The Advisory, published on Tuesday, February 25 2025 by the West Africa and Sahel Office of the ISS, states that at the core of the country’s transition and stabilisation is revising the 1997 constitution to enable important institutional reforms that will redefine The Gambia’s politics and governance frameworks.
“This process is also key to the country’s security sector reform and transitional justice efforts, particularly in meeting the needs of victims of Jammeh’s rule,” it stated, noting that although the political and civil spaces have become less restrictive under Barrow’s administration, constitutional reform remains elusive.
“The revised constitution is silent on whether or when the presidential term limits clause will apply to Barrow. Disagreements among political actors persist over the new draft constitution. The National Assembly rejected the draft in 2020, resulting in a five-year stalemate. The government published a revised version in August 2024, which has been criticised by opposition parties and civil society,” it revealed, after an extensive consultative mission in The Gambia in November with political parties, civil society, NGOs and government agencies.
“Political actors and civil society representatives told the Institute for Security Studies they believed the latest draft would make Barrow eligible to run for two more terms. These are in addition to the two he would have already served by 2026, when the next presidential elections are due.
“Dubbed the ‘Barrow Constitution’, it is silent on whether or when the clause on presidential term limits will apply to Barrow. Unlike the 2020 version, the latest draft strengthens executive power by removing clauses requiring parliamentary approval of ministerial nominations and appointments to key state institutions. The draft retains presidential power to appoint five National Assembly members,” it added.
“Although the draft received its first reading in the National Assembly on 23 December 2024, and a second is being prepared, there are real risks of rejection. The main opposition United Democratic Party has vowed to vote it down. These entrenched positions necessitate a reactivation of ECOWAS involvement,” the advisory stated.
It proposes that ECOWAS could relaunch its mediation efforts led by former Nigerian president H.E. Goodluck Jonathan.
“Beyond failing to adopt a new constitution, The Gambia has struggled to register real progress towards transitional justice. The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission report recommends prosecuting individuals for human rights violations and international crimes committed from 1994-2017, and providing reparations for victims.”
The report stated that the continued support of ECOWAS is also vital for effective security sector reform. This notwithstanding, Gambians’ increasing calls for the departure of ECOWAS’ military Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG) – a mission whose deployment in January 2017 “to protect key state institutions and support security sector reform” – but its continued presence has implications for the country’s sovereignty.
Although the National Security Strategy and Security Sector Reform Strategy were adopted in 2020, no other major advances have been made, including rightsizing the defence and security forces.
“Underpinning this lack of progress is the continued distrust between the presidency and the military – particularly the army. This situation has made the presidency reliant on ECOMIG forces for security. The ECOWAS mission is increasingly seen as a protection force for Barrow’s regime, but should instead help the country finalise its security sector reform in the short term,” it observed.
However, given the slow pace of reform in The Gambia and the tense socio-political context, ECOWAS’ support remains necessary, according to ISS. The regional bloc’s decision in December 2024 to assess the financial implications of maintaining ECOMIG is a chance to launch a new cycle of dialogue between the political players [in The Gambia].
(The full text of the ISS advisory can be read on https://issafrica.org/iss-today/ecowas-is-still-pivotal-to-steadying-the-gambia-s-transition).
