Stakeholders welcomed the visit as a timely and constructive engagement, underscoring the importance of dialogue in safeguarding national stability. The Director General’s outreach is seen as a clear signal of the SIS’s commitment to transparency, reform, and proactive engagement in addressing evolving security challenges across the country.
During their visit at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), to which the country’s human rights commission had given SIS a clean bill of health, confirming that the commission had not received a single complaint against the agency since 2017.
This milestone underscores the transformation of the SIS under the stewardship of Director General Hon. Ousman Sowe, who has overseen wide-ranging reforms aimed at reshaping the institution into a modern, rights-respecting intelligence service, positioning the SIS as the country premier intelligence service.
According to the NHRC, the absence of complaints reflects the SIS’s commitment to upholding human rights and adhering to its pledge of “no arrests, no detention” since the change of government in 2017. This policy shift marked a decisive break from past practices, positioning the SIS as a professional intelligence body focused on safeguarding national security while respecting civil liberties.
Observers note that the reforms have included greater transparency, enhanced accountability mechanisms, and a renewed emphasis on intelligence-led operations rather than coercive measures. The SIS has also invested in capacity-building, training, and modernisation programmes to align its operations with democratic values and international best practices.
The NHRC’s endorsement is seen as a significant vote of confidence in the SIS, reinforcing public trust in an institution that was once viewed with suspicion. Under its current leadership, the agency has sought to redefine its role in a democratic society, balancing national security imperatives with the protection of fundamental rights.
The Commission, through its Chairman Emmanuel Joof, made these remarks on Friday during a visit to the NHRC as part of Director General Ousman Sowe’s nationwide security assessment tour.
The tour has enabled the country’s spy chief to engage with key stakeholders, including the NHRC, the University of The Gambia (UTG), the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (SIC), Tango, and other critical institutions. The initiative is aimed at reinforcing collaboration and strengthening partnerships in the collective effort to maintain peace and stability across the nation.
During his visit to the Supreme Islamic Council (SIC), the Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and the SIC leadership discussed a wide range of issues. These included the promotion of religious tolerance, regional security challenges—particularly terrorism in the Sahel, the need for public sensitisation, and strengthening partnerships and collaboration on matters of national security. Both sides emphasised the importance of avoiding the politicisation of the pulpit and instead using it to preach peace and unity.
At TANGO, the umbrella body for civil society organisations in The Gambia, the SIS chief held talks with the executive on several governance and security related matters. Discussions centred on the role of civil society in governance, ongoing security sector reforms, the involvement of NGOs in national security issues, and the pending NGO Bill before the National Assembly. The meeting also highlighted the importance of monitoring NGO activities to ensure alignment with national security priorities.
The delegation also visited the University of The Gambia (UTG), where DG Sowe and his team engaged with the university leadership on research, peace, and security. Key topics included human centred security in areas such as health and education, the regional security situation, terrorism, and the need for academic research to support peace and security initiatives. The discussions further addressed responsible use of social media and cyberspace, migration, and other emerging challenges.
Throughout the tour, Director General Ousman Sowe reaffirmed the SIS’s commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the country, as well as its dedication to institutional reforms. The visits to these key institutions serve as a clear demonstration of the Service’s adherence to the principles of Security Sector Reform (SSR) and its determination to foster collaboration across all sectors in pursuit of national security and stability.
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