Many of these individuals have lived in the U.S. for years, having married to U.S. citizens, building families, contributing to communities, and integrating into American society. Their sudden removal without a structured reintegration plan risks overwhelming crisis due to The Gambia’s limited economic capacity, potentially fueling joblessness, youth frustration, and national instability. Their deportation thus will be pathetic and could affect our security and economy severely.
Mr President, the threats don’t end there. U.S. support for UN peacekeeping operations in Africa - critical for regional stability - is being scaled back. Washington is also reconsidering funding for the prosecution of former Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh, raising concerns about the future of transitional justice. The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC), which promised closure to victims of Jammeh's regime, could be left stranded, just days after U.S. Federal Prosecutors handed ex-jungler Michael Correa a quick and decisive guilty verdict.
Mr President, most symbolic of all is the looming threat of the U.S. embassy in Banjul closing its doors. For thousands of Gambians, the embassy provides critical access to visas, scholarships, trade opportunities, and development partnerships. Its closure would signal a sharp diplomatic regression and leave a gaping hole in bilateral engagement.The Gambia being a highly democratic and peaceful nation does not deserve such treatment from the US, that Gambia is one of the six African states among the 30 countries worldwide the U.S. intends to close its embassies.
Prior to the issue of its embassies closure, the U.S. has withdrawn USAID support and also plans to withdraw from the World Health Organisation and UNESCO. This in our view will gravely affect not only African countries like the Gambia but also nations around the world.
Mr President, worryingly, the Gambian government’s response to all this has been alarmingly muted. There has been little engagement with influential U.S. based Gambian citizens, activists, legal experts, business leaders, who could help lobby for the country’s interests. Neither has the government utilised platforms like the African Union to rally a unified continental position ahead of US-Africa policy shifts.
This is a moment that demands urgency and bold leadership. The Gambia must send a high-level delegation to Washington to negotiate a moratorium on deportations and secure reintegration assistance. Simultaneously, it should establish a permanent diaspora engagement council, giving overseas Gambians a formal voice in shaping national policy interest and international outreach.
Regionally, The Gambia must step up as a diplomatic leader. By advocating an AU-coordinated framework on U.S. policy, covering trade, climate finance, security, and migration, that can help shape a new Africa-US relationship based on mutual respect and shared priorities.
Mr President, diplomatic damage control must also come from the top. As President of the nation, you are expected to write directly to the U.S. President, providing security guarantees and reaffirming The Gambia’s commitment to peace, human rights, and democratic values.
Finally Mr President if U.S. funding for the Jammeh trial is withdrawn, The Gambia must pivot swiftly to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the EU, ECOWAS and other international partners to protect the integrity of the TRRC process and deliver justice for victims.
This is not merely a bilateral disagreement. It is a defining test of The Gambia’s statecraft, its respect for its diaspora, and its place in global diplomacy.
Inaction will invite hardship and diplomatic humiliation, even though The Gambia is an ally to the U.S. But strategic diplomacy, diaspora unity, and African solidarity can chart a different course - one of respect, resilience, and renewed partnerships.
Good day!