter in the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Prior to the conference, Hon. Wang Xiangxi, Chairman of the Council for BRIDRREM and Chinese Minister of Emergency Management, met with Hon. Minister Abdoulie Sanyang, and  exchanged views on further deepening cooperation in emergency management.