UN General Assembly
1977

160. I make reference to our achievements to underscore two points. The first is that, unhindered by an inequitable world economic relationship and by natural phenomena, developing countries, large or small, are capable of pulling themselves up by their own boot-straps and tackling their own problems successfully. 161. My second point is more immediate and more urgent to my country and people. All our achievements, which my colleagues will permit me to consider as impressive, stand to be whittled away by a drought which, for the second time in less than 10 years, prevails over the length and breadth of the Gambia this year. 162. As of now, when we have barely three to four weeks to the end of our rainy season, the total amount of rainfall so far varies from less than a third to less than a half of the seasonal average in large areas of the country. Already entire crops have been lost in some of these areas, and in other areas crop losses will range between 40 per cent and 60 per cent.