Located on Kairaba Avenue in the Fajara District of Banjul, the capital city of The Gambia, the U.S. Mission consists of two U.S. Government agencies: the Department of State, with 9 American and 65 locally employed staff, and the Peace Corps, with 3 American staff and 105 volunteers.
The Gambia became independent in 1965. It is a small, poor West African country defined by the Gambia River basin. It is almost completely surrounded by Senegal, a country with which it shares many historical, ethnic, and cultural affinities. However, the British colonized The Gambia, and the French colonized Senegal, giving each country a distinctive colonial language and system of government. Since independence, The Gambia has remained a member of the British Commonwealth. The Gambia is predominantly Muslim and has a population of 1.3 million, of which about half are non-Gambians.
Restoration of democracy. From independence in 1965 until a coup d’état in 1994, The Gambia was one of the few functioning democracies in Africa. Following the coup, the restoration of democratic rule required seven years. In late 2001 and early 2002, The Gambia completed a full cycle of presidential, legislative, and local elections, which international observers deemed generally free and fair, despite some irregularities. President Yahya Jammeh, who had seized power in 1994, was duly elected president in October 2001.
Lifting of bilateral sanctions. In March 2002, the U.S. Government determined that a democratically elected government had assumed office in The Gambia. The U.S. thus lifted the sanctions it had imposed under Section 508 of the Foreign Assistance Act as a result of the 1994 coup. Modest bilateral development assistance and military assistance has resumed. Even under sanctions, the U.S. had continued humanitarian, democracy-building, and education assistance, as well as a large Peace Corps program.
Current Issues
The United States is firmly committed to its relationship with The Gambia and supports the Government of The Gambia as the country strengthens democratic institutions and focuses on economic growth.
Partners in Democracy
They are working with the government of The Gambia and civil society to strengthen democratic institutions, support good governance, advance human rights, and bolster education. The United States provides advisors and capacity building programs in numerous governmental ministries and institutions. They look forward to working with The Gambia to promote stronger trade and commercial ties and advance peace, security, and development. The United States is partnering with all sectors in The Gambia to empower the majority youth population to actively participate in their countries’ economic and democratic development.
U.S. Contributions in The Gambia
The Gambia currently hosts over 90 Peace Corps Volunteers who are working alongside Gambians to meet the country’s need for trained men and women in agriculture, education, and health. The Peace Corps has worked in The Gambia since 1967 and over 1,800 Volunteers have served in the country during those 50 years. Peace Corps – The Gambia is one of the longest running Peace Corps programs in the world.
USAID provides development assistance in The Gambia from their regional offices in Dakar, Senegal and Accra, Ghana.
The U.S. Embassy supports multiple small and large scale projects throughout The Gambia to promote education, civil society, and development. In 2017, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) chose The Gambia as recipient for its Threshold Program. MCC is currently working with the government of The Gambia to devise a project that would provide multi-year advisory and capacity building assistance to improve governance and institutions.
The U.S. government also provides technical assistance to the government of The Gambia in the areas of security sector reform, debt management, and budget creation. Through U.S. government grants, the International Republican Institute (IRI) provides training to National Assembly members and civil society. The U.S. government recently also approved a $1 million grant to provide assistance to civil society organizations working hand-in-hand with the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission.
Gambians in the United States
The United States is home to a sizable Gambian diaspora community of around 8,000 Gambians engaging in activities from business and entrepreneurship to college education.
Americans in The Gambia
American citizens reside in The Gambia and their consular section provides American Citizen Services, including passport renewals and certificates of birth abroad. Americans in The Gambia engage in various endeavors, including working in international organizations. A limited number of U.S. businesses, often led by Gambian-Americans, are engaged in the Gambian economy. Some American franchises such as Coca Cola and Western Union maintain offices in The Gambia.
