Honourable Speaker of the Ecowas Parliament, distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.
On behalf of The Gambian Delegation, I convey to you all warm greetings from the Government and people of the Republic of The Gambia. We are pleased to extend our compliments to this august plenary and have the honour to present to the Community Parliament our Country Report.
Economic situation
2.1. We are pleased to report that The Gambia’s economy has continued to show resilience and steady recovery, with real GDP growth reaching 5.7% in 2024, according to the World Bank’s Fifth Economic Update. This strong performance reflects ongoing recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, robust growth in the services sector, increased investment, and effective macroeconomic management.
2.2. A moderation in inflation and improved household consumption have contributed to reducing extreme poverty, although structural challenges and external vulnerabilities continue to weigh on the economy’s long-term trajectory.
2.3. Inflationary pressures eased to 11.7% in 2024, driven by firm monetary policies and a decline in global commodity prices. The Central Bank’s policy stance, combined with rising labor incomes and remittance inflows, helped strengthen household purchasing power and reduce poverty levels slightly from 20.7% in 2024 to 20.4% in 2025. Public debt has declined gradually but remains elevated at 71.2% of GDP, according to World Bank, underscoring the need for continued fiscal discipline, effective debt management, and prudent borrowing practices to safeguard macroeconomic stability and support sustainable growth.
2.4. The medium-term outlook remains positive, with growth projected to average 5.6% through 2027, supported by broad-based sectoral activity and continued fiscal stability. However, the economy faces persistent structural and external challenges, including adverse weather impacts on agriculture, inflationary pressures, a widening fiscal deficit, and heavy reliance on informal employment.
3.0. Social & welfare situation
3.1. Poverty reduction and social protection programmes
3.1.1. Since the 2017 Household Survey, The Gambia has made measurable progress in strengthening its national social protection and welfare system, guided principally by the National Social Protection Policy (2015–2025). Over the years, government institutions, supported by development partners, have expanded targeted interventions aimed at reducing vulnerability and improving household resilience.
3.1.2. Through a combination of social assistance, livelihood support, and community-level welfare programmes, the government, under the leadership of HE Adama Barrow, has enhanced the scope and predictability of safety-net interventions. Current estimates indicate that government-led and partner-supported social protection initiatives collectively reach approximately 250,000 individuals nationwide. These beneficiaries include households facing food insecurity, women, children, older persons, and persons with disabilities.
3.1.3. The impact of these initiatives is particularly evident in programmes designed to support child welfare and nutrition. Through coordinated government efforts, supplemented by technical and financial support from development partners, more than 16,000 children have benefitted from targeted nutrition and child-protection initiatives. These programmes have contributed to improvements in child growth indicators, better access to school feeding, and stronger linkages between vulnerable families and community-based health and welfare services.
3.1.4. In addition, cash-transfer schemes have supported households in stabilising consumption during periods of high inflation, while complementary livelihood support programmes have enhanced women’s economic participation and strengthened community resilience in the face of climate-related risks.
3.2. Labour market, employment, and youth inclusion
3.2.1. The Gambian labour market has undergone gradual transformation over the past decade, marked by initiatives aimed at increasing employment opportunities, enhancing workforce skills, and integrating youth into productive economic activities.
3.2.2. As of 2025, the country’s labour force is estimated at approximately 600,000 individuals, with youth (ages 15–35) constituting nearly 60 percent of active job seekers. The government, recognizing the critical demographic weight of youth and the structural challenges of unemployment, has implemented policies to enhance job creation, foster entrepreneurship, and expand access to vocational and technical skills development.
3.2.3. A central pillar of the government’s strategy has been the establishment of the National Employment Policy (2019–2025) and the corresponding Youth Employment Programme, which provides both financial and technical support to young entrepreneurs, artisans, and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
3.2.4. These initiatives, supported by national funding and international partners, have facilitated direct employment opportunities for over 50,000 youth and supported entrepreneurial ventures for approximately 15,000 additional young people since 2018. Programs emphasize practical skills, digital literacy, and sector-specific training, notably in agriculture, ICT, construction, and tourism, thereby aligning workforce capabilities with market demand.
3.3. Health and child welfare
3.3.1. According to Unicef’s 2023 Country Office Annual Report, about 49.4 percent of the country’s population is under 18 years of age. This demographic profile underlines the importance of sustained investments in preventive care and social services.
3.3.2. Cognisant of this fact, the Government of The Gambia has been committed to implementing series of targeted interventions to improve health outcomes and advance child welfare, aligned with the National Health Policy (2017–2025) and the Child Welfare and Protection Policy. These interventions focus on expanding access to primary and maternal healthcare, strengthening immunisation programs, addressing child malnutrition, and enhancing social protection measures for vulnerable households.
3.3.3. By 2025, government-led health programs directly benefit an estimated 1.2 million individuals, with child-focused initiatives reaching over 350,000 children under five years of age. Routine immunization coverage has steadily improved, with over 90 percent of children under one year receiving all key vaccines, including polio, measles, and DPT.
3.3.4. Moreover, maternal health interventions have led to a rise in skilled birth attendance to around 80 percent, contributing to a reduction in maternal and under-five mortality rates. The under-five mortality rate has declined to approximately 60 per 1,000 live births, while infant mortality is estimated at 45 per 1,000 live births, reflecting the positive impact of enhanced access to healthcare services, immunization, and nutrition support.
3.4. Disability inclusion and social protection
3.4.1. The Government of The Gambia has progressively strengthened policies and programs to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities, aligning with the National Disability Policy (2019), the Persons with Disabilities Act (2010), and international frameworks such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
3.4.2. As of 2025, an estimated 55,000 persons with disabilities in The Gambia are reached through targeted government programs and partner-supported interventions. This includes access to inclusive education, skills development, assistive devices, vocational training, and livelihood support.
3.4.3. The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, in collaboration with NGOs and development partners, has facilitated initiatives that provide wheelchairs, hearing aids, and other assistive technologies to over 10,000 beneficiaries since 2017, significantly improving mobility, communication, and independence.
3.4.4. Government-led programs have also prioritised education for children with disabilities. Through the Inclusive Education Policy, over 2,500 children with disabilities are enrolled in public primary and secondary schools, supported by specialised teaching staff, learning materials in accessible formats, and adaptive classroom infrastructure.
3.4.5. Vocational training centers, supported by partner organizations such as
Unicef and Handicap International, provide skills training in areas such as carpentry, tailoring, ICT, and small-scale entrepreneurship, reaching over 1,500 youth with disabilities, thereby enhancing their employability and participation in the formal and informal economy.
3.5. Transitional justice programme
3.5.1. Following the approval of the Special Hybrid Tribunal for The Gambia in
December 2024 by this August House, we are happy to report that significant progress has been registered in establishing the accountability mechanisms envisaged under the transitional justice programme.
3.5.2. A Special Prosecutor’s Office has now been formally established with the mandate to investigate and prosecute crimes committed during the former regime, particularly those identified by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission. This office is supported by the Special Criminal
Division of the High Court, which has been operational since early 2024 and is designated to hear serious human-rights and related offences arising from the TRRC process.
3.5.3. In parallel, preparatory work for the effective operationalisation of the Hybrid Tribunal is underway, including the development of prosecutorial strategies, legal frameworks, and resource mobilisation plans in collaboration with Ecowas and international partners. These institutional developments demonstrate the government’s continued commitment to ensuring justice, accountability, and redress for victims, and to advancing the rule of law in line with the recommendations endorsed by this Honourable Assembly.
3.6. Trafficking in persons
3.6.1. Trafficking in persons to The Gambia remains a persistent challenge driven by porous borders, economic vulnerabilities, and the country’s growing labour and tourism markets. Victims, who are predominantly women and children from neighbouring West African states such as Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ghana, and Mali, are trafficked into the country for purposes that include sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, street vending, and low wage labour.
3.6.2. The 2024 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report records 22 investigations, including one linked to fraudulent labour recruitment, and six prosecutions, culminating in the conviction of two sex traffickers who received 15-year prison terms alongside monetary penalties, including 500,000 dalasis in restitution. The National Human Rights Commission further documented 38 identified victims in 2024, of which 24 were subjected to sexual exploitation,
10 to labour trafficking, and 4 to unspecified forms of exploitation.
3.6.3. The Gambia Police Force, working with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights through the PAPEV Project, has recently delivered a specialised training programme for border officials, community actors, and child protection stakeholders in the country. This initiative forms part of a broader national prevention drive, and by March 2025, the first phase of the nationwide child trafficking prevention training had been completed.
Personnel trained include border police, social welfare officers, community child protection committees, and other frontline responders.
4.0. Status of implementation of community texts, initiatives or programmes/projects within member states
4.1. Cross-border cooperation: Wellingara–Ba Lumo Market Project
4.1.1. One of the flagship Ecowas cross-border cooperation initiatives in The Gambia is the Wellingara–Ba Lumo Market Project, implemented under the Ecowas Cross-Border Cooperation Support Programme (ECBCSP).
The goal is to develop a modern cross-border trading centre to boost economic activity, facilitate regional trade, and strengthen social cohesion in the border area.
4.1.2. As of recent assessments, the project has made significant progress. Key infrastructure components such as a solar-powered borehole, solar lighting, a perimeter fence, cold storage facility, and sanitary amenities (six toilets) are either completed or near completion. The market is designed to host 50 stalls and serves around 250 registered market women.
4.2. Ecowas Regional Electricity Access Project
4.2.1. In September 2025, The Gambia hosted the 10th Ecowas Sustainable Energy Forum, where officials reaffirmed the importance of cross-border cooperation to expand power infrastructure and accelerate the clean energy transition. This commitment aligns with Ecowas-driven initiatives such as the Regional Electricity Access Project (REAP), which supports the expansion of medium-and low-voltage distribution networks across member states.
4.2.2. To advance these goals domestically, the government has earlier launched a US$66 million Ecowas electricity access project in April 2024. The government is determined to achieve 90% electricity coverage by end 2025, and these investments underscore its commitment to expanding national access while strengthening The Gambia’s role within regional energy and power-sector cooperation frameworks.
4.3. Ecowas Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS)
4.3.1. The Gambia continues to benefit from ongoing reforms under the Ecowas Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), which remains the region’s primary instrument for enabling duty-free circulation of goods originating within Ecowas.
4.3.2. In March 2025, the ETLS Task Force undertook missions to both The Gambia and Senegal to address bottlenecks affecting compliance and to strengthen coordination among customs authorities and private-sector actors. These engagements focused on the persistent challenges Gambian traders face, including non-tariff barriers, delays at border posts, and limited digital integration of customs systems.
4.4. Ecowas–Red Cross Cooperation Agreement
4.4.1. In October 2025, Ecowas, the Government of The Gambia, and the Gambia Red Cross Society signed a Project Cooperation Agreement to support persons affected by displacement (refugees, IDPs, returnees) and their host communities.
4.4.2. The six-month project, valued at US$699,425, aims to provide both immediate humanitarian assistance and medium-term resilience-building. Key interventions include cash assistance, construction of solar-powered boreholes to improve water access, and the establishment of community gardens in Foni to enhance food security.
4.5. Ecowas Fistula Project
4.5.1. The Gambia is committed to aligning with ECOWAS and other partners to eliminate obstetric fistula by 2030. According to UNFPA’s 2023 report, there is an estimated 335 to 1,052 women living with fistula in the country.
4.5.2. In May 2023, a UNFPA-led campaign to raise awareness resulted in 150 calls to the national obstetric fistula helpline, indicating a surge in women seeking information and treatment. This demonstrates both growing community engagement and the critical need for expanded outreach and accessible treatment services across the country.
4.5.3. In November 2025, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare
(MoGCSW), with the support of the Ecowas Gender and Development
Centre, conducted a training programme for women survivors of obstetric fistula. The programme focused on entrepreneurship and raising awareness about obstetric fistula, equipping participants with practical skills to improve their livelihoods while enabling them to educate their communities on prevention and care.
5.0. Conclusion
5.1. In conclusion, the delegation, on behalf of the People of the Republic of The Gambia, wishes to reiterate that The Gambia is ever committed to the ideals of the Regional Bloc and shall never relent in its efforts for the integration process of the Ecowas Community.
