WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION  
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE  
ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
14 October 2010 
 (10-5290) 
  
Trade Policy Review Body 
14 and 16 September 2010 Original:   English/ 
 anglais/ 
 inglés  
   
TRADE POLICY REVIEW 
THE GAMBIA 
Record of the Meeting
 
Addendum  
Chairperson:  H.E. Mr. Bozkurt Aran (Turkey) 
 
 This document contains the advance written questions, and replies provided by The Gambia.1 
__________________________________________________________________________________  
Organe d'examen des politiques commerciales 
14 et 16 septembre 2010 
 
EXAMEN DES POLITIQUES COMMERCIALES 
GAMBIE 
Compte rendu de la réunion
 
Addendum  
Président:  S.E. M. Bozkurt Aran (Turquie) 
 
 Le présent document contient les questions écrites communiquées à l'avance et les réponses fournies par la Gambie.
1 
__________________________________________________________________________________  Órgano de Examen de las Políticas Comerciales 14 y 16 de septiembre de 2010 
 
EXAMEN DE LAS POLÍTICAS COMERCIALES 
GAMBIA 
Acta de la reunión
 
Addendum  
Presidente:  Excmo. Sr. Bozkurt Aran (Turquía) 
 
 En el presente documento figuran las pre guntas presentadas anticipadamente por escrito, 
junto con las respuestas facilitadas por Gambia.1 
                                                      
1 In English only./En anglais seulement./En inglés solamente.  WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
 Page 3 
 
 
  REPLIES PROVIDED BY THE GA MBIA TO ADVANCE QUESTIONS 
UNITED STATES Question 1: Page 11, Paragraph 3:  The Secret ariat Report states:  "A special Commercial 
Division was established in 2004 at the High Court to deal exclusively with commercial matters, in 
order to avoid delays encountered in the normal cour t system.  However, due to capacity constraints, 
this goal has not been achieved and long delays rem ain in reaching judgement, and its execution, in 
commercial cases.  An Alternative Dispute Resolu tion system was established in 2008 for settlements 
out of court, but no details have been made available of how this is working".  What steps is The Gambia taking to improve the prosecution of commerc ial matters in light of the challenges facing the 
Commercial Division?  In the spirit of transparency,  please provide details on how the Alternative 
Dispute Resolution system is working. 
Answer: 
 The Alternative Dispute Resolution System is governed by the Alternative Dispute Resolution 
Act 2005.  The System is managed by a secretariat which is independent in the performance of its 
functions.  It deals with conciliation, arbitration a nd mediation.  The Arbitration Tribunal is composed 
of a number of arbitrators, determined by the Par ties.  In the absence of an agreement on the number 
of arbitrators, the Act provides that "the number sh all be three in the case of International Arbitration 
and one in any other case".  The parties also have the right to agree on the procedure to be followed 
by the Arbitral Tribunal and in the absence of an agreement, the tribunal shall conduct the Arbitration 
in the manner it considers appropriate. 
Question 2: When does The Gambia anticipate notif ying its Customs Valuation Legislation to the 
WTO Committee on Customs Valuation? 
Answer: 
 The Gambia has changed its legislation on va luation of goods by incorporating the WTO 
Valuation on imported goods, exci sable goods, and goods for export in its new Customs and Excise 
ACT, 2010.  In this new legislation, the value of  imported goods will be de termined in accordance 
with the provisions of the WTO Agreement on Customs Valuation.  The WTO Committee on 
Customs Valuation will be informed of th is development before the end of 2010. 
Question 3: The Secretariat notes that "The Ga mbia, with other ECOWAS Member States, is 
negotiating the introduction of a fifth tariff band, at  35%, based on harmonization of national lists 
submitted by members, and of national exceptions to the ECOWAS Common Tariff".  What is the tariff 
harmonization implementation schedule?  When does The Gambia plan to fully implement the CET? 
Answer: 
 The introduction of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET), adopted in 2006 by the 
ECOWAS Authority is an ECOWAS programme towa rds the establishment of a Customs Union.  The 
Gambia started aligning its tariff to the CET in 2006 as part of the harmonisation process.  As part of the harmonisation process, the ECOWAS Member States also identified and submitted to the 
ECOWAS Commission the list of products (classified as Type B list) for which th ey wish to negotiate 
and agree under the CET.  From these negotiations th e need for a fifth band emerged and was adopted 
by the ECOWAS Authority in 2008 at 35%.  Each  ECOWAS Member State has also identified and 
submitted to ECOWAS a list of products pr oposed for classification under the fifth band. WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
Page 4  
 
   The ECOWAS Member States are currently negotiating, at the regional level, both the 
Type B lists and products for cl assification under the fifth band under the CET.  The Gambia's full 
implementation of the CET is tied to the co mpletion of the negotiations under the CET. 
Question 4: The Secretariat states that "Importe d soft drinks and imported beer are subject to 
higher rates than the corresponding domestic items".  Are these excise taxes with in the limits of The 
Gambia's tariff bindings? 
Answer: 
 The Gambia has bound the importation of soft drinks and beer at 110% in its WTO Schedule 
of Commitments.  The introduction of excise tax of  D 5 per litre for soft drink and D 100 per litre for 
beer in 2010, converted to percentages, would s till be within the limits of The Gambia's tariff 
bindings. 
Question 5: According to the Secretariat, "The value of imported goods for sales tax purposes is 
the value including all duties and charges paid on import into The Gambia, and including the value of any incidental services such as packaging, insuran ce, transportation, guarantee costs or any other 
services giving rise to commission".  Please explain The Gambia's application of sales taxes to 
imported goods in light of  Article III of the GATT. 
Answer: 
 The Gambia's application of sales tax is in  conformity with Article III of GATT.  The 
Gambia's application of sales taxes on goods imported into the country is based on the application of 
the designated rate on the sales tax value which incl udes all duties, charges, and incidental services 
connected to the importation. 
Question 6: Page 32, Paragraph 31:  The Secretar iat Report states that provisional measures 
may be taken 60 days after the start of any investiga tion.  Please confirm that provisional measures 
may not be imposed before the advisory committee fi nds, at least on a preliminary basis, that the 
goods are dumped or subsidized and that these dump ed or subsidized imports are causing injury, 
threat of injury or material retardation of an industry in The Gambia. 
Answer: 
 The Gambia confirms that provisional measure s will not be taken before findings of the 
Advisory Committee as the measures are to be based  on the preliminary findings of the Committee 
that the goods are dumped or subsidized and that the dumped or subsidized imports are causing injury 
or threat of injury that can materially retard established industries in The Gambia. 
Question 7: Page 32, Paragraph 32:  The Secretariat Report describes how the Gambian 
Authorities will determine the amount of the an tidumping or countervailing duty to be imposed.  
Please explain this provision in light of the re quirements of Article 2 of the WTO Agreement on 
Antidumping, which addressed the determination of dumpi ng, or with the Articles 1, 2, 3 and 14 of the 
Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, which relate to the definition and identification of actionable subsidies and the calculation of the benefit there from. 
Answer: 
 The Gambia Customs and Excise Act 2010 has provisions for the imposition of an 
antidumping or countervailing duty, where the Minister is satisfied on the findings of the Advisory Committee that dumped or subsidised product are causing injury or threat of injury that can materially  WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
 Page 5 
 
 
  retard established industries in The Gambia.  The Act provides that the antidumping duty or 
countervailing duty shall not exceed the dumping marg in, which is in line with the Provision of 
Article 2 of the WTO Agreement on Antidumping. 
Question 8:  Page 32, Paragraph 34:  The Secretariat Report states that the Minister may impose 
on imports "such conditions or rates of duty (…) de emed necessary to protect The Gambia's interest 
where the country of importation practices unfair or restrictive trade practices on Gambian goods 
exported to that country".  Please explain such actio n in light of The Gambia's WTO obligations.  Has 
this provision ever been invoked?  If so, please explain the circumstances under which duties or other 
"conditions" have been imposed on imports.  In those instances, what were the "unfair or restrictive" 
trade practices by the country to which Gambian goods were exported? 
Answer: 
 The unfair trade practices referred to are mainly export subsidies that cause injury or threaten 
to cause injury to producers of  the exported similar products. 
 The Gambia has not yet invoked this provision on any imports. 
Question 9: Pages 33-34, Paragraphs 36-40:  Pl ease explain The Gambia's import prohibitions 
as well as its conditional and licensing restrictions .  How and on what basis are products assigned to 
these lists? 
Answer: 
 The Eighth Schedule of The Gambia's Cust oms and Excise Act 2010 has clearly specified 
goods that are subject to outright prohibitions and th ose that are subject to conditional restrictions by 
obtaining the necessary authorization from the releva nt Authorities.  Therefore, all importations into 
The Gambia have to be confirmed to satisfy the necessary legal restrictions if they fall under the 
Eighth Schedule. 
Question 10:  Page 36 paragraph 47 of the Secret ariat report states that the "National Codex 
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee, Food Control Advisory Board" are responsible for enforcing 
the Food Act 2005 and development of measures for animal, plant, and food protection.  Please 
explain how these three bodies ensu re that such measures are ba sed on science and comply with 
international standards as opposed to reg ional standards such as the EU's? 
Answer: 
 These three bodies were established by the Food  Act 2005 with clearly defined mandates and 
responsibilities and are very much complementary in their functions. 
 The Food Control Advisory Board (FCAB) oversees the implementation of the Food Act 
2005 and has only an advisory role.  It is also r esponsible for the appointment of the Members of the 
National Codex Committee and the Compliance Committee.  As such these two bodies can be considered as Committees of the Board. 
 The National Codex Sanitary and Phytosanita ry Committee (NCSPSC) in accordance with the 
Food Act 2005 is primarily responsible for the prep aration and/or adoption of food standards and 
sanitary and phytosanitary measures that are complian t with international norms.  In the case of food 
standards Codex Standards and recommended Codes of  Practices are used as the bench mark for the 
work of the NCSPSC in these areas.  For sanitary  measures OIE recommended standards Codes of 
Practice are used as bench marks.  For phytosanita ry standards measures, IPPC standards and Codes WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
Page 6  
 
  of Practice are used as bench marks.  As a matter of  principle, the NCSPSC will only resort to the use 
of regional standards as reference where internati onal standards either do not exist or cannot be 
accessed by the Committee.  The use of science -based risk assessment by the NCSPSC has been 
pretty much minimal given the lack of adequa te competence by the Committee Members in this 
discipline.  Furthermore the Food Act 2005 has b een silent on the use of science based risk 
assessment.  However, this aspect h as been remedied in the draft F ood Safety and Quality Bill 2010. 
 Given that we are bench marking with inte rnationally recognized standards (Codex, OIE, 
IPPC) means that the measures taken are based on science. 
 The Compliance Committee is entrusted with the powers of ensuring that the Competent 
Authorities responsible for enforcing the Food Act and its attendant Regula tions carry out their 
functions properly.  Furthermore, it ensures th e coordination of the activities of the Competent 
Authorities, resolve conflicts existing or that may arise in the course of the exercise of the food 
control functions carried out by the Competent Au thorities.  It also resolves gaps and addresses 
overlaps. 
Question 11: Page 37, paragraph 50 of Secretar iat report states that a new Food Safety and 
Quality Bill covering all food products for human  and animal consumption has recently been 
drafted".  What is the status of this bill and any corresponding implementing regulations? 
Answer: 
 The Bill has been subjected to a national va lidation workshop by stakeholders including 
government, industry, primary producers, consumer organizations and intern ational organizations.  
The draft Bill was also to the WTO for the notification of WTO Members.  It is now with the Ministry 
of Justice where the legal drafting is being done.  Additionally draft Regulations for Fishery Products 
2010 are being formulated and expected to be finalized by end October 2010. 
Question 12: Page 38, Paragraph 54 and page (ix) Paragraph 25:  The Secretariat Report states:  
"Imports of cereals, pulses or legumes, including rice, require phytosanitary certificates issued by the 
national plant protection service of the country of origin, and fumigation certificates issued by the 
exporting company or an approved company".  Are these phytosanita ry import requirements based on 
a pest risk assessment? 
Answer: 
 Yes, these Phytosanitary Import Requireme nts are based on a pest risk assessment. 
Question 13: Page 38, Paragraph 55 and page (ix) Paragraph 25:  The Secretariat Report states:  
"The Minister of Health may, at any time, issue regulations providing that food items may not be 
imported unless manufactured in accordance with specified standards.  In recent months, action has 
been taken against consignments of chicken and of e ggs that were manifestly unhealthy".  Have the 
specified measures been notified to the WTO and are they consistent with international standards?  
Please identify the international standards  upon which this action has been taken. 
Answer:  The WTO was not notified.  The products were manifestly deteriorated.  Based on provisional 
risk assessment, precautionary measure was take n to declare the products unsafe for human 
consumption in accordance with th e provisions of the Food Act 2005.  WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
 Page 7 
 
 
  Question 14: Page 39, Paragraph 60:  Are the Gambia's export duties applied on a MFN basis?  
At the time of The Gambia's last TPR in 2004, there was a 10% export duty from which European 
Union countries were exempted.  Has this changed? 
Answer: 
 The Gambia applies export duty only on waste and scrap of precious me tals which are taxed 
at 5% on MFN basis. 
Question 15: Pages 44-45:  Does the Gambia have criminal penalties for cases of trademark 
counterfeiting?  If not, why not?  If so, what are the penalties? 
Answer: 
 The Industrial Property Act prescribes the punishme nt of five thousand Dalasis (equivalent to 
US$185) or imprisonment of six months for infringement of a trademark. 
Question 16: Pages 44-45:  Does the Gambia have a border enforcement mechanism to combat 
trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy?  If not , why not?  If so, what is the enforcement 
mechanism? 
Answer:  The Gambia currently does not have enfo rcement mechanism to combat trademark 
counterfeiting and copyright piracy along her borders.  This is mainly due to lack of capacity and 
resources to effectively monitor trademark counte rfeiting and copyright piracy.  The Gambia will 
explore the possibility of engaging developmen t partners on building capacity in this area. 
Question 17: Page 57, Paragraphs  60 and 61:  The Secretariat describes 11 areas of action that 
The Gambia proposed in 2008 be undertaken over a 5 year period (MSME) to mitigate the "many 
constraints to the development of" micro, small and medium enterprise sector.  Included in the 
11 areas is "improvement of social protection, sa fe working conditions and financial security".  How 
has The Gambia addressed the n eed, as the Secretariat states, for "a substantial degree of 
cooperation and coordination among a large number of  government ministries and agencies, private 
sector operators, and external assistance providers" to be able to succeed in all 11 areas?  Could The 
Gambia clarify what needs to be improved with respect to "safe working conditions" and the steps the 
government is taking to address safe  conditions for workers in the MSME? 
Answer: 
 These 11 areas proposed in the Action Plan of  the MSME policy document are meant to 
implement the proposed strategies outlined in the pol icy to address the major constraints impeding the 
growth and development of the MSME sector.  The review of the MSME sector has highlighted 
11 major issues that are inhibiting the development of the MSME sector In The Gambia.  Social 
protection, safe working conditions and financial security, are among the MSME policy objectives 
that will be pursued during the course of the progra mme implementation.  The Government intends to 
address these elements in the following ways: 
a. Support the service providers in promoting social protection and decent work principles 
amongst MSMEs in accordance with principles contained in the Labour Act of 2007. 
b. Encourage MSMEs to practice Mutual Health Insurance Schemes in their operations through 
Small Business Associations (SBAs), workers confederations and trade unions. WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
Page 8  
 
  c. Explore means for Government and stakeholders  to provide financial guarantee schemes for 
MSMEs in the form of insurance for some sp ecific aspects of their operations.  This will 
encourage MSME operators to develop th e attitude and culture of risk-taking. 
d. Study practical social protection pack ages suitable for MSMEs in The Gambia. 
e. Introduce applicable social protection progra mme packages to MSMEs and sensitise them on 
their adoption into their operations. 
f. Organise study tours for selected entrepreneurs to  gain practical knowle dge and experience on 
how social protection schemes are organised and managed within MSMEs. 
g. Create linkages between MSMEs, large scale ente rprises, including financial institutions and 
insurance companies by organising thematic fora  to discuss a great number of potentials that 
exist in partnerships between players in different  levels of the economy, who must all be seen 
complementing each other's effort. 
h. Conduct social marketing services, in other words, mass media promotional activities to raise 
public awareness about good practices and experi ences in social protection and decent work 
environment for MSME workers.  Such experi ences can be drawn from several parts of the 
world including Senegal and Ghana. 
 For the effective implementation of the MS ME policy programmes, the Government has 
recently established a new agency called the Gambia  Investment and Export Promotion Agency with 
a specialised department on enterprise support and de velopment, which will be providing the business 
development services.  The Agency will coordinate  and monitor the implementation of the Action 
Plan.  It will work with various ministries, depart ments and agencies, private operators and external 
assistance providers in supporting the development of  MSMEs.  The Institution will also be assisted 
by a Technical Advisory Council, which comprises of all the key stakeholders.  Finally, with the MSME policy and an Agency established to operati onalise it, many of the MSMEs operating in the 
informal sector would now be form alised and therefore would be able  to comply with various laws, 
including labour laws. 
Question 18:  Page 67, paragraph 3:  According to the Secretariat,in la te 2009, the government 
accessed funding under the Enhanced IF (EIF) Trust Fund which "provides an opportunity to 
enhance trade policy formulation in the Gambia and to ensure that trade is mainstreamed at an 
operational level in the successor document to th e current national development strategy which 
expires in 2011".  How does The Gambia plan to build  on the opportunity that the EIF project offers 
to ensure that trade is mainstreamed into The Gambia's national development strategy? 
Answer: 
 In the process of implementing the EIF Pr ogramme, provision is made to support the 
mainstreaming of trade in the Poverty Reduction St rategy Paper of The Gambia.  Currently a proposal 
has been made for appropriate institutions to embark on the mainstreaming process.  In this process, it 
is expected that trade and trade-related concerns are featured adequately in the national development 
budget so as to enhance Aid for Trade ODA resources. 
Question 19: Page 71, paragraph 27:  According to  the Secretariat, "Gambia has not requested 
assistance from the Trade Facilitation Trust Fund, set up within the context of the DDA and managed by the WTO Secretariat, to conduct a national se lf assessment of its trade facilitation needs and 
priorities".  In section "3.2 Trade Facilitation, " the Government Report (WT/TPR/G/233) states that 
"The Customs and Excise Act 2010 (...) should (...) al low the possibility of self assessment".  Now that  WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
 Page 9 
 
 
  The Trade Facilitation Needs Assessment Progr amme, which was officially launched in 
September 2007, has ended what next steps is the government planning to undertake self assessment 
and address its trade facilitation needs?  How will The Customs and Excise Act 2010 allow the 
possibility of self assessment? 
Answer:  The self assessment referred to in the gove rnment report is in relation to the new 
ASYCUDA++ that has created a window to make it possible for the operators to assess their tax 
liabilities.  The training of operators on self ass essment of their tax liabilities as well as Customs 
officers is part of the ASYCUDA++ Project, which is currently being implemented.  On matters 
relating to trade facilitation needs particularly as it relates to customs, Gove rnment will continue to 
seek the support of the World Customs Organisati on as well as development partners both at the 
multilateral and bilateral levels. 
INDIA 
Question 20: Secretariat report Para 7.  "The Ga mbia Incorporated:  Vision 2020", adopted in 
1996, remains the Government's overall guiding devel opment policy document.  It calls for the 
transformation of The Gambia into "a dynamic mi ddle income country" by 2020.  We would like the 
Gambia to share progress achieved till 2009 in  meeting objectives of this document. 
Answer: 
 To achieve the objectives outlined in the Vi sion 2020 the Government of The Gambia has 
come up with a Poverty Reduction Strategy Pape r (PRSP), which is a medium term strategic 
framework covering a 5 year period for the implementation of the country's development 
programmes.  Thus PRSP II also sets the national framework for reducing poverty and attaining the 
Millennium Development Goals.  The most recen t PRSP assessment report, which was one of the 
series of such assessments done in the past, has highlighted achievements and shortfalls in the 
implementation of the PRSP.  The report highlights the following achievements: 
− The Gambia has been able to  maintain sustained macroec onomic stability from 2003-2008.  
The rate of economic growth continue to be  above the PSRP target of 4.5% with actual 
growth rates of 6.3% and 6.1% for the years 2007 and 2008 respectively. 
− The inflation target of 5% has been achieved fro m 5.4% in 2007 to 4.5% in 2008.  Despite the 
decline in the fiscal position from a surplus of 0.5% of GDP in 2007 to a deficit of 2.2% of GDP in 2008, the actual deficit still remains within the PRSP desired target of 3.1%. 
− The reduction of the domestic debt to GDP ratio has been a key objective in the PRGF 
agreement with IMF.  This targ et has been consistently met over the years with declines in 
outturns from 28.4% in 2007 to 25.4% in 2008, compared to targets of 28.5% and 26.5% 
respectively. 
− Real GDP at constant market price was proj ected to decline from 6.3% in 2008 to 5% in 
2009. 
− The productive sectors, especially agricultura l sector performed significantly better in 2008 
than 2007 mainly due to the good rains experien ced in 2008, as The Gambia's agriculture is 
rain-fed.  Rice growing was particularly successful due to the introduction of the NERICA rice. WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
Page 10  
 
  − In terms of tourism, there has been an improve ment in the total number of tourist arrivals 
from 124,800 in 2006 to 142,626 in 2007, which further increase to 146,759 in 2008. 
− The education sector has registered significant gains at the basic and higher levels with 
enrolments increased from 43% to 65% in 2008. 
− There has been a significant expansion in both primary and secondary health care services in 
recent years leading to 85% ph ysical access to basic health services.  In addition, over 
85-97% of the population are within 3 to 7.5km travelling time to basic health facility and 
primary health care. 
− There has been decline in the child mortality rate from 159 per 1,000 to 93 per 1,000 up till 
2006.  The target of reducing under-5 mortality rate to 133 per 1,000 has been met;  in 2009, 
under-5 mortality rate is at 128 per 1,000. 
− Increasing access to safe drinking water has been registered. 
− Industry has increased its contribution to GDP to 12.5%. 
 Although the assessment of the PRSP II (and M DGS) as the national development strategy 
framework had indicated some success, it had largely failed to impact significantly on poverty, 
particularly income poverty leading to high rate of  rural-urban drift, which has also affected urban 
poverty.  The macroeconomic stability achieved over  the years could not lead to increase private 
investment, particularly in sectors that are labour inte nsive to reduce income poverty.  To this end, the 
Government of The Gambia have started re-thinking  of alternative development strategy that would 
lead to a broad based growth an d employment where the poor would share the benefit, and hence the 
programme for accelerated growth and employme nt (PAGE), before the end of the PRSP II 
programme circle 2007-2011. 
Question 21: Secretariat report, Para 39.  A comprehensive Trade Policy Action Plan has been 
drafted and is in the process of adoption.  What is  the time frame by when the Trade Policy Action 
programme will be adopted? 
Answer:  Following the drafting of the Trade policy Action programme, it was realised that the 
comprehensive nature of the Trade Policy Action Plan will be difficult to implement in the short to the 
medium term as most of the activities fall outside the mandate of the Ministry of Trade.  In the mean time, the Ministry of Trade, Regional Integra tion and Employment will prepare a medium term 
programme in fulfilment of the requirement of the EIF Tier 2 guidelines so that funding of projects 
will address supply side constraints to ensure cons istency with the overall development objectives of 
The Gambia. 
Question 22:  Secretariat report, Para 3.  Fact ors that have been iden tified as hindering business 
and investment include:  the current tax structure:  i nadequate infrastructure;  weak judicial system;  
high real interest rates;  and lack of access to credit.  In addition, future growth is vulnerable due to 
high levels of public debt;  this would be exacer bated if there is a financing shortfall or a worsening 
of the terms of trade.  We would like The Gambia to elaborate steps it proposes to take to meet these 
challenges.  WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
 Page 11 
 
 
  Answer: 
 The Government of the Gambia is currently re forming its tax structure by lowering taxes and 
broadening the tax base.  For example in 2010 fiscal  year, the government reduced the corporate tax 
by 2% and this may continue if the revenue res ponse is positive.  The Gove rnment had engaged the 
IMF to review its tax policy last year and the recommendations of the Fund are being considered by 
the government.  The Government has also embark ed on a nationwide road construction and a good 
number of roads have already been completed . 90% of the Western Region's and the North Bank 
Region's feeder roads projects were completed.  Wi th the proliferation of commercial banks in the 
country, access to credit is improving.  Recently, there has been a gradual reduction of interest charge on loans by the commercial from 35% down to 27%.  In addition, the existence of a large number of 
micro-finance institutions also im proves access to credit.  The recent reforms in the financial system 
initiated by the Central Bank such as the introduction of a Credit Reference Bureau have contributed 
to improving access to credit. 
 The Government of the Gambia has recen tly negotiated a Growth and Competitiveness 
Project with the World Bank, which will be presen ted for Board approval in September 2010.  The 
project has among its three components one on improving the Business Environment, which includes 
legal amendments to the Companies and Business Regi stration Acts and other re levant legislations to 
simplify the procedures and reduce cost and time taken to start and operate a business, design and 
operation of an integrated secured lending system to  support access to finance especially for MSMEs, 
and tax administration reform to complement s upport for the implementation of tax administration 
reforms through technical assistance and capacity building. 
Question 23: Secretariat report, Para 45.  In 2007 it was reported that only five out of seven 
existing plants were in operation due to shortages of fish, high prices and  irregular supplies of 
electricity, and high cost of finance.  The Gambia is  requested to provide latest status of the fish 
processing plants. 
Answer:  There are only 20 locally registered fishing co mpanies;  only 6 factories have so far been 
certified to export their products to European Union Countries.  In 2010, only six (6) fish processing 
plants were approved for processing and exports, but only five (5) are in operation.  Of the five plants, 
four (4) depend on fish capture and one (1) on farmed shrimps. 
 Furthermore, two (2) of the four processing pl ants are operating continuously while the other 
two operate as and when the demand is there.  The shrimp farm plant operates seasonally depending 
on the harvest time.  The reasons for poor performan ce by some are due to capital investment, high 
cost of finance and management as the cost of elect ricity has gone down for the fish processing plants. 
Question 24:  Secretariat, Para 27.  Gambia has not requested assistance from the Trade 
Facilitation Trust Fund, set up within the context of the DDA and managed by the WTO Secretariat, 
to conduct a national self-assessment of its trade facilitation needs and priorities.  Is there any reason 
that The Gambia has not requested this assistance and is The Gambia considering any rethink in this 
regard? 
Answer:  
 There is no reason why The Gambia has not re quested assistance from the Trade Facilitation 
Trust Fund to conduct a nationa l self assessment of its trade facilitation needs and priorities.  
However, The Gambia will request for support if th is assistance is still available bilaterally and/or 
multilaterally to conduct a national self assessment of its trade facilitation needs and priorities. WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
Page 12  
 
  EUROPEAN UNION 
Question 25:  WTO Secretariat's Report, page 32, para 27:  The report notes that "[i]n addition to 
the schedule of excise duties, excise  taxes are charged at specific rates on a number of items".  Could 
The Gambia explain th e difference between excise duties and excise taxes? 
Answer:  Excise duties are internal taxes levied on do mestic manufactures intended for the domestic 
market, while excise tax is a selective tax levied on imports into the country. 
Question 26: The secretariat report adds that "[ i]mported soft drinks and imported beer are 
subject to higher rates than the corresponding dom estic items".  This constitutes a discriminatory 
treatment between imported and domes tic items which is contrary to the non-discriminatory nature of 
WTO rules.  How does The Gambia plan to  abolish this discriminatory treatment? 
Answer: 
 The Gambia's application of excise tax is  to help implement policies and programmes 
designed to raise general standard of living by  supporting the growth of local industries for 
employment generation and poverty re duction.  This is believed to be  in line with Article XVIII of 
GATT on government assistance to economic devel opment and The Gambia will notify the WTO on 
this matter in due course. 
Question 27: The report also notes that "[i]n ad dition, the Gambia imposes an environmental tax 
on un-manufactured tobacco at D 75/kg;  tobacco products at D 10/kg and used vehicles at D 1,000 per unit".  Could The Gambia give more de tails on how it establishes the tax base for this 
tax? 
Answer: 
 The environmental tax on tobacco products a nd used vehicles is based on an internal 
regulation meant to help discourage the consumptio n of tobacco products and the importation of old 
vehicles with environmental hazards. 
Question 28: WTO Secretariat's report, page ix, para 25.  The report indicates that "[i]mports of 
cereals, pulses or legumes, including rice, require ph ytosanitary certificates issued by national plant 
protection service of the country of origin, and fumigation certificates issued by the exporting 
company or an approved company".  Could The Gambia confirm whether information on import 
requirements for plants and plant products as we ll as a list of quarantine pests will be made 
available, i.e. on the IPPC website? 
Answer:  Yes, the information on import requirement fo r plants and plant products as well as list of 
quarantine pests will be available on the IPPC website. 
Question 29: Could The Gambia explain which ki nd of fumigation certificates would be required?  
In case of methyl bromide, has Gambia consid ered the recommendations provided in the Montreal 
Protocol and by IPPC to restrict/s top the use of methyl bromide?  WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
 Page 13 
 
 
  Answer: 
 The fumigation certificate required is phostoxin tablets which is used for fumigation in The 
Gambia.  Methyl bromide is banned by the Gambia as one of the dirty dozen.  Hence the Gambia is 
line with the recommendations provided in the Montreal Protocol and by IPPC to stop the use of methyl bromide. 
CANADA Question 30:  Secretariat report Section 2, Sector al Performance:  2.2 Tourism:  paragraph 26, 
page 9.  The Tourism Development Master Plan came in to effect in 2007.  Is there a finite end date to 
this plan?  If not, how will it determine success of the Plan (i.e. what are the benchmarks?) 
Answer:  The Tourism Master Plan is being implemen ted over the short, medium and long term and 
would take up to 2020.  The Master Plan has an  implementation matrix with time bound activities.  
For example some marketing activities could be reali sed in the short run whereas the establishment or 
creation of new Tourism Development Area's (long term activity) all over the country could extend 
towards the end of the implementation period. 
Question 31: Secretariat report, Section 2:  Sector al Performance:  2.3 Transport:  paragraph 31, 
page 10.  It is said that a number of road pr ojects have been commissioned to rehabilitate transit 
routes, with the support of the EU.  Will future infrastructure and road projects be open to foreign 
tender, or will it continue to progress based  on Aid for Trade and other country support? 
Answer: 
 The European Union is currently funding one road project in The Gambia.  This project 
involves the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Ba rra-Amdallai, Mandinaba-Seleti, Soma-Basse, and 
Basse-Velingara roads and the Trans-Gambia Hi ghway.  In accordance with EDF regulations 
(Practical Guide to EDF Contracts and General Regulations) and the Financing Agreements signed 
between the EU and The Gambia (Ministry of Fi nance and NAO), the works tender for the execution 
of this project was done through an internationa l open tender procedure.  Companies from African, 
Caribbean and Pacific countries and the European Uni on countries were eligible to participate in this 
tender.  It is expected that future road project s funded by the EU will be done in accordance with 
same EDF regulations. 
Question 32: Secretariat report, Section 2:  Sector al Performance:  2.3 Transport:  paragraph 32, 
page 1.  Under the described Ports Master Plan developed in 2002 and descri bed in this paragraph, 
is this project also being supported by Aid for Trade and other Government support (such as the EU 
and US)? 
Answer: 
 Two studies were conducted for the implementa tion of two projects under the Ports Master 
Plan.  These are the Basic Yard Extension Ph ase I and the Rehabilitation of North and South 
Terminals.  Both studies were financed by the Republic of Korea through the African Development 
Bank to a tune of US$475,214.  Apparently ther e is no available funding either through support by 
Aid for Trade or other Governments for the implementation of the different projects under the Ports Master Plan. WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
Page 14  
 
  Question 33: Secretariat report, Sectoral Policies:  Paragraph 38, page xi.  It is described that 
"efforts are being made to expand the tourist sea son to the European summer".  Are other markets 
being targeted as well beyond the EU for attraction of tourists? 
Answer: 
 Western Europe is the traditional source market  for tourist to The Gambia.  However, there 
are constructive efforts to lure tourists from Easter n Europe (the Poles, Czechs, Russia).  Sub-regional 
tourism is also high on the agenda as The Gambia has begun to attract visitors from Nigeria and other 
countries in the sub-region who come for holidays, conferences etc. 
JAPAN 
Question 34: According to the Government report,  Gambia will continue to pursue tax reforms, 
which will include further simplification of the ta x system, gradual reduction of corporate and income 
tax rates, and elimination of exemptions and discreti onary investment incentives, in order to increase 
revenues.  Please provide Gambia's estimation on  the expected change in revenues and the overall 
impact of these reforms on the fiscal policy. 
Answer:  The main objective of the tax reform, which includes the simplification of the tax system and 
the gradual reduction of the corporate tax (which is  still among the highest in the sub-region), is to 
improve competitiveness of the business environmen t and broaden the tax base.  These measures 
would have the long-term effect of increasing th e revenue for government particularly as more 
investment is attracted and the tax base broadened. 
 As part of her commitment to introduce a comp rehensive tax reform in the coming years, the 
corporate tax was reduced, starting with a 2% reducti on from 35% to 33% in 2010.  However, this is 
expected to continue gr adually in the future. 
 The Government is yet to implement the reducti on of the income tax rate and the elimination 
of exemptions and discretionary investment incentiv es in order to increase revenues.  Therefore, the 
overall impact in revenue changes due to the pr oposed reforms cannot be fully established now. 
Question 35: According to the Secretariat's re port, Page 13, paragraph 8, a new Customs and 
Excise Act was enacted in April 2010, whose ob jectives are to unify and  simplify the custom 
procedures, to ensure the equality of the tariff coll ection, and to implement fairness and transparency.  
Please provide the details of the la w with regards to these aspects. 
Answer:  The Customs and Excise Act 2010 promotes simplification of Customs procedures by making 
provisions for the use of information technology in  Customs procedure.  These provisions make it 
possible for the filling and submission of electronic format of customs declarations, cargo manifests 
and other information presented for the purpose of co mplying with Customs formalities.  The Act also 
enables the Commissioner General to confer accred ited user status on any applicant who meets the 
necessary requirements.  The accredited user bene fits from simplified procedures and documentation 
including the submission and partial processing of cust oms declarations in advance of the arrival of 
the goods.  WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
 Page 15 
 
 
   On fairness and transparency, the new Act makes provisions for the establishment of a 
Customs Tribunal, which will hear appeals on disp utes including disputes relating to appraisal of 
value of goods by Customs.  The Act also makes provisions for streamlining the duty exception 
regime.  The Act also takes into account some key relevant regional and inte rnational conventions and 
protocols that The Gambia is signatory to, in cluding the WTO Agreement on Customs Valuation. 
Question 36: Page 13, par agraph 8, Secretariat report, we ha ve learned that the Investment and 
Export Promotion Agency will be established.  Please provide information on this new agency, 
including its mission, organization and the Law which estab lishes the Agency. 
Answer:  
 The Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) was established by the 
Government of The Gambia on 1st July 2010 following the enactment of the Gambia Investment and 
export Promotion Act 2010.  The Agency replaces the Gambia Investment Promotion and Free Zones 
Agency (GIPFZA) and retains the core functions of Investment Promotion in addition to the functions 
of Business and Export Development as well as En terprise Support and Development.  The Agency 
also has a Corporate Services Department, which co mprises of different specialised units including 
Admin and Finance, Information Technology, M onitoring and Evaluation and legal and compliance 
services.  The Agency is headed by  a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who is assisted by four directors 
while the Board of Directors provides the policy guidance. 
REPUBLIC OF KOREA 
Question 37: Secretariat Report, pages 49-50, pa ragraphs 16 and 21.  Korea notes that The 
Gambia's export of groundnuts, one of the c ountry's principal exports , has recently decreased 
dramatically.  The further privatization of the Gambia Groundnut Corporation (GGC) can be 
considered as one of the ways to revitalize the groundnut industry and help recover the export 
competitiveness of the Gambian groundnuts.  What are the difficulties The Gamb ia has been facing in 
privatizing the GGC?  Does the Gambian Government  have any further plans to privatize the GGC? 
Answer:  The Government of The Gambia initially invite d bids for the privatization of GGC.  There 
was only one company who tendered.  The said co mpany was deemed not credible enough to take 
ownership of GGC.  Consequently Government withdraws the bid tendered by the company. 
 A Road Map Study financed by the European Union through the World Bank is currently in 
progress to assess the productivity and quality of the groundnut subsector, and also assess the critical 
asset base as well as financial and technical audit of GGC.  Once this study is completed and 
submitted, the Government will then take an in formed decision whether to continue with its 
privatization plan or withdrew the plan. 
Question 38:  Secretariat Report, page 63, paragraph  96.  Given the unique shape of the Gambian 
territory, the Gambia River, which runs through the centre of the country, seems  to be a potentially 
efficient mode of transport for bot h freight and passengers.  However, river transport in The Gambia 
is relatively underdeveloped, as road transport remains  the preferred option.  What is The Gambia's 
vision for developing inland river transport? WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
Page 16  
 
  Answer: 
 The Government of the Gambia is aware of the potential of the River Gambia as a viable 
alternative to road transport both for the movement of goods and passengers.  Therefore the 
Government in its long term vision seeks to encourag e investment in river transportation.  This will 
include investments in the construction of associated  infrastructure, such as harbours and jetties along 
the river.  The Government also seeks to encourag e private investment in the river transportation. 
TURKEY 
Question 39: Report by the WTO Secretariat Page  21, preferential agreemen ts and arrangements.  
Could The Gambia kindly elaborate on its plans and its  expectations for future trade relations in the 
regional context? 
Answer: 
 The Gambia is committed and plans to further st rengthen bilateral ties with all the countries in 
the sub-region to further cement the gains already achieved by ECOWAS in the economic integration.  
The Government has ratified almost all the EC OWAS Protocols and Conventions and is fully 
implementing all the ECOWAS programmes meant to  bring the economies of the ECOWAS Member 
States closer and improve a wider access of products of the Member States to the ECOWAS market.  
It is expected that ECOWAS will attain its objective of a Custom Union. 
Question 40: Secretariat report, page 5, Extracti ve Industries.  Could The Gambia kindly provide 
information on its regulations regarding  foreign investment in mineral exploitation? 
Answer: 
 The Quarries and Mines Act, 2005 regulate the exploitation of mineral resources in The 
Gambia through the Geological Unit responsible for supervising, monitoring and regulating mining 
and quarrying operations.  The Quarries and Mines Act, 2005, together with the GIEPA Act, 2010, 
made provisions for foreign investment in minera l exploitation by issuance of mining licenses.  The 
license holder being a national or foreign is subject to complying with the conditions laid in Act.  
Essentially, the GIEPA Act, 2010 also has provisions related to the granting of investment incentives 
in the priority sectors of the economy including mineral exploration. 
BRAZIL 
Question 41: According to the Report by the S ecretariat, page 22, paragraph 42, as a least 
developed country, The Gambia benefits from non-r eciprocal duty free preferential treatment from 
many industrialized countries under the GSP, and under related schemes like the European Union's 
EBA initiative.  "However, like many LDCs, The Gambia  is still struggling to benefit effectively from 
such schemes, due to supply side constraints".  Brazil would appreciate further information on the 
"supply side constraints" that The Gambia faces in  trying to benefit effectively from non-reciprocal 
duty free preferential schemes and what are the reasons. 
Answer: 
 Some of the supply side constraints that the Gambia faces include the high cost of electricity 
and post harvest losses due to inadequate storage f acilities for agricultural and fisheries products.  The 
development of basic infrastructure and the use of appropriate technology is still a challenge for The 
Gambia to expand her of productio n for exports.  Another challenge  for the Gambia in benefiting 
from the duty free preferential schemes is meeting the SPS standards.  Currently the Gambia lacks the  WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
 Page 17 
 
 
  necessary lab-testing equipment to certify the expor t of smoked seafood products.  The Gambia has 
received alerts from the EC through its Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed on the level of Benzo(A) Pyrene in smoked seaf ood products from The Gambia to the EU market.  The Government 
has advised the affected companies to stop all exports of smoked seafood pr oducts until the Fisheries 
Authorities in the Gambia are able to dete rmine that smoked seafood products meet required 
standards in the importing countries. 
Question 42: Brazil would also be interested to know what were the volume and value of 
The Gambia's exports under those schemes in recen t years, identifying if possible the main products 
and market destinations. 
Answer:  The Gambia has benefited from non-reciprocal duty free preferential treatment from many 
industrialized countries under GSP.  The data in ta ble 1 below indicate the domestic exports to these 
region/countries under different preferential tariff schemes. 
Table 1: 
The Gambia's exports in 2008–09 under some GSP schemes 
(f.o.b. value – D '000) 
Country Description 2008 2009 
EU Fish and fish products 57,226 29,432 
 Groundnuts 10,575 195,263 
 Vegetables and fruits 8,319 392 
 Cashew-nut 8,018 937 
 Others 3,974 51,486 
Total  88,112 277,510 
    
India Fish and fish products 827 53 
 Vegetables and fruits 333  
 Cashew-nut 39,947 68,766 
 Others   
Total  41,107 68,819 
    
South Korea Fish and fish products 0 646 
Total  0 646 
    
Japan Fish and fish products 0 1,486 
Total  0 1,486 
Question 43: According to the Report by the Secret ariat, page 24, paragraph 51, "The Gambia has 
been eligible for AGOA benefits since 2003, and has  held a "textile visa" since April 2008, qualifying 
it for the special textile and clothing provisions of AGOA".  Brazil would like to learn more about the 
special textile and clothing provisions of AGOA, in  particular with regard to the requirements that 
The Gambia's exporters have to fulfil to hold a "textile visa". 
Answer: 
 In 2006, the US President signed in to law the African Investment Incentive Act (also known 
as AGOA IV) which amended the textile and apparel portion of the AGOA. 
 This new Act accords duty-free and quota-free market access to eligible articles made in 
qualifying Sub-Saharan African Countries through 2015.  The African Investment Incentive Act 
(2006) mentions the following as qualifying articles: WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
Page 18  
 
  − Apparel made of US yarns and fabrics. 
− Apparel made of Sub-Saharan Africa yarns and fabrics subject to a cap until 2015. 
− Apparel made in a designated lesser developed country yarns and fabrics subject to a cap until 
2012. 
− Apparel made of yarns and fabrics not pr oduced in commercial quantities in the US. 
− Certain cashmere and merino wool sweaters. 
− Eligible hand loomed, handmade, folklo re articles and ethnic printed fabrics. 
− Textile and textile articles produced entirely  in a lesser developed beneficiary country. 
 On top of these provisions, the Act makes a special exception for lesser developed AGOA 
countries which states that "until 30
th September 2012 lesser develope d beneficiary sub-Saharan 
African countries may use none USA fabrics and yarn  in apparel wholly assembled in the countries 
subject to a cap". 
 The textile visa was granted to the Gambia after careful review of our laws and policies by the 
US Government.  Individual exporte rs do not have to satisfy any particular requirements.  The visa is 
granted to countries and not to individuals.  WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
 Page 19 
 
 
  REPLIES PROVIDED BY THE GAMBIA TO FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS 
UNITED STATES Follow up Question to Question 15:  pages 44-45:  A re these penalties applied by the courts in cases 
of wilful trademark counterfeiting?  How are these suffic ient to provide a deter rent, consistently with 
the level of penalties applied for crimes of a corresponding gravity?'  
Answer: 
 Constitutionally, criminal sanctions in copyright infringement do not only cover wilful 
conduct but also gross negligence – Section 53 Copy right Act 2004.  Both wilful conduct and gross 
negligence are sufficient and commensurate to fo rm intention for the offence of copyright 
infringement.  Effectively, one would be deemed to  have infringed a copyright if his/her conduct was 
not wilful but was enough to be grossly negligent.  Further, copyright infringement is not just limited 
to individuals but also corporate bodies – as a pr inciple of Common Law, corporate bodies are legal 
entities that have their own independent 'personalities'. 
 Copyright infringement, which carries three (3) years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to 
D 500,000 is not limited to trade marks but to all work s of intellectual property.   The current criminal 
penalties are heavier than those in ordinary cases of theft and burglary.  The gravity of the sentence, 
for copyright violations, reflects the underpinni ng Gambia government's policy that breach of 
copyright could seriously dent confidence in tr ade and commercial transactions on one hand, and 
fulfilling Gambia's international obligations on the ot her.  In promoting deterrence, a court has the 
power, under Section 53(3) of Copyright Act 2004, to increase up to double the upper limit of penalties where guilty party has been convicted for a new act of infringement within five (5) years of 
the previous conviction of infringement. 
 In addition, the severity of the offence of copy right violation is highlighted by the fact that 
only the Gambia High Court has jurisdiction to hear cases/matters of copyright infringement - 
Section51(1) of Copyright Act 2004.  This opens do ors for more stringent sentences to be imposed, 
upon being found guilty, as opposed to lower courts  where the magistrates sentencing powers are 
limited. 
Follow up Question to Question 15:  pages 44-45:  Are legislative and regulatory provisions being 
considered that would permit creation of an enforcement mechanism to combat trademark 
counterfeiting and copyright piracy at the border?  
Answer: 
Laws have been enacted and are effective to combat copyright violations at the border and 
inland.  The Copyright Act 2004 gave birth to the Copyright Bureau.  The Bureau is legally 
empowered to supervise all aspects of copyright in The Gambia - Section 56 of Copyright Act 2004.  The Act also demands for the appointment of copyri ght inspectors, by the Bu reau, to assist in the 
enforcement of copyright law.  The inspectors have entry, search and arrest powers, if they suspect 
that premises or a building is being used for an  activity which infringes copyright - Section 56 of 
Copyright Act 2004. 
As a means to detect and combat counterfeiting,  it is unlawful (criminal offence) to import 
into The Gambia any counterfeit goods or work.  Section 59(1) of Copyright Act 2004, allows for the Copyright Bureau to have exclusive right (upon approval of Minister) to 'prescribe and use any 
anti-piracy device for use on or in connection with  any work protected under the Copyright Act.  The 
anti-piracy device(s) would be used mostly at the Gambian borders to detect any goods or works that WT/TPR/M/233/Add.1 
Page 20  
 
  may be counterfeit.  Such tasks would be carried out by Copyright inspectors in collaboration with 
Customs officials.  The intention of the provision is that, once goods or work has been identified as 
counterfeit and/or trademark infringement, the owner of the copyright and the police shall be contacted to gather further information and initiate legal proceedings accordingly. 
EUROPEAN UNION 
Regarding Q25 on excise duties, could the Gambia please clarify the grounds on which excise taxes 
are applied to imports and to specify whether they are applied to all imports, and whether they differ 
from the excise duties applied to domestic produce?  
Answer: 
 Excise taxes are applied to selective imports based on the 12
th Schedule of the Customs and 
Excise Act, 2010.  The Schedule covers the following imports:  alcohol, cigarettes, un-manufactured 
tobacco, second hand cars, new cars, soft drinks, canned fruit, mineral water, laundry soap, nails, 
sugar confectionary, and wheel barrows. 
 Excise taxes are imposed to meet revenue obj ectives, discourage undesirable consumption of 
harmful products, and to protect the environm ent by levying excises on vehicle importation. 
 The above excise tax rates differ from those that are applicable to similar domestic produce.  
The rates and the products that attract  domestic excise are captured under the 5th Schedule of the 
Customs and Excise Act, 2010. 
Regarding Q28, could the Gambia please indicate a timeframe for the publication of the import 
requirements and the list of quarantine pests? 
Answer:  The Gambia is working towards signing the In ternational Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) 
for adherence to international pr ocedures.  Therefore until that time it will be binding on Gambia to 
adhere to specific timeframe for the publication of import requirements for Pests.  The Gambia specifying its publication timeframe would be dependent on her becoming a member of the IPPC.  However the Gambia's regulated list of qua rantine pests is in the table below. 
No. Pest category Common name Scientific name Crops attacked 
1. Insect Angoumois grain moth  Sitotroga cerealella  Cereals 
2. Insect Lesser grain borer  Rhyzopertha dominica  Cereals 
3. Insect Larger grain borer Prosterphanus trucatus Cereals 
4. Diseases Maize streak virus  Maize 
5. Insect Serpentine leaf mine r Lirimyza trifolii Fruit trees 
6. Insect Fruitfly Bractocera invadens Fruit trees 
7. Insect Cassa mealybug Phenacoccus manihoti Cassava 
8. Disease Panama disease Fusarium oxysporium f. sp.  
Cubensis Roots and tubers 
9. Disease Black Sigatoka Myco sphaerella fijiensis Banana 
10. Disease  Mycospherella arachidicolla Groundnut 
11. Weed Water hyacinth Eichornia crassipes Water bodies 
12. Weed Prickly pear Opuntia spp Pasture 
13. Weed  Lantana camara Pastures 
14. Weed Morning glory Ipomea spp Pasture 
__________