The Gambia Radio and Television service GRTS have completed installation of equipment for the match between Gambia and South Sudan. The production crew supported by a crew from RTS are now ready to bring the match live to TV screens in The Gambia and around the world. GRTS also thank GFF for their support in making sure that GRTS is able to execute the task.
Continue Reading >>The Gamba Radio and Television Services (GRTS) has finalised plans to provide live coverage of The Gambia's football match against the Republic of South Sudan in the current qualifying rounds of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Tournament. The match will be played in the Senegalese city of Thies today, kicking off at 4:00 p.m. To facilitate this coverage, the national broadcaster has deployed a large consignment of equipment and vehicles as well as a large team of technicians and Managers. GRTS' Director General, Mr. Malick Jeng, who is also in Thies to witness the operation, commended the staff for their expertise, dedication, hard work and sacrifice. The DG, who is returning from an official mission to Dakar, also thanked his Senegalese counterpart, Racine Talla, for deploying a significant amount of equipment and personnel to support the GRTS operation under the terms of an existing Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions. DG Jeng said GRTS was covering the match as a national duty but also under the terms of a contract signed with the Confederation of African football (CAF).
Continue Reading >>President Adama Barrow has arrived in the Ghanaian Capital Accra to attend an extraordinary summit of ECOWAS to discuss to security and political situation in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso. The west African block has repeatedly urged the three countries to return to civilian rule following military coups. President Barrow will join leaders in the subregion on Saturday to put pressure on the military rulers to cede power to civilians.
Continue Reading >>The Food Safety and Quality Authority has ordered the closure of the Brikama fish market with immediate effect. The market was stopped from doing business following an assessment of the sanitary and hygienic conditions. Inspection officials say the decision to close the market was due to its unhygienic and unhealthy environment. They raise concern over the lack of a proper drainage system. Director-General of the Gambia Food Safety and Quality Authority Mamodou Bah who led the inspection team says the situation of the market is not in line with food safety standards. Mr. Bah said his office closed the market in accordance with the food safety act until the standards are met at the facility. The measure he explained include the construction of a proper drainage system and the provision of good cold storage Facilities for the proper preservation of fish.The Chairman of the Brikama Market Committee Foday Manjang disclosed that over four hundred thousand Dalasi worth of fish was at the market at the time of its closure. Manjang said he had unsuccessfully engaged the ministry of fisheries to address the challenges.Kaddy Janko, a fish vendor, explained that she spent over 9 thousand dalasis to buy the consignment of fish in her fridge which she now fears losing. However, Food safety authorities have now allowed vendors to transfer their stock elsewhere. Other vendors and tailoring shops close to the fish market were also ordered to leave for health reasons.
Continue Reading >>The Minister of Works, Transport, and Infrastructure Minister Sillah ends his familiarisation tour at the Jambur road project. He met senior operations and safety manager, Anthony Keita. The Jambur road is a 5.2km road maintenance programme. Mr Keita explains that the road is being rehabilitated due to its poor state. The contractor Toney Elhajie, told the Minister that mechanical challenges delayed work but assured him that the road will be completed in a month. The Minister in turn thanked the local leaders for their cooperation and expressed happiness with some progress registered at the various project sites across the country. He however expressed dissatisfaction at the rate of progress of the works and warned that government would not tolerate substandard work.
Continue Reading >>The Minister of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure Ebrima Sillah has visited roads being constructed in the North Bank of the Gambia as part of his tour of projects under his ministry. Roads lot 1 & 2 project consultant Ya Amie Ceesay, told the minister that the Project requires the implementation of health, safety, and environmental management measures during the execution of the works as well as temporary traffic diversions along the right of way. She said the overall work progress of the 29km road stretching to the riverside is 100% excluding the 16km addendum of section one of the Sabasukoto to Bambali road. She added that all major works on the road from Ngeyen Sanjal to Sarakunda are fully completed except for the installation of road furniture and safety measures before it is open to traffic. The works include the construction of Pavement, bituminous surfacing, drainage structures, parking lanes and environmental, health safety management, road signage with traffic signboards, and a guardrail at the high embankments.
Continue Reading >>The Gambia and Equatorial Guinea, Sunday, 29th May 2022 signed four bilateral agreements to establish diplomatic and trade links between the two countries, in a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Malabo. The agreements are the Joint Communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations between The Gambia and Equatorial Guinea, Cooperation Framework Agreement between The Gambia and Equatorial Guinea, MOU on Diplomatic Consultations between the Foreign Ministries, and Agreement on Reciprocal Exemption of visas for holders of diplomatic and service passports. The Cooperation Framework Agreement establishes the Joint Commission for Economic, Commerce, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation. During the ceremony, President Adama Barrow and his counterpart H. E. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, affirmed the mutual benefits of establishing relations between the two countries would yield. President Barrow said the two countries could gain a lot when they work in partnership to exploit their natural resources for the benefit of their people. He said Equatorial Guinea has a lot of natural gas, and The Gambia could benefit from their expertise. He added that he would send a ministerial delegation soon after returning to Banjul to start implementing the agreements. President Nguema Mbasogo said Equatorial Guinea and The Gambia could leverage each other’s potential for mutual benefit. He said Equatorial Guinea consumes a lot of groundnuts, which it Office of the President State House, Banjul The Gambia does not produce and can purchase from The Gambia. He said the development of intra-African trade would save the continent a lot of foreign exchange. President Nguema Mbasogo thanked President Barrow for his participation in the African Union Summit, adding that The Gambia and Equatorial Guinea did not have relations for a long time, noting it is now time for the two to work together. President Barrow in turn thanked President Nguema Mbasogo for his contribution towards ensuring peace prevailed in The Gambia during the political impasse in December 2016. He said The Gambia now has peace and is ready to build a new partnership between the two countries.
Continue Reading >>Twelve (12) Gambian nationals who had already served 1-year jail term in Libya have been released to the Gambian Association in Libya for repatriation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Gambians Abroad announced in a press release that the migrants were released, without charge or condition, on the 28th May and will be repatriated on the next available charter flight. Their return will be facilitated through IOM’s Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programme, and they will be provided with medical and psychological support.
Continue Reading >>The government of the Gambia has accepted all but two of the TRRC recommendations. On Wednesday 25th May the government issued a white paper on the TRRC recommendations six months after they were submitted to the President. The one hundred and the seventy-three-page document was unveiled by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Dawda Jallow. Mr. Jallow said all the recommendations are set for implementation in one shape or form. He said the recommendations to prosecute former President Yahya Jammeh and former vice president Dr.Isatou Njie Saidy have been accepted. The government however rejected the recommendation to grant amnesty to the former vice chairman of the AFPRC Sana Sabally. The Government will rename Arch 22 to NEVER AGAIN MEMORIAL ARCH in memory of victims of Jammeh and will renovate it and erect a wall with the names of Jammeh Victims. Honourable also announced that individuals who have been adversely mentioned by the Commission and to serve in various areas of the public and security services will be suspended from service. He said the government will work on a lawful means to effect their dismissal, termination, or compulsory retirement as each case may require.
Continue Reading >>The Minister of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure, Ebrima Sillah is on a familiarization tour of projects under implementation by his ministry. The Minister visited the mausoleum of the first President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara at the National Assembly where he was taken on a tour of the edifice, which is expected to complete in September. Minister Sillah also visited the Ports where he was received by the Managing Director of The Gambia Ports Authority Ousman M. Jobarteh. The transport minister toured various sections of the ports and engaged officials manning diverse operations to understand existing challenges. The minister proceeded to the west coast region where he saw ongoing projects including the Banjul International airport, Brufut, and the Brikama Market. At the Brikama market he was received by the governor of the west coast region. He toured the building project still under construction and the women's fish market.
Continue Reading >>The Office of the President informs the general public that His Excellency President Adama Barrow will join fellow African leaders in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, for the 16th Extraordinary Summit of The African Union on terrorism and unconstitutional change of Government in Africa.President Barrow and his delegation will depart from the Banjul International Airport on Thursday, 26th May 2022 at 10:00 AM.The summit, which will be held from the 25th to the 28th of May, will seek to draw a continental agenda to prevent and counter the scourges of terrorism and the unconstitutional means of change of government on the continent.The summit is preceded by sessions by heads of various security and intelligence units from countries around the continent. President Barrow will proceed on a two-day working visit after the Summit.
Continue Reading >>The Gross Domestic Product for the year 2021 is estimated at a growth of 4.3 per cent compared to the 2020 revised growth of 0.6 per cent showing an increase of 3.7 per cent. In 2021, GDP at constant market prices is estimated at GMD 64.8 billion compared to the revised estimate of GMD 62.1 billion in 2020. This increase is mainly attributed to the recovery from the negative effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in an increase in the economic activities in industries within the Agriculture, Industry, and Services sectors.GDP at current market prices is estimated at GMD 104.9 billion in 2021 compared to the revised estimate of GMD 93.3 billion in 2020. GDP per capita is GMD 44,696 which is equivalent to US$ 867 in 2021 as opposed to GMD 40,936 which is equivalent to US$ 802 in 2020. The Services sector continues to be the major contributor to GDP with a share of 57.5 per cent followed by the Agriculture sector with a share of 24.1 per cent and the Industry sector with a share of 18.4 per cent.For the year under review 2021, the Agriculture sector is estimated at a growth of 4.7 per cent compared to the revised growth of 10.6 per cent in 2020 showing a decline of 5.9 per cent. This decline is mainly attributed to the decrease in the production activities of Crop registering a growth of -9.1 per cent and Livestock registering a growth of -9.6 per cent.The Industry sector registered a growth of 10.4 per cent in 2021, which is 2.2 per cent more than the revised growth rate in 2020. The increase in growth in this sector is as a result of an increase in the economic activities of Construction registering a growth of 20.5 per cent and Electricity supply registering a growth of 7.0 per cent.The Services sector is estimated at a growth of 1.9 per cent in 2021 as against the revised growth of -5.0 per cent in 2020 showing an increase of 6.9 per cent. This increase is mainly attributed to the recovery from the negative effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic which increased the economic activities in Arts, entertainment and recreation with a growth of 33.7 per cent; Accommodation and food service activities with a growth of 20.2 per cent; Finance and insurance activities with a growth of 6.5 per cent; and Other service activities with a growth of 6.4 per cent.GDP BY EXPENDITUREGDP by expenditure at current market prices shows that Final consumption expenditure which is an aggregate of consumption expenditures of households, general government, and non-profit institutions serving households is estimated at GMD 102.7 billion in 2021 with a growth of 2.3 per cent, accounting for 96.5 per cent of GDP; compared to the revised estimate of GMD 90.3 billion in 2020 registering a growth of 1.5 per cent, accounting for 95.9 per cent of GDP. Gross fixed capital formation which constitutes expenditures on construction, machinery and equipment, and cultivated assets is estimated at GMD 34.1 billion in 2021 with a growth of -2.3 per cent compared to the revised estimate of GMD 30.2 billion in 2020 with a growth of 44.1 per cent. Gross fixed capital formation accounted for 32.1 per cent of GDP both in 2020 and 2021.Finally, the Trade Balance which is the difference between exports and imports of goods and services contributed -27.9 per cent and -28.6 per cent to GDP in 2020 and 2021 respectively. However, the Trade Balance registered a growth of -11.6 percent in 2021 compared to the revised growth of 81.8 per cent in 2020.
Continue Reading >>A team led by the Director General of the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), Mr Gregoire Ndjaka, is currently in the Gambia as a guest of the Gambia Radio and Television Service (GRTS). The team, which also includes Rokehya Ndiaye, Head of Member Relations, is in the country to discuss preparatory works with government officials and GRTS ahead of the 2026 African Union of Broadcasting General Assembly meeting in Banjul. During the visit, the team held high-level consultative meetings with the Minister of Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services, while also meeting the Director General of GRTS Mr. Abdoulie Sey and the senior management team of the state broadcaster. The delegation’s latest engagements include site visits to the Gambia’s hospitality industry, including the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo, before a formal meeting with members of the GRTS Board of Directors, represented by the Board Vice Chair, Mr Kemo Conteh. The Gambia initially hosted the organisation's General Assembly in 1998 when the body used to be called the Union of African National Television and Radio Organisations (URTNA).This will be the first time the Gambia will host the General Assembly after its renaming to AUB in the 2006 URTNA General Assembly held in Nigeria. This is a remarkable move as GRTS moves to reposition itself as a critical player on the continental broadcasting landscape.
Continue Reading >>The Gambia has secured a notable position on the global climate stage. The Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Hon. Rohey John Manjang, has been assigned by the COP President to serve as Co-Chair of the Global Goal for Adaptation, known as the GGA. With this major recognition of The Gambia’s leadership on climate action, Hon. Rohey John Manjang will now serve alongside Germany’s Environment Minister as Co-Chair of the Global Goal for Adaptation, an important pillar of the international climate negotiations.The appointment places Minister Manjang at the centre of global efforts to strengthen resilience and help countries adapt to the worsening impacts of climate change.Her role requires complete neutrality, bringing together all negotiating groups, listening to their concerns, and guiding discussions toward a balanced agreement acceptable to all parties.This co-chairmanship is seen as both an honour and a responsibility, as countries look to chart a clear path for adaptation ahead of future climate milestones.With this appointment, The Gambia’s voice takes on an even stronger role in shaping global climate policy, highlighting the country’s commitment to a fair and inclusive climate agenda.
Continue Reading >>The 30th United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP30) officially opened in Belém, Brazil, bringing together global leaders, negotiators, and stakeholders to accelerate climate action.Honourable Rohey John Manjang, The Gambia's Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, who is leading The Gambia’s delegation, called for access to climate finance to strengthen the country’s resilience and adaptation to climate change.“The Gambia has developed ambitious climate policies and strategies, but access to adequate and predictable financing remains crucial for achieving our national targets,” she said. This year’s COP focuses on turning commitments into concrete implementation, with priorities including mobilising large-scale climate finance, enhancing global climate governance, accelerating Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and scaling up adaptation efforts in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva the President of Brazil, in his opening address emphasised that, “for this year’s COP to matter, it must be the COP of Truth and Implementation. We are moving in the right direction, but at the wrong speed. We must turn commitments into concrete actions,” he said. The host presidency has set an ambitious goal of mobilising US$1.3 trillion annually by 2035 to support developing countries in meeting their climate goals.For nations like The Gambia, access to climate finance remains a critical enabler of adaptation, supporting initiatives that build climate-resilient agriculture, restore mangrove ecosystems, protect coastlines, and enhance water resource management. However, limited technical capacity, complex access procedures, and data challenges are reportedly hindering progress.Minister Manjang reaffirmed The Gambia’s unwavering commitment to climate action and called on the global community to work collaboratively to ensure that no country is left behind in the fight against climate change.
Continue Reading >>The Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Rohey John Manjang, has reaffirmed The Gambia’s commitment to working with all Parties “in the spirit of equity, cooperation, accountability and hope for posterity” in the global climate discourse.“As we convene at this critical moment for global climate action, The Gambia stands ready to work with all Parties in the spirit of equity, cooperation, accountability, and hope for posterity.” “Let us be reminded that The Gambia, though among the nations least responsible for global greenhouse gas emissions, remains one of the most vulnerable to the devastating impacts of climate change. Our economy depends heavily on climate-sensitive sectors, such as agriculture and fisheries, and our coastal zone is under increasing threat from sea-level rise and storm surges,” she said. Minister Manjang made these remarks during the High-Level Segment of COP30/CMP20/CMA7, where leaders present national statements and outline their countries’ climate priorities.The Gambia’s Emission Reduction TargetsThe minister highlighted the country’s ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions despite its limited resources.“The Gambia’s second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC2) sets a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 49.7 per cent below business-as-usual levels by 2030, while working toward a vision of net-zero emissions by 2050, costed at 4 billion USD,” she stated.She added that climate considerations have been integrated into the national development plan, alongside strengthened partnerships and the rollout of nature-based solutions and broader resilience-building initiatives. “The country has also developed a Climate Prosperity Investment and Financing Strategy to mobilise resources for transformative climate-resilient growth.”The minister noted that The Gambia is working toward establishing a National Climate Change Act to provide a stronger legal framework for climate action.A Call for Adaptation Finance and Global SupportMinister Manjang emphasised that The Gambia’s climate ambitions depend on access to finance, technology, and capacity support.“Adaptation is no longer optional. It is an urgent necessity for safeguarding lives, livelihoods and ecosystems, especially in the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries,” she said. She urged parties to adopt practical adaptation indicators and operationalise them to track progress toward global climate resilience.This she said will be:• A significant increase in adaptation finance for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), in line with Article 9.4 of the Paris Agreement.• Substantial and timely contributions to the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), commensurate with the scale of losses already experienced.“Without accessible, reliable and predictable climate finance, building resilience will remain a mere aspiration,” she said.Climate Justice and Just TransitionMinister Manjang stressed that LDCs and SIDS must be at the heart of all climate action. She welcomed the recent International Court of Justice advisory opinion affirming that restitution, including ecosystem restoration, is a legal obligation, reinforcing the justice dimension of loss and damage.On Just Transition, she emphasised equity and the special circumstances of LDCs and SIDS, calling for the elevation of the Just Transition Work Programme as a central pillar of the UNFCCC process.“We cannot fail our women, our children, and our youths, who are the most affected and the least responsible for the climate crisis,” she said.Concluding her statement, Minister Manjang reiterated The Gambia’s readiness to work constructively with all parties to deliver a “balanced and implementable” outcome from Belém.“Let us leave Belém with renewed resolve, united in strengthening hope and partnerships, with a clear path toward climate action and resilience for all,” she said.
Continue Reading >>Rohey John Manjang, The Gambia's Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, joined world leaders and ministers at a High-Level Ministerial Event on National Approaches to Protein Diversification and International Collaboration, in her first engagement at COP30 in Belém, BrazilIn her remarks, Minister Manjang highlighted the deep connection between climate change, food security, and public health, emphasising that for The Gambia, protein diversification is not a luxury but a national necessity.“Erratic rainfall patterns and warming seas now directly affect our traditional protein sources from groundnuts to fisheries. For us, protein diversification is not a lifestyle choice. It is a strategic imperative for national survival, public health, and economic development,” she said.She further noted that “food and climate insecurity are two sides of the same coin,” stressing that the climate and food crises are not distant threats but present realities that demand urgent, coordinated, and inclusive responses.Sharing The Gambia’s national approach to protein diversification, Minister Manjang explained that the strategy builds on local strengths and realities rather than external blueprints. It focuses on empowering local food systems such as sourcing school meals from local farmers producing climate-resilient, protein-rich crops while promoting sustainable aquaculture, poultry farming, and climate-resilient fisheries. Minister Manjang stated that, the approach also ensures a just transition for smallholder farmers, pastoralists, and fishers, with strong attention to gender equality and youth inclusion.She also underscored the importance of international collaboration, calling for partnerships that are inclusive, balanced, and responsive to national priorities.“International collaboration is essential, but it must be equitable and pragmatic. We call for partnerships that invest in our priorities and amplify our solutions,” she said.
Continue Reading >>The ECOWAS Commission, in partnership with Jam’iyyatu Ansariddeen Attijaniyya, organised the West African Islamic Conference on Security and Governance at the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja. This significant conference took place from Tuesday, November 4, to Thursday, November 6, 2025. It brought together representatives from Islamic organisations, government officials, traditional and religious leaders, scholars, policymakers, youth, and regional partners to create actionable strategies aimed at countering terrorism, violent extremism, and governance challenges across West Africa and the Sahel.Focusing on the theme "The Role of Islamic Organisations in Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism in West Africa and the Sahel," the conference underscored the urgent need to strengthen governance, protect vulnerable children in traditional Islamic education systems, and foster collaboration between state and non-state actors in promoting peace, social cohesion, and regional stability.
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