Monies from foreign donors to Gambia government reduced significantly in 2013

US Dollar notes

Grants to The Gambia, moneys donated by multinational organisations and foreign governments, had reduced by more than D1 billion (about US$ 2,632,000) in 2013, statistics from Central Bank of The Gambia (CBG) has indicates.  

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBG states in its quarterly report, released on Friday, that grants (to The Gambia) declined significantly from D1.8 billion (US$  5, 260, 000) in 2012 to D725.1 million (US$ 2,000,000) in 2013.

The Committee has not given any reason for this negative development.  However, in 2013, President Jammeh abruptly withdrew The Gambia from the Commonwealth, and also cut diplomatic relations with Taiwan; an organization, and a country that used to donate to the country.

Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General to visit The Gambia ahead of November elections

Mrs Masire-Mwamba

Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Mmasekgoa Masire- Mwamba will visit The Gambia from 18 to 20 October 2011 for consultations ahead of the country’s polls next month.
 
While in Banjul, Mrs Masire-Mwamba, a national of Botswana, will meet senior government officials, leaders of political parties, representatives of civil society, members of the election management body, the media and other stakeholders.
 
“My visit to The Gambia is meant to demonstrate the commitment of the Commonwealth to support democratic processes in member countries,” Mrs Masire-Mwamba said.
 
“Elections lie at the heart of democracy. The conduct of credible and peaceful elections requires the full and unrestricted participation of all the key actors and the electorate. Those vying to represent the people of the country should be permitted to compete on a level playing field. Everyone needs to have the national interest at heart and behave with dignity and responsibility.”
 
She will be accompanied by the head of Africa Political Affairs Section, at the Commonwealth, Nigeria born, Ambassador Ayodele Oke.
The Commonwealth Secretariat has worked with the Government of The Gambia on a number of activities, including support to the judiciary, enterprise development, and tourism and media development.
 

W/A evaluates media roles in economic and political development

Media practitioners, civil society representatives and some academics from some Commonwealth countries in Africa recently completed a forum in The Gambia in which the roles and responsibilities of the media in economic and political development were discussed.

Organised and financed by the Commonwealth Secretariat, in collaboration with The Gambia Government, the forum stimulated debate on emerging economic development and democracy issues as well as journalism professionalism in the region.  

The programme was divided into two parts. The first part, held on 1 and 2 August at the Sheraton Hotel and Spa in Brufut, was a regional forum where delegates identified media training and capacity building priority needs, especially in communication and media for development.

This was followed by a three-day capacity building workshop specifically designed for Gambian journalists, and held at the University of The Gambia Law Faculty at MDI Road in Kanifing.  

“The forum avails participants the opportunity to learn from experts the ethics, responsibilities and techniques of professional journalism and the need to position the media as a tool for economic development, enhancing democracy through impartial, balanced and mature reporting,” said Alhaji Cham, Gambia’s Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure during the opening ceremony of the forum at the Sheraton Hotel on Monday.

Minister Cham acknowledged that the media is both an influential and inevitable element in the socio-economic and political development of any nation.