Gambian National Security On Study Tour

Security sector reforms

By Sylvester Samba

After the country's elections in December 2016, transition in The Gambia had issues with development and reforms, particularly in the security sector. The reason for reform in the sector according to the National Security Adviser, Momodou Badjie, is for The Gambia security sector that is free from politics. In a bid to achieve such, the country is now drafting and developing a National Security Strategy Document and Security Sector Reform Strategy.

Cross-section delegation

On Monday 9th September 2019, a high profile security delegation from The Gambia arrived in Sierra Leone on a capacity enhancement tour to learn from Sierra Leone post-conflict peacebuilding strategy and state reconstruction efforts. Their one-week-long stay focuses on security sector reform, policing and law enforcement, immigration, drug law enforcement, strategic planning, and policy implementation, democratization, and justice sector reform.

Speaking in the capital city of Freetown, The Gambia National Security Adviser said his country made Sierra Leone their obvious choice and that the objective is to strengthen and build their security capacity to operate and collaborate on security reform. He said, his government admires Sierra Leone success story in post-conflict security sector reforms and that the two countries have sheared security, historical and cultural values.

The Gambian delegation also had a meeting with the president, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, at his State House office in Freetown. Adding that security would provide the ecosystem for development. Sierra Leone security sector had gone through reforms and had become the envy of other nations. Head of delegation, Momodou Badjie noted that the country had provided support to other nations and was ready to learn from and share the experience with other countries.