Banjul, Republic of The Gambia – 7 May 2026

International humanitarian organization Starup.oficial Foundation, based in the Canary Islands, Spain, continues to reinforce its commitment to strengthening emergency services in The Gambia through another donation made to the Gambia Fire and Rescue Service and other country’s security and emergency institutions.

The official handover ceremony, held at the State House of The Gambia, was attended by His Excellency the President of the Republic of The Gambia Barrow PORG , the Honourable of Minister of Interior, The Gambia., the Chief Fire Officer, the President of Starup.oficial Foundation, senior government officials and high-ranking members of the country’s security and emergency institutions.

During the ceremony, eight operational and emergency vehicles were officially presented to the Gambia Fire and Rescue Service in order to significantly improve the country’s firefighting and rescue capabilities.

The donation included two URO 3500L 4x4 fire trucks with less than 20,000 kilometres, one 12,000-litre fire water tanker truck, two cargo trucks, two Land Rover 4x4 vehicles and one Nissan 4x4 vehicle. All vehicles are manual transmission, specifically selected to facilitate maintenance and ensure efficient operation under Gambian road conditions. Prior to shipment, every vehicle underwent extensive mechanical servicing, including the installation of brand-new tyres and full technical inspections to guarantee reliability, durability and long-term operational use.

In addition to the vehicles, STARUP Foundation donated a significant quantity of specialized emergency equipment, including wildfire firefighting tools, personal protective equipment for firefighters, high-capacity power generators, welding machines that will be distributed among various national security institutions, printers, professional Kenwood radio communication systems and handsets, firefighting hoses and firefighting kits.

The communication systems form part of the national emergency radio communication project that STARUP Foundation has been implementing across The Gambia for the past two years with the objective of modernizing and connecting emergency services throughout the country.

This historic initiative was made possible thanks to the support and collaboration of the Ministry of Interior of The Gambia, and several international stakeholders and partners of STARUP as Cabildo de Gran Canaria, FEMEPA, GESPORT, Konica Minolta, Fundación La Laboral, BINTER and Bakadaji Hotel, among others, who have worked for a year to make the donation possible.

The project also received the valuable support of the Sapeurs-Pompiers du Sénégal, further strengthening regional and international cooperation in emergency response and public safety.

Members of the Gambia Fire and Rescue Service welcomed the donation with pride, gratitude and renewed motivation. For many years, firefighters in The Gambia have faced enormous operational challenges due to limited resources and outdated equipment. Since late 2023, STARUP Foundation has been actively supporting the service, bringing hope, progress and a strong commitment toward the modernization of emergency response capabilities in the country.

Sonja Arup emphasized that the donation represents far more than the handover of vehicles and equipment. It stands as a symbol of friendship, solidarity, cooperation and shared humanity between the people of the Canary Islands in Spain and the Republic of The Gambia.

The event marked a major milestone for the Gambia Fire and Rescue Service and reflected the strength of international partnership, unity and the shared mission of protecting lives and building a safer future for the Gambian people.