By Omar Bah
Through its Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (commonly known as INL), IDLO, the United States is partnering with the ministry of justice to address training gaps in The Gambia’s justice delivery system through a training workshop.
Over the course of the last several months, IDLO and the ministry of justice have developed a comprehensive capacity building plan to ensure that all state counsels are receiving the continuous legal education they need to deliver on their mandates.
During the four-day workshop, participants will be taken through enhancing civil litigation practice, the media and the transitional justice process, understanding criminal procedure in The Gambia, enhancing prosecutorial skills, prosecuting SGBV cases and upholding human rights challenges in the criminal justice system and introduction to legal drafting processes among others.
In a statement delivered on her behalf, US Ambassador Sharon L Cromer, said the training is envisaged to ensure respect for human rights and the rule of law and access to justice which underpins US foreign policy in The Gambia, Africa and across the globe.
“We share an unwavering commitment to these principles and, through programs like this, are acting in concert to bring them to the forefront,” she said.
Ambassador Sharon acknowledged the important strides made by the ministry of justice to ensure that all Gambians – especially those living outside of the greater Banjul area – have unfettered access to justice.
“To illuminate this point, the Gambian justice system of today—including the judiciary and the ministry of justice—is staffed almost entirely with Gambians, compared to 20 years ago. As a result, today’s justice system better understands the needs of the Gambian people and what solutions will work for them,” she stated.
She said while it is profoundly encouraging to see a new generation of public servants that has selflessly chosen careers of public service in the democratic institutions of this country, many have assumed their mandates without sufficient training or resources.
“For example, state counsels, whose job it is to do research and hold perpetrators accountable, are being asked to perform this critical function without substantial knowledge or training. Under these circumstances, not only will state counsels be unable to reach their full potential, there is a real risk that justice may go unserved, undermining the very justice system to which they have committed themselves.
Ambassador Sharon added that by the end of the training, participants will be better equipped to translate policy guidelines into legislation and draft new and amended legislation.
“In addition, participants will have a deeper understanding of the legal framework governing companies in The Gambia, best practices in corporate governance, and the importance of transparency and accountability in corporate practices,” he noted.
The Solicitor General, Hussein Thomasi, urged the participants to take the training seriously.
“We should endeavour at all times to be professional in executing our duties as state counsels,” he said.
In recent years, The Gambia has undertaken significant initiatives to enhance the skills and capacities of its judicial and legal professionals, aiming to improve justice delivery across the country. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to strengthen the justice sector, ensuring it is efficient, effective, and responsive to the needs of the population.
