The Gambia
Updated June 10, 2019
The Gambia
The Gambia (“Gambia”) is a small West African country
concern for his personal safety, returned to take office in
almost entirely surrounded by Senegal. It underwent a
late January 2017.
historic transition of power after longtime authoritarian
leader Yahya Jammeh unexpectedly lost an election in
Gambia at a Glance
December 2016. A brief political crisis over Jammeh’s
refusal to step down was resolved when a regional military
intervention forced Jammeh into exile, enabling President-
elect Adama Barrow to take office. Barrow’s inauguration
in early 2017 furthered a trend in which West African heads
of state are increasingly chosen through elections.
A political newcomer who once worked as a security guard
in London, President Barrow has overseen a broad increase
in political freedom and improved relations with the
international community. Analysts warn that Gambia’s
progress remains fragile, however. Efforts to advance
governance reforms and prosecute abuses committed under
the former regime have been slow to advance and could
Source: CRS. Data from CIA World Factbook and the International
stoke tensions, particularly within the security forces.
Monetary Fund (IMF); 2018 estimates unless otherwise indicated.
U.S.-Gambia ties have warmed under President Barrow.
The Barrow Administration
Bilateral ties were previously strained due to Gambia’s poor
Barrow has taken steps to improve governance and mend
human rights record, and worsened after U.S. nationals of
ties with the region and donor community. He has pardoned
Gambian descent attempted a coup against Jammeh in
scores of political prisoners and appointed an expert
2014. (U.S. prosecutors subsequently brought charges
committee to revise the constitution. He also has launched a
against several of the coup plotters.) The Trump
Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission tasked
Administration has launched new health and governance
with uncovering abuses by the former regime, awarding
assistance programs in the country, though Gambia remains
reparations, and recommending perpetrators for amnesty or
a minor aid recipient within Africa. The Administration
prosecution. His government has sought to identify and
also has imposed targeted sanctions on Jammeh and his
repatriate wealth that Jammeh allegedly hid overseas. In
immediate family, citing authorities granted by Congress.
early 2019, the nongovernmental Organized Crime and
Background and the 2016 Elections
Corruption Reporting Project estimated that Jammeh had
“orchestrated the embezzlement” of nearly $1 billion in
President Barrow’s surprise election transformed Gambian
public funds and illicit revenues, although Gambian
politics, which Jammeh had dominated since seizing power
government public estimates have been far lower.
in a 1994 coup d’état. Jammeh won elections in 1996 and
was re-elected three times—most recently in 2011, in polls
Legal reforms that could help ensure greater freedom of
that international observers described as neither free nor
expression, assembly, and association have been slow to
fair. An authoritarian and erratic leader, Jammeh sharply
advance, however, amid signs that Barrow will not uphold
curtailed civil liberties and suppressed dissent.
his campaign pledge to serve only a three-year transitional
term (which would mean leaving office at the end of 2019).
Repression and a crackdown on protests further marred the
Instead, he appears intent on serving a full five-year term
electoral environment ahead of the 2016 polls. With top
and has suggested he will run for reelection in 2021. The
figures in prison, Gambia’s fractious opposition ultimately
coalition that brought Barrow to power has fractured over
coalesced around Barrow, a businessman who had held a
whether to continue to back him, particularly after the
low-profile post in the opposition United Democratic Party
president in March 2019 fired his Vice President, Ousainou
(UDP). Barrow unexpectedly secured a narrow victory.
Darboe, who leads the UDP. Darboe was unable to run for
Jammeh at first conceded defeat, but then rejected the
president in 2016 because he was in jail; the UDP was the
results. Mediation by the Economic Community of West
largest component of Barrow’s 2016 coalition and won
African States (ECOWAS) failed to resolve the impasse.
large pluralities in 2017 legislative and 2018 local elections.
In January 2017, troops from Senegal, Ghana, and Nigeria
Police have arrested several members of the National
entered Gambia under an ECOWAS mandate, at which
Intelligence Agency (NIA), a tool of repression under the
point Jammeh agreed to resign and accept exile in
former regime, for the 2016 murder of an opposition figure.
Equatorial Guinea. Barrow, who had fled to Senegal out of
In 2017, a notorious former Interior Minister was arrested
in Switzerland, where he faces trial for allegedly facilitating
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The Gambia
torture. Gambian authorities also have prosecuted military
Foreign Relations and Donor Assistance
personnel accused of plotting to overthrow Barrow.
Gambia’s foreign relations under Jammeh were often tense,
though relations with China warmed after Jammeh broke
Broader security sector reforms have largely stalled,
ties with Taiwan in 2013. Jammeh pulled Gambia out of the
however. Restructuring and accountability efforts could stir
Commonwealth and International Criminal Court (ICC),
unrest—particularly if they are construed as targeting the
and alienated donors by claiming to have discovered a cure
Jola ethnic group (roughly 10% of the population), which
for AIDS. The European Union (EU) halted development
formed Jammeh’s political base and reportedly constitutes a
aid in 2014 due to human rights concerns, including
large proportion of the military. Meanwhile, ECOWAS
Gambia’s persecution of LGBT individuals. Within the
troops remain in the country and ensure key functions, such
region, Jammeh’s support for separatist rebels in Senegal
as protection of the presidential palace.
strained ties with Gambia’s only neighbor.
Jammeh has eluded prosecution despite calls from Gambian
Under Barrow, Gambia has rejoined the Commonwealth
civil society groups that he face trial. Ghanaian authorities
also decided in 2018 to consider new evidence of Jammeh’s
and the ICC. Donors have resumed funding, with the EU,
World Bank, IMF, and others pledging new assistance. EU
potential involvement in the 2005 killings of dozens of
interests partly center on stemming the disproportionately
West African migrants, including Ghanaians, in Gambia.
high numbers of Gambians seeking to migrate to Europe
Officials in Equatorial Guinea, where Jammeh lives in
via the Mediterranean. Regional ties also have improved.
exile, have pledged to reject extradition requests.
Human Rights
Senegal’s President Macky Sall hosted Barrow during the
tense political stand-off with Jammeh and visited Gambia in
During Jammeh’s tenure, annual State Department human
early 2018. In early 2019, the two countries inaugurated a
rights reports documented widespread abuses against
new donor-backed bridge connecting Gambia’s capital,
citizens, including torture, arbitrary arrest, enforced
Banjul, to northern Senegal’s road network.
disappearances, and indefinite detention. The regime
U.S. Relations and Assistance
targeted journalists, dissidents, and other critics. The
U.S.-Gambia relations have markedly improved since
international community expressed particular concern over
Barrow’s inauguration. In 2017, President Trump reinstated
discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
Gambia’s eligibility for trade benefits under the African
transgender (LGBT) persons, including laws criminalizing
Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA; Title I, P.L. 106-200,
homosexuality and abuses against individuals arrested on
as amended), which President Obama suspended in 2014.
suspicion of being gay. One law imposed a life sentence for
“aggravated homosexuality,”
The Millennium Challenge Corporation, which suspended
a category that included
Gambia from consideration in 2006, has now deemed it
engaging in same-sex relations while having HIV/AIDS.
eligible for a Threshold program. The State Department has
President Barrow has overseen a substantial opening of
lifted a suspension on visas for Gambian officials imposed
political and social space. Journalists have returned from
in 2016 due to lack of cooperation with U.S. deportations.
exile, and private media have burgeoned. Human rights
Gambia could be affected, however, by President Trump’s
challenges persist, however, including episodic abuses by
April 2019 directive to crack down on countries, such as
security forces, harsh prison conditions, and trafficking in
Gambia, whose citizens overstay U.S. visas at a high rate.
persons. Repressive Jammeh-era laws remain in effect,
including the anti-LGBT law. Underscoring the fragility of
In 2017, the Administration imposed targeted sanctions on
gains since 2017, in May 2019 the government pursued
ex-President Jammeh and associated entities under an
“public order” charges against reportedly peaceful
Executive Order (E.O.) pertaining to global corruption and
protesters calling on Barrow to serve only a three-year term.
human rights abuses. The E.O. is premised, in part, on
The Economy
authority granted by Congress under the Global Magnitsky
Human Rights Accountability Act (§1261 of P.L. 114-328).
Gambia is one of the world’s poorest countries, with per
Separately, in late 2018, the State Department imposed a
capita gross domestic product (GDP) estimated at $745.
visa ban on Jammeh and his immediate family under
Three-quarters of the labor force engage in agriculture; the
§7031(c) of the FY2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act
formal economy is highly dependent on regional re-exports
(P.L. 115-141), pertaining to foreign kleptocrats and human
of manufactured and consumer goods, peanut and seafood
rights abusers. The Treasury Department has sanctioned
exports, beach tourism, and diaspora remittances. The
several Gambia-based individuals and entities in connection
economy has experienced alternating growth and
with illicit financing activities tied to Lebanese Hezbollah,
contraction in recent years, with a sharp slowdown in 2016
a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.
widely attributed to a poor harvest and drop in tourism
during the political crisis. Growth rebounded to 6.6% in
U.S. bilateral aid is limited to International Military
2018, per the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but is
Education and Training (IMET), with $197,000
likely insufficient to alleviate poverty given high population
appropriated in FY2018. Drawing on regionally and
growth, or to raise government revenues substantially.
centrally managed funds, the State Department and USAID
The government’s 2018-2021 National Development Plan
also have initiated small programs to promote health,
seeks to stabilize the economy, enhance agricultural
economic development, anti-corruption efforts, and good
production, develop infrastructure, boost tourism, and foster
governance. Gambia also hosts a Peace Corps program.
regulatory reform. Key challenges include public debt
valued at 87% of GDP in 2019, a level the World Bank
Tomas F. Husted, Analyst in African Affairs
considers “unsustainable.” Gambia’s top bilateral creditors
Alexis Arieff, Specialist in African Affairs
are Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and India. The country is
IF11046
pursuing debt relief and restructuring with key creditors.
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The Gambia
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