By Omar Bah
President Adama Barrow has welcomed a major legal victory for The Gambia after an international investment dispute annulment committee in London annulled an arbitration award of about $33.2 million that had been issued against the country.
The dispute stemmed from the takeover of a shrimp farm during the former regime.
In March 2024, an international tribunal ordered The Gambia to pay heavy compensation to foreign investors, but the government moved swiftly to challenge the ruling after Attorney General Dawda Jallow briefed cabinet.
According to the government, President Barrow directed that The Gambia must not accept what he considered an unjust award, and cabinet unanimously backed the decision to contest it through all lawful means.
Acting on that mandate, the Attorney General’s Chambers assembled a strong legal team led by senior Gambian counsel Edi MO Faal and Cherie Blair, KC, of Omnia Strategy.
The team applied for annulment at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, ICSID in London and on 17 July 2026, the ICSID Annulment Committee ruled in The Gambia’s favor, finding that the original tribunal failed to properly explain how Gambian law gave consent to ICSID arbitration, a flaw that went to the core of its jurisdictional decision.
The committee annulled the award in full, wiping out the damages and interest that had been imposed on The Gambia. The ruling also removes more than $32 million in potential liability from the national budget and allows the country to recover about $213,000 in arbitration costs.
Attorney General Jallow said the outcome proves that with firm political backing and disciplined legal work, The Gambia can defend its interests on the international stage, even against stronger opponents. He paid tribute to President Barrow, Cherie Blair, Edi MO Faal, state law officers, and expert witness Counsel Kebba Sanyang for their role in the two-year legal battle.
The government says it will continue to protect public funds, uphold international obligations, and insist on fair and lawful treatment in all disputes. The decision stands as a significant boost for The Gambia’s legal standing and a clear message that the country will challenge awards it believes are unjust.
