As the 2025 World Press Freedom Index report is scheduled for announcement on May 3, 2026, our nation stands at a critical crossroads regarding its democratic credentials. In 2024, The Gambia occupied a respectable 10th position in Africa and 58th in the world. While these figures suggest significant progress compared to the era of dictatorship, they also signal a plateau - a warning that the momentum of reform is beginning to stall in the eyes of the international community.
Mr President, our global standing is inextricably tethered to the legislative environment in which Gambian journalists operate. As a signatory to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The Gambia has committed itself to the principle that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. This includes the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information through any media. Yet, the gap between our international commitments and domestic legal reality remains a point of contention that directly affects our global ranking and our reputation as a "human rights capital".
Mr President, we cannot ignore the shadows cast by the draconian media laws that continue to linger in our statute books. Provisions regarding criminal defamation, sedition, and the publication of "false news" remain active threats to the Fourth Estate. These are the very tools that were used to silence dissent for over two decades. Their continued existence creates a "chilling effect", where journalists must often choose between investigative depth and the risk of prosecution. If these laws are not decisively addressed, we risk a slide in the 2025 report, which would be a setback for our national image.
Mr President, the alarm bells are ringing louder due to the recent proposal of the press regulation policy and the controversial Broadcasting Bill. The Gambia Press Union (GPU) and other key stakeholders have sounded a clear alarm, warning that these proposals, in their current form, threaten to roll back the gains of the last nine years. With the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) calling for the validation of this bill within this month, the media fraternity is rightly concerned that the state is seeking to tighten its grip on the airwaves and digital spaces rather than liberating them.
Mr President, we underscore the vital importance of not proceeding with this state-centric regulatory route. Instead of creating new layers of government control that will surely penalize our standing in the World Press Freedom Index, the path forward should be the empowerment of the Media Council of The Gambia. By making this self-regulatory body more independent and robust, the government can ensure ethical standards are met without resorting to the heavy-handedness of state interference. Self-regulation is the hallmark of a mature democracy; state control of content is the hallmark of its decline.
Mr President, it is important to reflect on the hope that characterised the transition of power nearly a decade ago. In 2016, a solemn promise was made to the Gambian people and the world: to abolish the draconian media laws that shackled our nation, which is yet to be honoured. While we acknowledge the growth in media plurality, the legal framework remains the "Achilles' heel" of our democracy. To leave these laws intact- or worse, to introduce new restrictive policies - is to leave the door open for regression, undermining the very legacy of reform your administration seeks to build.
Mr President, the eyes of the world will be on The Gambia this coming May. True leadership is defined by the courage to follow through on foundational promises, even when the political path is complex. By moving to repeal colonial-era relics and shelving restrictive new bills in favour of supporting an independent Media Council, you can ensure that The Gambia leads the continent in civil liberties. Let us ensure that when the 2025 report is read, it tells a story of a government that stood by its word and a nation where the truth is protected, not prosecuted.
Good day!