Major funding commitment to help ‘virtually bankrupt’ country shake off legacy of dictatorship, as President Adama Barrow promises better life for Gambians

The EU has pledged its support to the new leaders of the Gambia with hundreds of millions of euros, shoring up a country that is “virtually bankrupt” after two decades of Yahya Jammeh’s rule.

Aid to the Gambia dried up under Jammeh, whose record of human rights violations, along with his habit of pulling out of international institutions and throwing out diplomats, alienated donors.

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Now, after promises from the new government to defend human rights, protect media freedom and rejoin the international criminal court and the Commonwealth, the EU has become the first to commit major funding to what has become known as “the new Gambia”.

After a rollercoaster transition period during which Jammeh accepted electoral defeat before performing a U-turn – he refused to leave State House, and finally conceded only under pressure from a phalanx of African presidents – there will be no respite for the country’s new president.

Having beaten the eccentric autocrat despite the odds, largely on a promise of a better life for Gambians, Adama Barrow now faces the challenge of living up to his people’s hopes.

The EU has pledged €75m (£64m) in immediate funding and €150m in the longer term to help “make sure that the new Gambian state can deliver as it should … that it can stand up to the high expectations of the population”, said Neven Mimica, the commissioner for international cooperation and development, who met Barrow on Thursday. “There is no time to lose.”

The former estate agent-turned-coalition leader told Mimica that his country was “in need of immediate rescue”, particularly emergency budget support.

“We have just assumed the task of governing the country after decades of dictatorship and self-imposed isolation,” Barrow said.

Jammeh expelled the EU’s charge d’affaires in 2015, giving her 72 hours to leave Banjul, with no explanation. “We had a dictatorship that thrived on bad governance, human rights abuses, bad policy choices, and violation of the rule of law. A dictatorship that cost us our friends. A dictatorship whose conduct deprived us of our development and aid. A dictatorship that was brutal toward its citizens,” said Barrow.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest People thought to be from Nigeria, the Gambia and Senegal await rescue from a boat in the Mediterranean, north of Libya. Barrow hopes that improved economic opportunities will stem the flow of people leaving the country for Europe. Photograph: Sima Diab/AP

“As a new government, what we have inherited is an economy that is virtually bankrupt and in need of immediate rescue. This sad reality was brought about through a mismanagement of our finances.”

Donor money is sorely needed in a country whose economy has grown little in recent decades, prompting many Gambians to take the perilous “back way” to Europe – crossing the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy – in search of a livelihood. The Gambia has public debt of more than 100% of annual GDP and youth unemployment of just under 40%.

The US is planning to send an assessment team to the country shortly after Barrow’s official inauguration on 18 February. Barrow was sworn in as president in neighbouring Senegal last month, as Jammeh clung to power. After all-night negotiations by regional presidents, who finally succeeded in persuading Jammeh to go, Barrow returned to his country and was greeted by thousands of celebrating supporters.

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In a final blow, however, Jammeh withdrew more than $11.4m (£9.2m) from the country’s banks in the fortnight before getting on the plane to Equatorial Guinea, according to the interior minister, who said the coffers were “virtually empty”.

Despite the cash flow problems, Barrow and his team have ambitious plans.

The country’s new foreign minister, Ousainou Darboe, said he wanted to make the Gambia the “human rights capital of Africa”. This would be a dramatic turnaround from life under Jammeh, when journalists, political opposition members and people arrested at peaceful protests, whether they were protesting or not, were thrown in jail, often without trial or on trumped-up charges. Darboe was a political prisoner until his release in December, which drew thousands of people to his modest house in Banjul, flooding in to offer their congratulations.

“We already have the institutions that give the Gambia the qualification to be the human rights capital of Africa,” said Darboe. “We have the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights here in Banjul. The only institution we don’t have is the African court of human rights. We are going to champion the establishment of that institution and its location in the Gambia.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Customers shop at a market in Banjul in January 2017. Photograph: Legnan Koula/EPA

“Also, our own practice of human rights and protection of human rights will be a model.”

Barrow has said his administration will prioritise rebuilding the economy, and a national development plan is in the works. He is also creating a thinktank of advisers on agriculture, health, the environment and other areas, to identify the needs in each sector.

The country’s justice system, which Jammeh used to further his own agenda, will be overhauled, and the constitution amended, in particular to remove age limits for positions in government.

Barrow’s first move as president, making Fatoumatah Jallow-Tambajang his vice-president, was unconstitutional, as an age limit of 65 had been set under the youthful Jammeh, who was 29 when he took power and 51 when he left.

Most of the EU’s €75m is for projects tackling malnutrition, food security and unemployment. Drought and climate change have made farming difficult for Gambia in recent years, and a tenth of the population suffers from acute malnutrition. Mimica also said he was aware of the need to support “stability and reconstruction of the Gambian state” and would dispatch a team to Banjul to help decide what the other €150m should be spent on.

Along with the freedoms that Barrow’s government have promised, new economic opportunities could help stem the flow of migration to Europe, and even attract people back to the country.

</s>The European Union announced aid worth 225 million euros ($240 million) on Thursday for The Gambia's new government as President Adama Barrow said his nation was "virtually bankrupt" due to economic mismanagement by the former regime.

The EU froze assistance to The Gambia in December 2014 over the dire human rights record of ex-president Yahya Jammeh, whose security services were accused by rights groups of extrajudicial killings, torture and forced disappearances.

Barrow's victory in December's election is seen by foreign donors as a new chance for human rights and the rule of law to be better respected in the tiny west African nation.

Neven Mimica, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, hailed "a peaceful democratic change in The Gambia" and said it was "fully committed to engage with President Barrow and his government".

Immediate financial assistance of 75 million euros would target food insecurity, unemployment and the poor condition of the nation's roads, the European Commission said in a statement.

Further aid worth 150 million euros would be disbursed following a future visit by an EU delegation, it added.

President Barrow said in a speech given at the signing of the aid deal that his nation had just two months of foreign exchange reserves left, and described "an economy that is virtually bankrupt and in need of immediate rescue."

"Most public enterprises are debt-ridden and underperforming including the energy sector," Barrow said, adding that youth unemployment had rocketed.

Jammeh is accused by Gambians of land grabs and taking over businesses for his personal gain, while new Interior Minister Mai Fatty alleged last month the ex-president took $11 million from state coffers before heading for exile in Equatorial Guinea.

Meanwhile Foreign Minister Ousainou Darboe said human rights concerns would be "speedily addressed" by the new administration, and that the process of rejoining the International Criminal Court would soon begin.

The Gambia notified the United Nations in November it would withdraw from the legal body on Jammeh's orders.</s>Adama Barrow's election victory is seen by foreign donors as a new chance for human rights to be better respected in The Gambia. By CARL DE SOUZA (AFP/File)

Banjul (Gambia) (AFP) - The European Union announced aid worth 225 million euros ($240 million) for The Gambia on Thursday as President Adama Barrow warned that the nation was "virtually bankrupt" due to economic mismanagement by the former regime.

The EU froze assistance to The Gambia in December 2014 over the dire human rights record of ex-president Yahya Jammeh, whose security services were accused by rights groups of extrajudicial killings, torture and forced disappearances.

Barrow's victory over Jammeh in December's election is seen by foreign donors as a new chance for human rights and the rule of law to be better respected in the tiny west African nation.

Neven Mimica, European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, hailed "a peaceful democratic change in The Gambia" and said the bloc was "fully committed to engage with President Barrow and his government".

Immediate financial assistance of 75 million euros would target food insecurity and unemployment and help improve the nation's roads, the European Commission said in a statement.

A further 150 million euros would be disbursed following a future visit by an EU delegation, it added.

Barrow said in a speech at the signing of the aid deal that The Gambia had just two months of foreign exchange reserves left, and described "an economy that is virtually bankrupt and in need of immediate rescue".

"Most public enterprises are debt-ridden and underperforming including the energy sector," he said, adding that youth unemployment had rocketed.

Specific funding worth 11 million euros will go towards creating jobs for young people in a nation that currently sends the highest per capita number of migrants across the Mediterranean to Italy.

"To stem the current migration trend, it is crucial to step up job creation and create more meaningful income opportunities at home," said Trade Minister Isatou Touray.

Jammeh is accused by Gambians of land grabs and taking over businesses for his personal gain, while new Interior Minister Mai Fatty alleged last month the ex-president took $11 million from state coffers before heading for exile in Equatorial Guinea.

Foreign Minister Ousainou Darboe said human rights concerns would be "speedily addressed" by the new administration, and that the process of rejoining the International Criminal Court would begin soon.

The Gambia notified the United Nations in November that it would withdraw from the ICC on Jammeh's orders.</s>BANJUL, Feb 9 (Reuters) - The European Union pledged 75 million euros ($80 million) on Thursday to Gambia's new government, two years after suspending aid due to human rights abuses by former President Yahya Jammeh.

The EU froze 33 million euros in aid to Gambia, one of the world's poorest countries, after Jammeh's government introduced a tough law against homosexuality in late 2014.

Adama Barrow, who defeated Jammeh in a December election, has pledged to respect human rights and rebuild foreign relations. Jammeh refused to accept the election result and went into exile last month after regional forces entered the country.

Following a meeting with Barrow in the capital Banjul, the EU commissioner for international cooperation and development, Neven Mimica, said the aid package would to be used to increase food security, rebuild roads and boost jobs.

"The visit is a clear signal of the EU's readiness to provide immediate financial and technical support to the democratic process in The Gambia," Mimica told reporters.

The EU is also preparing a medium-term assistance package of 150 million euros, he said.

Jammeh took power in a 1994 coup and his government established a reputation for torturing and killing opponents - charges he denied. He repeatedly fell out with the EU, expelling its charge d'affaires in 2015.

A weak economy and political repression in the West African country has made it one of the continent's leading sources of migrants trying to reach Europe by sea despite a population of only 1.9 million. (Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Edward McAllister and Robin Pomeroy)</s>BANJUL, Feb 9 (Reuters) - The European Union promised Gambia a 75 million euro ($80 million) aid package on Thursday, renewing its assistance to the West African country just weeks after its autocratic leader fled into exile under military pressure following his election defeat.

The EU froze its assistance to Gambia, one of the world's poorest countries, after former President Yahya Jammeh's government outlawed homosexuality in late 2014.

The resumption of EU aid is a vote of confidence for Gambia's new leader, Adama Barrow, who said the country was starved of hard currency.

Barrow has vowed to respect human rights and wants to rebuild the country's badly-damaged foreign relations.

Following a meeting with Barrow in the capital Banjul, the EU commissioner for international cooperation and development, Neven Mimica, said the aid package would to be used to increase food security, rebuild roads and help create jobs.

"The visit is a clear signal of the EU's readiness to provide immediate financial and technical support to the democratic process in The Gambia," Mimica told reporters.

The EU is also preparing a medium-term assistance package of 150 million euros, he said.

Speaking alongside Mimica, Barrow said Gambia also needed emergency budget support to rescue an economy burdened by youth unemployment of over 40 percent and foreign reserves that cover only two months of imports.

"What we have inherited is an economy that is virtually bankrupt and in need of immediate (restoration)," Barrow said.

Jammeh took power in a 1994 coup and his government established a reputation for torturing and killing opponents - charges he denied. He repeatedly fell out with the EU, expelling its charge d'affaires in 2015.

A weak economy and political repression in the West African country has made it one of the continent's leading sources of migrants trying to reach Europe by sea despite a population of only 1.9 million. (Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)</s>The European Union (EU) has pledged €225m ($240m; £191m) in aid to The Gambia as part of its effort to become a "privileged partner" of the West African nation. The announcement came weeks after new President Adama Barrow returned to his country from Senegal following the peaceful end of a a post-election political crisis.

"The EU is fully committed to engage with President Barrow and his Government. We want to be a privileged partner of The New Gambia," the EU said in a statement.

"In addition to the €75 million package of immediate support signed today, we are already preparing a medium term package of €150 million, which will focus on building the capacities of the State and on job creation."

The EU had frozen its aids after Gambia's former leader Yahya Jammeh – accused of human rights abuses – outlawed homosexuality in 2014.

Barrow and the EU commissioner for international cooperation and development, Neven Mimica, met in the capital Banjul.

"The visit is a clear signal of the EU's readiness to provide immediate financial and technical support to the democratic process in The Gambia," Mimica was quoted by Reuters as saying.

Following the meeting, Barrow said his country also needed emergency budget support to restore its crippled economy burdened by youth unemployment of more than 40%.

"What we have inherited is an economy that is virtually bankrupt and in need of immediate [restoration]," Barrow said.

Jammeh, who ruled the country for 22 years, lost presidential election in December 2016. However, Gambia witnessed a political stand-off when he refused to relinquish power.

The outgoing president eventually agreed to step down and go into exile in Equatorial Guinea following pressure from world leaders and the intervention of foreign troops.

Barrow, who returned to Banjul in January, said in an exclusive interview with IBTimes UK he was ready to rebuild a New Gambia through democratic principles.

The leader, a former businessman who lived in London for three years, pledged to strengthen relations between Gambia and the UK by, among other things, rejoining the Commonwealth and promoting foreign investments.

Barrow also intends to revert Jammeh's decision to pull out from the International Criminal Court (ICC).</s>In 2007, we travelled to The Gambia to meet then-President Yahya Jammeh, who claimed he could personally cure Aids. Ten years ago, in November 2006, Al Jazeera English was launched.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Al Jazeera.</s>The European Union today signed €75 Million Euros immediate economic package to the new government of the Gambia. The EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica disclosed that a package totaling €225 Million has been eyed for economic development in the Gambia. €75 million of that package is to be disbursed immediate to be followed by €150 Million at a later date.

The economic package according the commission is designed for major and micro-economic development projects to help Gambia regain its lost economic glory. Most of the aid will be used towards developing the port of Banjul, feeder roads, agriculture, education and national security among other projects. This EU aid came at an opportune time when the Gambia needed it the most after a historic change of government through the ballot box in December.

Speaking at the signing in ceremony the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Ousainou Darboe welcome the EU delegation and thank them immensely for their rescue package to the Gambia. Mr. Darboe speaking on behalf of the President said the Gambia government will live up to its international obligations and will continue to strengthen its partnership with Gambia’s development partners. He stated that after two decades of isolation from the international community Gambia is back to its traditional working relationship with its development partners.

President Barrow on his part also thank the EU delegation and welcome the timely economic package to the Gambia. He said after 22 years of dictatorship Gambia was down to two months in imports of food and other commodities. He pledge to put the economic package into good use and to ensure that good governance, youths employment and education are given priority in this package. The EU commissioner thanks the Gambian people for exercising maturity during the recently disputed elections by avoiding any form of violence. He hailed the regional body ECOWAS and other partners for finding a peaceful end to the stand off. He described the situation as “a sign of Africa addressing its own political problems peacefully”</s>Gambian President Adama Barrow said he has inherited a nearly bankrupt economy and that the economy needed immediate restoration.He has appealed for support, especially from the European Union (EU).President Barrow was speaking in Banjul at the signing ceremony of $79 million immediate support package with the EU.He said the sad reality was brought about by the mismanagement of the public finances.“What is truly sad is that our debt burden has reached unsustainable level due to wasteful public spending,” he stated.EU Commissioner Neven Mimica, who met the Gambia leader on Thursday, said the peaceful democratic change was a result of the determination of the people, as well as the regional and international efforts.“Gambians have shown commendable resolve, patience and courage during a period of high tension. The EU is fully committed to engage with President Barrow and his government,” said Mr Mimica.He disclosed that the EU was preparing a medium term package of $159 million, which would focus on building the capacities of the state and on job creation.The commissioner described his visit as a clear signal of the EU’s readiness to provide immediate financial and technical support to the democratic process in The Gambia and its dividends for the population in terms of good governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law.He promised that the EU would also step up its support to sustainable and inclusive development of the country in consultation with the new authorities.The EU-Gambia partnership has helped deliver important development goals, including the paving of roads.EU’s total allocation for the Gambia under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) for the period 2014-2020 was set at $159 million.EU had suspended its direct support to the Gambian government owing to poor governance and gross human rights violation under President Yahya Jammeh.</s>A voice from the diaspora – After finally managing to break-free from the shackles of tyrannical rule, we vision profound ideas and plans as laid-out for the Gambia beginning a dramatic ascent under President Adama Barrow. As the new leader finally took charge of the keys to ‘State House’, he has come face-to-face with a broken-down system of government lacking vision. He will have come to be faced with an uninspiring civil-service devoid of ideas & laden with bureaucracy. Analyzing the failures & damage the Gambian economy was subjected to during the scandalous APRC misrule, President Barrow has also learnt that those desirable democratic principles of separation-of-powers and checks-and-balances are non-existent, crushed, with absolute power residing in one man, and him only. A lot is at stake folks, every sector of the economy has to be prioritized – and every Gambian made a priority within the development agenda:

As for the corrupt elite who presided over the country’s economic collapse at GAMTEL, GRA, PORTS, NAWEC, SSHFC, GCAA, CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR and his deputies, & any Parastatal where money exchange hands – Why are they still in the job? And, please, relieve the Country’s CLUELESS and USELESS DIPLOMATS around the world for qualified foreign policy experts who know what the job entails. The Gambian people are flabbergasted that the thieves and criminals who presided over the collapse of the country’s economy becoming millionaires in the process, yet allowed to practice at the heart of government. The status-quo is unsustainable. The president has got to show strength and moral fortitude so as to restore credibility within the system – if the Gambia is truly serious about restoring democracy.

As it is, the global PRESS is fixated on the country and how it goes about resurrecting its democracy, plus a worldwide population cheering on the side-lines for the Gambia to succeed. That said – the new-leadership in charge of ‘Banjul Politics’ ought to speed up reform – discard remnants of the old regime, bring in fresh TALENT – as feelings of unease begins to creep in among the population. The Gambian people are in dire straits for far too long. The price of rice must come down, and quickly at that. And as analysts sharpen pen to measure the Barrow-led government’s progress in its first 100 Days in office, I have endeavoured a progressive vision in simulation, for a people desperate for development:

: On his first day in Banjul, President Barrow must sign an executive order releasing all political detainees held at Mile Two from 1994 to date. The government, he ought to say, is working to bulldoze that notorious jail and all such detention facilities around the country, to be replaced with modern correctional facilities in LRR and NBR regions respectively. The President should further announce that his government will set-up JUVENILE and REHAB facilities to separate young prisoners and those traumatized respectively. He should address the nation ‘LIVE’ from the seat of Parliament, further declaring the ‘’Abolition of Death Penalty’’, with an executive order.

: The standard of education in the country is at an all-time low compounded by poor results exacerbated by moral & ethical bankruptcy within society. As such the Ministry of Education must order a top-down overhaul of the education system. In a fast-paced globalizing and competing world Asia & China are setting the trend in league ratings; Senegal continues to climb the ladder with Gambia registering in the low bottoms. Something has to give – begin by closing all the so-called private schools in the country raking in millions in tuition fees, and for the ministry to regulate/measure the progress of each school in the country annually. To compete and surpass other nations, the ministry of Education should start by introducing free early years nursery for every child. School curriculum ought to be modernized, with emphasis on the ‘STEM’ subjects in countering the literacy gap. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING & MATHEMATICS – These are job-creating subjects and professions as the engine of 21st century economies creating wealth for citizens and nations alike. And with Commonwealth membership looming large, the Gambia government needs technical expertise from the UK, New Zealand, and Australia to be embedded in all ministerial departments and within Local government up-and-down the country. Liaising with the Interior ministry and UNICEF country office, the Education ministry must prioritize tackling teenage pregnancy and child abuse through civic-education programs on all media platforms. The Education Minister – to table a bill before Parliament that requires parents to educate their children to a minimum high school level tuition free in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development blueprint. The Ministry should further engage the UN Systems and such development partners in providing FREE Wifi internet access in all schools up and down the country.

: Tackling inequities in healthcare is one of the major challenges of our time. As such, aligning with the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ blueprint, the government ought to work in-partnership with the UN country office to design and build 5 brand new Hospitals spread across the country. A major referral hospital should be earmarked for each of the five administrative regions, and never again will Gambians feel helpless, nor seek treatment abroad. President Barrow should further announce that primary health care facilities shall be improved locally in villages and towns so as to reduce waiting times and burden within the system. In an unprecedented move with telecoms providers, the country should have a three-code EMERGENCY Number for calling Ambulance or Police in situations of dire need.

With international observers and the media holding breathe as to the administration’s plans in regards to democracy, President Barrow must uphold the coalition’s manifesto pledge to restore credible and accountable governance. He should stress that Parliament is on the verge of passing a signature legislation halting presidential life to maximum ‘TWO-TERMS’. No president will ever serve more than two terms provided he or she win re-election and this is SACROSANCT. The separation of powers to be further enhanced with a strong parliament to impeach the executive in breaches of the constitution, and an independent judiciary staffed by GAMBIAN JUDGES appointed by an independent judicial panel on merit. Again, an Independent Civil service ought to be restored with neutrality at its heart serving the nation. The President cannot hire or fire any civil servant; nor does he have a say in the Army or Police.

Major changes must take place in the area of national security. The army has no right to arrest or interrogate anyone. That remit falls under police powers, and no officer was to leave barracks with uniform. Their job is national defence, peacekeeping duties, and helping with natural disasters around the country. Go read the constitution learn the limits to the job! The President should also remind the ‘rank’ that internal security shall be run by the police as of now – and for the State Intelligence Services to closely ‘share data & intelligence’ with its Senegalese counterpart. Meanwhile, ‘’Cassamance rebels’’ fused into all levels of the security sector must be investigated and weeded out to be handed to the Senegalese army.

An adhoc UN panel of investigators should be instituted over historic crimes committed by Yaya Jammeh and his cronies – to be chaired by Honorable Hassan Jallow. The minister of interior should hold a press conference calling all victims of the past twenty-two years especially rape victims to come forward seek redress, and that government will be committed to compensate – from the proceeds and stolen wealth by Yahya Jammeh and such thieves. The Interior ministry ought to further liaise with that of ‘Economic Affairs’ in tackling counterfeiting which continues to harm the country’s chances, looking at ways to replace the ‘dalasi’ with new banknotes made of polymer technology.

In terms of Foreign Policy, the Gambia must revamp its external agenda in an ethical diplomatic fashion based on national interest. The Gambia will be friendly to all nations, with Senegal our closest ally. A relationship of EQUALS based on respect and mutual interest. President Barrow should further observe that no Gambian has claimed asylum, nor sojourn the back way route to Europe since his inauguration – to the delight of our European partners. The Gambia shall further build on relationships in Africa, further improving on multilateral ties with the EU & the United Nations Systems respectively.

The country should look to open Embassies in Germany and Denmark to service Scandinavian countries, reciprocating diplomatic missions with Canada and New Zealand. The diplomatic post in Belgium could perhaps be exchanged for Netherlands where vast national interest lay, with the Brussels mission refocused on EU affairs and the Eastern European Countries – as tourism hotspots @Destination Gambia in the coming years. The progress continues in establishing credible governance flying the Gambian flag around the world representing the very best in us. That vision shall be warmly received in Dakar – as members of the diplomatic corps assigned to Banjul endorse a new dawn in Gambia’s relationship with the world.

Although the price of crude oil has dropped significantly, drilling shall begin in earnest once the contracts are signed. The government must open a special account at the central Bank of the Gambia for oil, gas, and such precious minerals revenues to be deposited. Further, the scrutiny committee in Parliament must have easy access to quarterly expenditure receipts so as to account for every ‘butut’ saved and spent. The oil ministry should explore a joint-partnership with Qatar or anyone in building a refinery plant upstream, easing supply worries for countries within the sub-region and container vessels plying the Gambia route. These are job creation measures the Gambia can afford boosting GDP numbers too.

: The President should assure the country that plans are in place for the Gambia to be food self-sufficient in the shortest possible time. Working with the UNDP and other development partners, land reform bill ought to be put through parliament in order to safeguard and secure further land for agricultural expansion. The country must intensify rice production, and a growing manufacturing sector for an exporter nation in the long run. As vision by the great Thomas Sankara, Import industrial substitution is the solution to Gambia’s woes in terms of jobs & food self-sufficiency. The government should look internally – that’s where the solutions lay. And perhaps, approaching the Dangote Group of companies, a cement and burnt brick factories respectively should be commissioned without delay as a curb on sand mining which must stop if the country is serious about its tourism sector. Such measures shall help quadruple GDP whilst boosting employment numbers along the way.

As expected, foreign direct investment and infrastructural development shall soon accelerate. The government should take bold steps in relocating the ‘Gambia Ports authority’ from Banjul across the river to Barra or Kartong. The Barrow government should cast an eye further into China for investments and partnership. The city of DANDONG, north-East China, is a world leader in sea-freight to be aligned with Barra or Kartong for transformation into a Port-Hub as a leading sea-port freight serving Africa and worldwide. The Gambia ought to look into building ultra-modern highways interlinking the whole country with ease. The country should be ambitious with 8-lane highways linking Gambia and Senegal, further connecting to the Dakar-Abidjan highway – into West Africa. This makes economic sense for Gambian architects to start liaising with engineers for such projects, especially the long overdue Banjul-Barra Bridge connecting the capital to the North. Analysing such a state of affairs gives one confidence to predict the creation of ten thousand new jobs within the main port facility and sub-sectors to be developed in time.

Banjul and Dakar should evaluate and approach the African Development Bank and World Bank to fund a Train line linking Gambia and Senegal right into Bamako, MALI. Meanwhile, the ministry of infrastructure development should also seek Chinese investment to construct a solar assembly plant in the country. The government should prioritize energy, with legislation projecting that as of 2018, all street-lights, traffic-lights, and real-estate developments to be fitted with solar-power reducing stress on the national supplier, NAWEC, and bills.

The new government has to be ambitious – one rather build a single standardised project than several half-baked ones. As such the country should announce plans to construct a brand new capital somewhere plus two new environmentally-friendly cities across the country subject to parliamentary approval, of course. Because of poor urban planning, the country’s largest city, ‘Serrekunda’, should be rebuilt with desirable homes of flowing rivers and recreational parks. Home owners in Banjul shall be compensated or provided with new housing, with Banjul transformed into an international paradise island. This shall see reputable hotel brands queuing up, with a financial sector to match. All the banks in the country will be headquartered in the new financial district, as investors identify the country as a base spreading into the lucrative West-Africa market. The ministry of Informational and Technology should further reach out to GOOGLE and APPLE to build a TECHNOLOGY HUB; with YAHOO and all other tech companies consulted too. The hub shall attract young entrepreneurs and graduates from across West-Africa as a Mini-Silicon Valley to harness and harvest talent. Learning lessons from the ill-fated Jammeh years – the president should refocus his government onto soft-power diplomacy encouraging businesses to come and invest in destination Gambia with an educated-ready workforce to inherit. Analysing that – the country stands to register an unprecedented double digits GDP growth rates in the coming years as employment numbers accelerate and with it, prosperity.
The European Union pledges to give the Gambia €225 million in aid to assist the country following the departure of former president Yahya Jammeh, whose 22 years of misrule left the country "virtually bankrupt".