In this article we will try to address the topic of Foreign relations of the Gambia from a broad and detailed perspective, with the aim of offering the reader a comprehensive and enriching vision of this matter. We will delve into its different aspects, exploring its origins, evolution, implications and possible solutions. Foreign relations of the Gambia is a topic of great relevance and interest today, so it is crucial to deepen its understanding in order to understand its impact in different areas. Along these lines, we will venture to discover essential elements that allow us to generate a complete and enriching analysis of Foreign relations of the Gambia, in order to enrich knowledge and reflection around this topic.
The Gambia followed a formal policy of non-alignment throughout most of former President Dawda Jawara's tenure. It maintained close relations with the United Kingdom, Senegal, and other African countries. The July 1994 coup strained The Gambia's relationship with Western powers, particularly the United States. Starting in 1995, President Yahya Jammeh established diplomatic relations with several additional countries, including Libya, the Republic of China (on Taiwan, before 2013), and Cuba. As scholars on Gambia's foreign policy have argued, throughout Jammeh's period, the country's foreign policy was a shifting sand, with little of direction.
Amat Jeng, a scholar on Gambia's foreign policy, argues that "The Gambia under Jammeh was not constrained by the bureaucratic hurly-burly which characterizes the foreign policy terrain of big democracies. In The Gambia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) had, on several occasions, been left in a vacuum, thereby placing it under the Office of the President. Between 1997 and 2013, the MFA had been occupied by more than 18 different ministers in more than 20 sworn-in occasions. This qualifies the argument that Jammeh had always had the power to fire ministers at will. In North Korea, the MFA has been occupied only by ten different foreign ministers since 1948."
During his last years, the EU grew increasingly intolerant of Jammeh's iron-fist rule. Consequently, Brussels withheld millions of Euros to The Gambia. Jammeh fired back by expelling the EU's top diplomat in the country after he had accused the bloc and human rights activists of conniving to besmirch the image of his government for its stance on homosexuality.
Diplomatic relations
List of countries which the Gambia maintains diplomatic relations with:
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 August 1971 when Guinea's first resident Ambassador in Bathurst Boubacar Kassory Bangoura, has presented his credentials to President Jawara.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 August 1974, when first ambassador of The Gambia Mr Sam Sarr presented his credentials to head of state Luis Cabral
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 June 1971 when Gambia's first Ambassador to Mali , Mr. Samuel Jonathan Okiki Sarr , presented his credentials to the Head of States , Lieut. Traore.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 February 1982 when the Gambian president , Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara , has received the credentials of Nadim Ahmad al - Yasin , as Iraq's nonresident ambassador to the Republic of Gambia.
The Malaysian embassy in Dakar is accredited to The Gambia while the Gambian embassy in Abu Dhabi is accredited to Malaysia. The relations are friendly and warm.
The Gambia firstly established diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) in 1968, three years after The Gambia gained its independence from the United Kingdom.
In 1974, The Gambia switched diplomatic relations from ROC to the People's Republic of China but switched again back to ROC in 1995. In December 2006, the Premier of the Republic of China (Taiwan) completed an official visit to the Gambia in part to pay respects to President Jammeh's inaugural ceremony and to donate funds for medical purposes. The Gambian Secretary of State reciprocated with an official visit to Taiwan. There have been several occasional official visits between the two countries. The People's Republic of China cut ties with the Gambia in 1995 after the latter established diplomatic links with the Republic of China (Taiwan). After 18 years, however, Gambian President Yahya Jammeh announced the breaking of diplomatic ties with ROC to recognize PRC on 14 November 2013 citing national strategic interest, immediately even after receiving US$6.6 million worth of aid from the Republic of China (Taiwan) earlier. The ROC officially terminated its ties with The Gambia four days later on 18 November 2013. In an unprecedented move, however, the PRC did not respond to Gambia's offer to establish diplomatic relations, presumably because of its desire to improve relations with Taiwan. The PRC and Gambia reestablished diplomatic relations on 17 March 2016.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 August 1965
U.S. policy seeks to build improved relations with the Gambia on the basis of historical ties, mutual respect, democratic rule, human rights, and adherence to UN resolutions on counterterrorism, conflict diamonds, and other forms of trafficking. In accordance with U.S. law, most direct bilateral development and military assistance to the Gambia was suspended because of the 1994 coup d'état. U.S. assistance continues, however, in the form of food aid administered through Catholic Relief Services, support for democracy and human rights projects, and the financing of girls' secondary education. In addition, the Peace Corps maintains a large program with about eighty volunteers engaged in the environment, public health, and education sectors, mainly at the village level.
The Gambia is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98).
An 1889 agreement with France established the present boundaries. The Gambia became a British Crown Colony, British Gambia, divided for administrative purposes into the colony (city of Banjul and the surrounding area) and the protectorate (remainder of the territory). The Gambia received its own executive and legislative councils in 1901 and gradually progressed toward self-government. It passed a 1906 ordinance abolishing slavery.
During World War II, Gambian troops fought with the Allies in Burma. Banjul (then named Bathurst) served as an air stop for the U.S. Army Air Corps and a port of call for Allied naval convoys. U. S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt stopped overnight in Banjul en route to and from the Casablanca Conference in 1943, marking the first visit to the African continent by a sitting American president.
After World War II, the pace of constitutional reform increased. Following general elections in 1962, the United Kingdom granted full internal self-governance in the following year. The Gambia achieved independence on 18 February 1965, as a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth of Nations.
The Gambia was a member of the Commonwealth of Nations from its independence in 1965 until its withdrawal in October 2013.
After presidential elections in 2016, the winning candidate Adama Barrow promised to return The Gambia to the Commonwealth. On 14 February 2017, The Gambia began the process of returning and formally presented its application to re-join to Secretary-General Patricia Scotland on 22 January 2018.Boris Johnson, who became the first British Foreign Secretary to visit The Gambia since the country gained independence in 1965, announced that the British government welcomed The Gambia's return to the Commonwealth.
^Österreichische Zeitschrift Für Aussenpolitik Volumes 10-11 (in German). W. Braumüller. 1970. p. 52. Der Missionschef in Dakar, a. o. und bev. Botschafter Dr. August Tarter, in Bathurst als a. o. und bev. Botschafter in Gambia.
^Summary of World Broadcasts: Non-Arab Africa, Issues 3650-3723. British Broadcasting Corporation. Monitoring Service. 1971. p. 7.
^ abAfrica Research Bulletin. Blackwell. 1971. p. 2159.
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^Bulletin of Legal Developments. British Institute of International and Comparative Law. 1975. p. 39. Diplomatic relations have been established by the following states: ... Gambia/Iran: West Africa 27.1.75, p.114
^Africa Research Bulletin. Blackwell. 1975. p. 3554.
^Standard and Chartered Review. 1975. p. 18. The growing importance of the UAE was em- phasised with eight new ambassadors , from Austria , Belgium , Eire , The Gambia , Malaysia , Netherlands , Niger and Switzerland , presenting their credentials to the President .
^Africa Research Bulletin. Blackwell. 1975. p. 3724.
^"Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 53 (2). Department of Foreign Affairs: 92. February 1982. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
^ abNear East/North Africa Report Issue 2496. United States. Joint Publications Research Service. 1982. p. 32.
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^"Bilateral Relations". Republic of North Macedonia Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
^"Diplomatic and Consular List"(PDF). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade & Commerce Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. February 2020. p. 105. Retrieved 20 February 2024.