By Aminata Kuyateh
The director general of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) on Friday told journalists that since the advent of the new government in 2017, political interference has ended in the operations of the SIS, adding that what obtains now is support from government and cooperation across ministries.
He was speaking at the end of a nationwide tour of the country during which him and his staff visited all administrative regions, military posts, police stations, immigration points, communities and key national institutions.
According to Mr Sowe, the current state of security shows there is no immediate or emerging threat that should alarm the Gambian public, and his institution’s ongoing reforms will continue to strengthen accountability and professional standards.
“We haven’t seen anything that Gambians should be unduly alarmed about,” he said, noting that public cooperation during recent engagements demonstrated a growing level of trust.
DG Sowe added that communities across the country welcomed SIS officials during the tour demonstrating improved public confidence. According to him, residents engaged the visiting team on issues ranging from elections and land disputes to resource-based tensions, all of which the institution monitors as part of its national mandate.
He said the tour also focused on strengthening partnerships with groups such as Tango, the Supreme Islamic Council, the National Human Rights Commission and the University of The Gambia. These engagements, he added, seek to develop joint work in areas including training, interfaith dialogue and early warning on emerging risks.
Turning to institutional reforms, the Director General said capacity building remains the strongest pillar of SIS transformation since 2017, adding that the agency is growing in standing among regional intelligence institutions, culminating in the hosting of two major West African intelligence conferences in 2019 and 2022.
He pointed to progress in professional training, university education for staff, strengthened operations and improvements in intelligence analysis. “With the level of existing capacity, we are able to meet almost all national intelligence requirements,” he said.
