By Amie Bojang-Sissoho
In the 1980s names like World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were almost synonymous with policing governments around the globe. Activists, opposition parties and civil society groups fed up with dictatorship would threaten to report governments to the Bretton Woods Institutions. These organisations or institutions would also act as dictating administrations on how to run their governments. Thus, creating mistrust between two groups that claimed to act in the best interest of the same citizens.
However, in The Gambia, the story of the Bretton Woods Institutions has changed the relationship from “policing” to partnership. Almost a decade of coming to power, the Barrow administration has changed the narratives of the relationships with IMF, WB and other partners. Trust has been built on the understanding that Gambian people voted in the president on the premise that he would bring them the needed development, breaking the cycle of decades of isolation and deprivation as well as ending abject poverty.
Since independence from British colonial rule, over six decades ago, the past two governments both aimed to bring development to the people, one through democratic means and the other entered governance through military dictatorship. Both could not realise their national development plans.
Taking the mantle of governance in 2017, President Adama Barrow’s leadership had laid clear, cohesive plans for inclusive development that transform from beautiful policy into realistic and practical solutions impacting the lives of the people. This is what the National Development Plan (NDP) and its successor RF-NDP Yiriwa focused on doing for the people.
Understanding the context of the relationship, the Bretton Woods Institutions is to support the Government of The Gambia’s programmes and policies. The cordiality of the relationship between the government and these world institutions has turnaround from “policing” to partnership. For instance, The Gambia’s country programme with the IMF was successfully completed for the first time in 2024. It is expected that The Gambia will complete its second programme by the end of 2026 with the hope of a third round, thereafter. The positivity in the relationship has yielded progress and development for the people of The Gambia.
The initiative to have the “Banjul Roads, Sewage and Drainage Project” kicked off with a heated debate with undertones of party politics, pessimism over institutional arrangements and the desire for sustainable development. With the realisation of what the project aimed to achieve both partners realised that leadership with innovation could be programmed in the national development agenda with innovative financing plans. Today, the Banjul Roads, Sewage and Drainage Project has delivered the desired landscape for the island capital, Banjul. The government’s national budget has accommodated such development aspirations through domestic resources mobilisation (DRM). Today, mosquitoes have been minimised, the air is fresher, the streets are cleaner in Banjul, all because the leadership of President Barrow has a clear vision supported by the policy and political will to drive positive change in the country.
Reflections on the new partnership reveal that the IMF understands that developing countries like The Gambia with great development aspirations needs guidance, advice and support to fulfil its desire to improve lives and livelihoods through connectivity, accessibility to infrastructure and technology.
When the World Bank announced that The Gambia would meet its Universal Access to Electricity at most five years before the 2030 target, political opponents of the Barrow government ran with it, caricaturing and belittling the person of the president and his administration. Today in The Gambia, 90 per cent of the communities are connected to the national electricity grid. Driving through Nianija District and seeing electricity lines connected to huts at Sinchu Busso or solar installations at kuchaa (hibiscus) garden, feels real and brings to life President Barrow’s promise that “even if you live in a hut or up the hill, electricity will reach you there”.
Furthermore, the partnership with the World Bank and The Gambia continues to bring smiles to Gambians in many sectors from health, education to agriculture.
In March 2026, the partnership reached another climax with the inaugural ceremonies in 27 communities, representing 204.7 kilometres of roads to connect farmlands to main trunks of the North and South banks of the Smiling Coast of Africa, bringing joy to the people who for sixty years never had proper motorable roads, access to clean water or electricity. They were cut off from development for decades but today, their hopes are higher because they know that real development is possible for them. Citizens have witnessed fulfilled promises from the Barrow administration, with electricity in remotest villages like Nyamanari in the Upper River Region or tarred roads in Wuli District.
The government of President Barrow has proven that clear vision and transparent processes, domestic resources could be maximised to transform socio-economic growth with over 80km of roads in the Hakalang belt of Niumi or in Kiang West.
Additionally, roads are critical to agricultural growth and the market value chain. President Adama Barrow is aware of the critical importance of roads to advance agricultural productivity as he emphasised: “By facilitating the timely and cost-effective movement of agricultural produce, particularly horticulture, rice, and cashew, these feeder roads will significantly reduce post-harvest losses, improve supply chain efficiency, and enhance market access. This will not only increase farmers’ incomes but also strengthen the competitiveness of our agricultural value chains at both national and regional levels. In essence, these roads are economic corridors that will connect production to prosperity.”
The partnership with the World Bank is transforming lives in rural Gambia by further supporting tangible projects. According to the World Bank Country Representative in The Gambia Mr Franklin Mutahakana, the US$108 million GIRAV project in The Gambia since 2021, demonstrates that “The World Bank Group remains fully committed and will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Gambians to foster development in this country.”
Indeed, with trust in the relationship between the government of The Gambia and its development partners like the World Bank on the 204.7km Girav Feeder Road Project and the massive investment in agricultural equipment to reduce drudgery, scale up production and increase income while promoting sustainable food security, agriculture is not only becoming more viable in The Gambia but a lifestyle.
There is optimism that more young people, male and female and women will engage in agriculture and its value chain systems to build livelihood, grow the economy and sustain food security for the nation. Thus, The Gambia under a decade of the Barrow administration has transformed the country’s relationship with the World Bank and other development partners from “policing” to partnership in development, visibly impacting lives and livelihood.
Amie Bojang-Sissoho, a veteran radio journalist and feminist activist is the director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the President.
