With modest resources, The Gambia is asserting itself on the West African stage through soft power, mediation, and growing institutional influence. Since 2017, The Gambia has been working to restore its democratic image and credibility. This momentum, illustrated by the appointment of Omar Alieu Touray as President of the ECOWAS Commission in 2022, testifies to a successful strategy combining economic pragmatism and diplomatic ambition.
On the regional stage, power is no longer measured solely by classical indicators. With a population of 2.9 million, a surface area of 11,300 km², a GDP of $2.59 billion, and an army of 4,000 personnel, The Gambia might seem to be lagging behind. Yet, the country asserts itself through agile diplomacy. By favouring dialogue over giants like Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), The Gambia has turned the page on the 22 years of the Yahya Jammeh regime from 1994 to 2016, marked by human rights violations, to begin a democratic transition since 2016.
Our nation has travelled a demanding, yet decisive path. From democratic renewal to economic recovery, through institutional reconstruction and national stabilisation. The task that fell to my government was not only to govern, but also to restore.
Adama Barrow, President of the Republic – Gambia
The climax of this soft power and mediation strategy came in July 2022, when ECOWAS heads of state appointed the Gambian diplomat Omar Alieu Touray as President of the Commission for a four-year term. His candidacy, endorsed by the country, marked a major consecration of Gambian diplomatic expertise on the regional stage, offering the country a high-profile institutional platform.
The people of West Africa have lived within an integrated ECOWAS community for several decades. Populations enjoy freedom of movement within our community space and are beginning to perceive the benefits of our common market, where local products are traded freely in a market of more than 400 millions inhabitants.
Omar Alieu Touray, Former President of the ECOWAS Commission – Gambia
Beyond diplomacy, the Gambian economy is also gaining credibility thanks to financial discipline, which propelled real GDP growth to 6.1% in 2025, compared to 5.6% in 2024. This market of approximately $2 billion reassures its partners. According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), this dynamism is based on agriculture (30% of GDP) and tourism (12% of GDP). The adoption of the Common External Tariff (CET) and the modernisation of the port of Banjul consolidate its role as a logistics hub for Senegal, Mali, and Guinea-Bissau.
Our policies and programmes have consistently been guided by solid planning frameworks and well-defined roadmaps for the design and management of national development initiatives, as well as by accountability mechanisms. At short term, the national development plan focused on reconciliation, the 2023-2027 Agenda, will continue to contribute to consolidating our achievements and accelerating the ongoing socio-economic transformation process.
Adama Barrow, President of the Republic – Gambia
While Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire remain the pillars of ECOWAS, The Gambia, possessing a market of $2.79 billion, demonstrates its ability to foster consensus and institutional cohesion, establishing itself as a key player in community development and regional cooperation.
