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IV. TRADE POLICIES BY SECTOR 
(1) AGRICULTURE  
(i) Introduction 
1. Agriculture contributes 26% to The Gambia's GDP and provides employment and income for 
over 75% of the work force. Farming is the only means of support and income creation for the 
majority of rural families. In terms of land use, mo re than one third of The Gambia's arable land is 
devoted to millet, and another thir d to groundnuts.  Sorghum, maize, and rice (dryland, irrigated, and 
swamp) are also major crops. Groundnuts remain  the main cash crop and export product.  Other 
agricultural outputs, mainly for local consumption,  include sesame, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels, 
cattle, sheep, and goats.  
2. The Gambia is classed as a food-insecure count ry, i.e. one where pe ople do not have enough 
access at all times to enough food for a full and health y life.  The FAO estimated that, in 2006, 29% 
of the people were undernourished, although it r ecognized that progress was being made towards 
greater food security.1   
3. According to the authorities, major crop output grew rapidly, by 29%, in the period 2007-09. 
The main increases were in millet, maize, so rghum, and irrigated and upland (Nerica) rice.2  Crop 
cultivation varies according to climatic zones in The Gambia (Box IV.1).   
Box IV.1:  Major climatic zones in The Gambia 
Based on the rainfall pattern, there are three major agri-ecological zones in Gambia. 
In the Sahel-Savannah zone, total annual rainfall is less than 900 mm.  Soils have low water retention 
capacity; thus rapidly maturing, drought tolerant crops, principally maize, early millet and "Findo" millet (digitaria exilis ) are cultivated in this zone, with important livestock rearing in addition.   
The Sudano-Sahelian, or riverine, zone has modera tely high annual rainfall of 900-1,000 mm.  Main 
production in this area includes early millet, groundnut s, sorghum, maize, cotton, and irrigated rice.  This 
zone contributes around 75% of national crop production,  including all cotton production, as well as livestock 
and artisanal fish production. 
The Guinea-Savannah zone, located around the coastline,  has high and fairly reliable annual rainfall of 
1,000 mm and over.   Major cereals produced in this zone comprise late varieties such as late millet, sorghum, 
and upland rice. 
Source: Gambian authorities.  
(ii) Plans for agricultural development 
4. In 2008, the Ministry of Agriculture set  out a "Ten-Issue Plan for Agricultural 
Transformation", comprising: an agricultural policy and regulatory framework seeking the 
transformation of the agricultural sector from largely subsistence to larger scale commercial farming; 
development of an agriculture sector strategy, to be led by the Ministry of Agriculture; increasing 
                                                      
1 FAO (2009c), Technical Annex, Table 2;   and FAO (2009a).  Data apply to the period 2004-06. 
2 Nerica (New Rice for Africa) rice varieties have been developed especially for African growing and 
nutrition conditions by the Africa Rice Centre (origi nally West African Rice De velopment Association, 
WARDA) a 23-member multi-country organization coveri ng West, Central, East and North Africa.  See 
WARDA online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.warda.org/. The Gambia WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 
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investment in agriculture, assist ed by the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the 
tourism sector, and GIEPA; promotion of agricu ltural technology promotion, particularly for 
processing and transformation; development and implementation of a food industry strategy, 
emphasizing promotion and improvement of local recipes, and addressing weaknesses such as poor 
cold chain integrity, inadequate storage, absence of wholesale markets and packaging materials, poor 
post-harvest handling, and limited business skills;  creation of an agricultural development bank, 
separate from the commercial banking system, to support sustainable medium- and long-term investments in agriculture; promotion of agricu ltural information and communication through print 
and broadcast media; empowerment of producer orga nizations at national, regional, district and 
village levels; agri-business promo tion, channelled through organiza tions such as the GCCI and the 
National Trade Fair; and participatory monitoring and evaluation systems to involve beneficiaries 
directly in all aspects of assessments and increase thei r capacity to judge the benefits of interventions.
3 
5. In 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture and Na tural Resources, under the framework of the 
NEPAD Comprehensive African Agriculture Devel opment Programme, set out the "Agriculture and 
Natural Resources Gambia National Agricultural Investment Programme" (ANR-GNAIP), to be 
completed by 2015.  Responsibility is shared by the Ministries of Agriculture;  Fisheries, Water 
Resources, and National Assembly Matters;  and Fo restry and Environment. The programme has six 
main elements:  improvement of water management for rice production (estimated cost US$38 million); improved management of other shared resources (principally devoted to 
transhumance, shared forest resource management  and support to fisheries resource management 
(US$15.6 million); development of agricultural chains and market promotion, through the 
development of food processing chains, strengthening  of financial and market information services, 
and research, and promotion of regional and in ter-regional trade (US$10 million); prevention and 
management of food crises and other disasters through increased social protection of vulnerable groups and effective networking and coordinatio n between producers and buyers (US$40.5 million); 
sustainable farm management via facilitation of sma llholders, particularly fe male farmers, through 
credit, extension information and services, and education (US$22.3 million);  and institutional 
capacity-building for programme implementation (US$2.3 million).
4 
6. By June 2010, the six relevant task forces had been established, and agreement had been 
reached on consultancies to be funded by FAO.  Operational plans were to be drawn up by 
end-July 2010.5 
(iii) Patterns of imports and exports 
7. According to the authorities, the main agricultu ral imports into The Gambia in 2007-09 were 
rice (broken, husked, and paddy), re fined sugar, and vegetable oils ( linseed, palm and soya).  Much of 
this trade is reflected in the export data as re -exports, although groundnuts, groundnut oil and cake, 
produced locally, are significant domestic exports (Tables IV.1 and IV.2). 
8. According to the FAO, the main exports from the Gambia in 2007 were refined sugar (mainly 
as re-exports), and groundnuts, grou ndnut oil and cake (Table IV.2). 
                                                      
3 Daily Observer , "Ten-issues plan for agricultural transformation", 8 January 2008.  Viewed at:  
http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/banjul/article/2008/1/ 8/ten-issues-plan-for-agric ultural-transformation. 
4 NEPAD-CAADP (2009). 
5 Information supplied by Gambian authorities. WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
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Table IV.1 
Main food product imports, 2007-09 
(US$ '000) 
Product  2007 2008 2009 
Rice, including broken rice 21,444.9 22,358.6 31,194.6 
Sugar 15,755.6 11,334.7 12,365.6 
Vegetable oils 15,313.7 21,422.1 12,611.4 
Wheat and maize flour 5,640.0 8,719.2 7,400.2 
Tomato paste 4,880.0 3,624.7 3,468.4 
Tea 2,412.3 2,399.4 1,685.6 
Poultry meat 983.1 653.6 1,811.9 
Source:   Information provided by the Gambian authorities. 
Table IV.2 
Major agricultural exports, including re-exports, 2007 
Product Quantity (tonnes) Value (US$'000) Unit value (US$/tonne) 
Refined sugar 60,000 19,200 320 
Shelled groundnuts 17,000 7,500 441 
Groundnut oil 1,850 3,238 1,750 
Groundnut cake 7,182 1,519 212 
Mangoes, mangosteens, guavas 952 982 1,032 
Cotton linters 305 330 108 
Green beans 150 213 1,420 
Fresh vegetables, n.e.s. 175 107 611 
Frozen vegetables 45 78 1,733 
Leguminous vegetables, n.e.s. 43 62 1,442 
Prepared groundnuts 495 49 99 
Pepper (Piper spp.) 121 47 388 
Veg. in temp. preservatives 18 37 2,056 
Dry calfskins 8 22 2,750 
Cashew nuts, with shell 196 20 102 
Eggplants (aubergines) 16 16 1,000 
Cattle meat 8 16 2,000 
Food preparation n.e.s. 10 15 1,500 
Cotton lint 80 11 138 
Prepared nuts (excl. groundnuts) 95 10 105 
Source:    FAOSTAT online information, "Gam bia:  Imports and Exports 2007".  View ed at:  http://fao stat.fao.org/site/ 
 342/default.aspx. 
(iv) Import policy 
9. Tariffs on agricultural products are generally fi xed at 20%, the highest level of duty in The 
Gambia's schedule.  Live animals, rice, oilseeds other than groundnut, and other seeds and straw are 
zero-rated; milk products, some vegetable oils , and some forage products enter at 5%; and 
unfermented green tea, other vegetable oils and other animal feeds are in the 10% band (Table AIV.1). 
10. All agricultural tariffs are bound in The Gambia's  WTO schedule, mostly at 110%, with some 
exceptions at 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 80% or 85% (Chapter III(1)(iv)(b) and Table AIII.1).  
Also, all imports of animals, marine life, plants, their products, and processed foods of plant or animal 
origin, must be accompanied by appropriate impor t certificates issued in accordance with Codex 
Alimentarius quality control requirements (Chapter III(1)(ix)).  Imports of cereals, pulses or legumes, The Gambia WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 
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including rice, require phytosanitary certificates issu ed by the national plant protection service of the 
country of origin, and fumigation certificates issued by the exporting company or an approved company.  
(v) Promotion of agricultural development and exports 
11. The Government's policy for agriculture and natural resources for 2001-20 aimed to boost 
production both through e xpansion of the productive area and via increased productivity.  Access to 
technology, development of autonomous producer associations and groupings, and facilitation of 
access to inputs were to be facilitated, while provi sion of extension and research services was to be 
coordinated primarily via the National Agricultural R esearch Institute (NARI).  Prominence was to be 
given to micro-finance institutions (rotating savin gs and credit associations and accumulating savings 
and credit associations).
6  The network of village savings and credit associations (VISACAs) was also 
to be expanded.  To that end, the Central Bank drafted a Regulatory Framework for Rural Financial 
Institutions.  
12. The Government works closely with IFAD in prom oting agricultural development.  Examples 
of ongoing IFAD projects, mainly aimed at deve lopment of crops and livestock for the domestic 
market, rather than for international trade, are:  the Livestock and Horticulture Development Project, 
developing vegetable growing and small animal and poultry raising on kafos, or collectively-run 
village gardens; the Rural Finance Project, wo rking with existing in stitutions to promote 
microfinance, seeking to  establish 180 rural branches of micr ofinance institutions and almost 
3,000 GAWFA groups delivering financial services su ch as savings, loans, and insurance to about 
180,000 rural clients, more than half of them wome n;  and the Participatory Integrated-Watershed 
Development Project, whose objectives include st rengthening the capacity of rural communities and 
their service providers to manage the watershed in  a sustainable manner and providing the resources 
local communities need to implement watershed management, targeting p oor smallholders who 
depend mainly on upland crops and lowla nd rice cultivation for their livelihoods. 
(vi) Specific products 
(a) Groundnuts 
13. Historically (having been introduced in the 1830s), groundnuts have been the principal export 
from The Gambia.  However, the sector has experien ced many vicissitudes, linked with difficulties of 
cultivation, socio-economic developments (from slavery through to migrant labour ("strange 
farmers"), and managerial difficulties. 
14. The commercial crop is a small and variable pr oportion of total production. In recent years, 
the tonnage and value of annual sales have fluc tuated considerably:  declining from around 
60,000 tonnes in 2001/02 to some 3,000 tonnes in 2002/03, rising to just over 30,000 tonnes in 2004/05 and falling again to some 22,000 tonnes in 2008/ 09. In the past crop year, commercial sales 
rose again to 33,000 tonnes. 
15. Government policies towards the crop have moved from management of a nationalized 
industry to the unsuccessful privatization of th e sector, and most recently to severe financial 
                                                     
 
6 For example, the Gambia's Women's Finance Associ ation (GAWFA), which is also supported by the 
African Development Bank. WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
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difficulties for the Gambia Agri cultural Marketing Company (GAMCO), the monopoly buying 
agency, and consequently for growers and cooperatives.7 
16. Like most other agricultural products, groundnuts protected by a tariff of 20%.  
17. Currently, minimum reference producer prices fo r unshelled groundnuts are determined by an 
inter-professional association comprising all st akeholders, including the Gambia Groundnut 
Corporation (GCC), in relation to the five-year aver age of the world market (f.o.b.) price.  Producers 
frequently get better prices for their product on local informal markets simply by shelling. 
18. Gambian groundnuts have suffered from severe , long-term quality problems, particularly 
from contamination by aflatoxins, which bar entr y to export markets for edible products.  A 2006 
report commissioned for MOTIE and financed by  the European Union assessed the production and 
processing practices applied in the industry from farm level to final processing, and identified 
shortcomings in the production chain that c ould lead to contamination with aflatoxins.8  The report 
presented a four-step strategy and action plan for im plementation by the industry:  to decide on 
projected end-uses for the groundnuts and groundnut pr oducts;  to develop a field school system that 
would allow farmers to acquire the skills and knowle dge for producing nuts of higher quality, foster 
awareness of the aflatoxin problem, and learn how contamination can be prevented;  to improve 
facilities for post-harvest storage, transport, an d processing;  and to implement good hygienic 
practices and impose quality control systems throughout the industry, taking Codex Alimentarius recommendations as a guideline.
9 
19. In 2009, a report by Dutch and Danish c onsultants on a Groundnuts Quality Assurance 
Framework identified short-term and longer term ac tions that needed to be taken, including to 
revitalize the fleet of river barges and tugboats to  bring groundnuts to market (the "single most 
important action");  to decide on, and enforce,  recommendations on pesticide use; to implement 
quality segregation and ensure strict hygiene practices at depots to prevent the spread of disease; to 
ensure that operators engaged in groundnut marke ting have sufficient finance to purchase farmers' 
stock; and, through farmers' field schools, to enha nce farmer capacity to grow quality groundnuts. It 
also made recommendations for an improved legal framework based on the 2005 Food Act; 
improving facilities for cooperative produce marketing societies to segregate different qualities of 
stock; and for improved aeration of stor es if stock cannot be moved quickly.10 
20. The Gambia Groundnut Corporation (GGC), wh ich was revived in 2007, is The Gambia's 
largest groundnut buyer, and provides seeds and fert ilizer to farmers. Following earlier criticism of 
the marketing system, the authorities state that the management has taken steps to reduce the need for 
credit buying by growers by providing crop financin g at the buying point, on a revolving basis related 
to inventories. The authorities, with World Ba nk support, have conducted technical and financial 
audits of the GGC and considerati on is being given to participative arrangements with private sector 
partners to add value to production of oil, edible groundnuts, and animal feed products. 
                                                      
7 See World Bank (2007), Chapter 9, for a historical overview of the sector and its management.  Also 
see Afrol News , "Gambian peanut growers get paid, one y ear late", 25 October 2009.  Viewed at:  
http://www.afrol.com/articles/22185. 
8 ECORYS Research and Consulting (2006).   
9 See, for example: Codex Alimentarius Recommended International Code of Hygienic Practice for 
Groundnuts (Peanuts), CAC/RFP 22-1979;  Codex Standard for Peanuts, Codex Stan 200-1995;  Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin Contamination in Peanuts, CAC-RFP 55-2004 (Codex 
Alimentarius online information, "Current Official Standards".  Viewed at:  http://www.codexalimentarius.net/ 
search/advancedsearch.do). 
10 ECORYS/Scanagri  for Delegation of the European Commission in The Gambia (2009). The Gambia WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 
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(b) Rice 
21. Rice is a staple of the Gambian diet;  The Gamb ia has the highest per capita rice consumption 
of the Sahelian countries and the third highest in West Africa.  In rural areas, rice provides about 75% of total calorie intake and about 45% of protein intake.
11  R i c e  i s  o n e  o f  T h e  G a m b i a ' s  m a j o r  
agricultural imports (Table IV.1).   
22. For many years, promotion of rice growing has been a major input into nutrition policy and 
import substitution in The Gambia.12  Since 2006, rice growing has been given new impetus with the 
introduction of Nerica (New Rice for Africa) hybrid va rieties, some developed in The Gambia itself, 
which are both higher yielding and better suited to th e range of growing conditions in the country.   
23. The combination of new varieties and other im portant inputs, such as provision of fertilizer, 
development of cooperatives, and focus on women growers, has already increased rice output and 
productivity (yield per hectare) substantially, and the Government's aim is for the country to reach 
self-sufficiency and become an exporter of rice.  Cooperation with official external assistance 
providers, such as Chinese Taipei , and NGOs working in the country, has been an important element 
in the programme.13 
(c) Livestock  
24. Policies to promote the livestock sector in The Gambia have varied during the years.  The 
most recent livestock policies were formulated in 2003 and revised in 2009.  Livestock and 
horticulture, jointly, were the subject of major AfDB/IFAD studies published in 2005 and 2008 in the 
context of the Livestock and Horticulture Deve lopment Project.  This seeks to develop local 
community-based activities in horticultural producti on, marketing and processing, small ruminant and 
poultry production and marketing, capacity building th rough promotion of good agricultural practice, 
and development of entrepreneurship.14 
25. The 2003 policy framework sought to promote private sector participation in livestock 
production and marketing, with a view to increase ca ttle producers' offtake rates, promote exports to 
the sub-region, increase access and coverage of services, and promote livestock processing and 
poultry production as well as the rearing of ot her short-cycle species such as rabbits. 
26. The revised policy, validated in 2009, seeks to improve production of livestock to meet 75% 
of domestic demand by 2015, and increase milk production by 25% over present levels; to make 
policy advice, regulation, delivery services and essentia l inputs available, affordable and accessible in 
every region;  to ensure that value chains in the sector (production, processing and marketing) are 
efficient, effective and linked to markets; to  harmonize national policies with regional and 
international policies;  and to enforce guidelines,  measures and regulations to ensure sustainable 
development of land, wa ter and genetic resources.15 
                                                      
11 Wawa Jaiteh (2005). 
12 The first major rice-growing project was started under the colonial government in 1953-54; 
community-based rice-development schemes were initiated with assistance from Chinese Taipei in the 
mid 1960s. 
13 See, for example, Catholic Relief Services onlin e information, "Better Rice Eases Hunger Fears in 
Gambia".  Viewed at:  http://crs.org/the-gambia/better-rice/. 
14 See African Development Fund (2005);  International Fund for Agricultural Development (2008);  
and African Development Bank Group (2008). 
15 Information provided by the Ministry of Agriculture. WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
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27. The Food Act of 2005 allocates responsibility for animal health to the Ministry of 
Agriculture, which cooperates at the port with public health inspectors of the Ministry of Health and 
Social Welfare. Control of impor tation and exportation of livestock a nd products of animal origin, as 
well as domestic control of animal establishments, is assigned to the Department of Animal Health 
Products and Services (formerly, Veterinary Serv ices). Slaughterhouses are under the control of the 
Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. 
28. The new draft Food Safety and Quality Bill, under consideration, covers all aspects of safety 
of food and animal feed, but not livestock as such .  It enshrines the precautionary principle in 
Gambian law, contains provisions for inspection of food and feed, and requi res all imported food and 
feed to comply with its provisions, or with conditio ns recognized by the competent authority to be at 
least equivalent thereto, or to comply with the provisions of any agreement between The Gambia and 
any other country.  The Bill would establish a Food Safety Authority, responsible to the 
Vice-President; a Scientific Committee;  and a Stakeholder Consultative Forum. 
29. In 2008, a comprehensive review of the poultry sector was carried out for the FAO in the light 
of the feared pandemic of avian flu.16  In relation to international trade, it noted that the largest 
imports into The Gambia were of frozen poultry me at, mainly from the EU and Brazil, and mainly 
between October and March for the hotel sector.  There was also a regular trade in day-old chicks from Senegal.   Earlier studies, conducted in 2000, reporte d that the import of frozen poultry was 
having a serious effect on the marketing of locally produced chicken. 
30. According to the authorities, 60% of The Gamb ia's supplies of day-old chicks currently 
originate from Senegal, with the remainder co ming mainly from the EU (mainly Belgium and 
the Netherlands).  Imports of frozen chicken legs  may pose two problems: for public health through 
inadequate maintenance of the cold chain (shipments have been rejected by public health inspectors at 
the port) and for farmers in The Gambia through lo w prices (seen as dumped or subsidized products).  
Provisions of the 2010 Customs and Excise Act may permit the authorities to take anti-dumping or countervailing measures (Chapter III(1)(vi)).  The authorities state that capacity building is in 
progress on two demonstration sites for chicken farm ing on an industrial scale to satisfy the local 
market.  
31. The new Gambia Livestock Marketing Agency, established in 2010, aims to introduce a price 
determination scheme for "fair" prices for cattle a nd other livestock sold in the country, as well as 
developing registration for butchers and livestock dealers, training butchers, and providing other 
technical assistance and equipment to improve livestock marketing practices. 
(d) Horticulture 
32. Horticulture in The Gambia is conducted both  on smallholdings (family farms of less than 
1 hectare to 5 hectares) and a small number of larger industrial-scale enterprises.   It is estimated that 
horticulture may provide up to 4% of GDP and empl oy up to 65% of rural and peri-urban dwellers, 
particularly women and youth.
17 
33. The development of the sector has targeted:  local market consumption (feeding the people), 
sales to the tourist industry, and export, princi pally to the EU, mainly the United Kingdom, the 
Netherlands, and Belgium.  There are three main  types of production:  large-scale commercial 
farming (100 hectares and over), principally for e xport markets;  medium-s cale enterprises (5 to 
                                                      
16 Touray (2008). 
17 Gambia National Women Farmers' Association online information.  Viewed at:  
http://www.nawfa.org/horticulture.html; a nd information from the authorities. The Gambia WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 
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25 hectares), including a large number of commercia l and communal gardens operated frequently by 
women's groups; and small-scale growers, either in dividual or group gardens, again operated mainly 
by women, catering for local markets or the great er Banjul area.  The Ministry of Agriculture 
estimates that the last category makes up 85% of total fruit and vegetable production. 
34. The potential for growth of horticulture, both for domestic and export markets, is 
considerable. A wide variety of temperate and tropical fruit and vegetables can be grown in The 
Gambia's fertile soils. However,  this potential has not been fu lfilled to date. Constraints on 
development of the export trade have included shortfa lls in road transport, lack of air-freight capacity, 
inability of a small economy to supply sufficient pr oduct to be interesting for sea freight, and the 
highly variable and sporadic nature  of demand in the face of sharp competition from other preferential 
sources in the EU market, including North African c ountries, which have clear advantages in transport 
and distance.18  According to EU data, the structure of  EU imports from The Gambia moved between 
2004 and 2009 from vegetables such as green bean s and potatoes (which are subject to severe 
competition from both North African and other African sources) to focus more on tropical fruits such as pineapples and mangoes.
19 
35. Although there is a substantial volume of cro ss-border trade, opportunities for increased 
exports to the regional market (notably to Senegal) also appear to be constrained by factors including 
currency fluctuations between the dalasi and the CFA franc, large-scale subsidized imports of 
horticultural products from European sources, notably  the Netherlands, and difficulties of transport 
and storage.20 
36. The development of domestic sales to the t ourist industry has considerable promise, 
particularly as the peak growing season for fruit an d vegetables in The Gambia coincides with the 
peak tourist season.  In both export and local hot el markets, high and consistent quality (and for 
exports, consistent maintenance of importing countri es' quality requirements) is of prime importance. 
37. As noted above, the Livestock and Horticulture Development Project seeks to develop good 
horticultural practice and improve marketing. 
(2) FISHERIES  
(i) Status of the sector:  resources, production, and exports 
38. Gambia's fishery resources depend on marine, br ackish and fresh water, from the Atlantic 
Ocean, through the estuary waters of the River Gamb ia, upstream to the river border with Senegal.  
The sector consists of both artisanal and industrial fisheries.  Fish is an important part of the national 
diet, supplying about 40% of animal protein consumed in The Gambia.  Responsibility for 
management, development, and conservation of fisher ies resources currently rests with the Ministry 
of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, with the Fisheries Department as its technical institution.  FAO statistics show that fi sh, crustaceans, and molluscs catches in The Gambia 
in the period 2001-07 varied between 32,000 tonnes (2004) and 43,574 tonnes (2007).
21  The greatest 
part of the catch is artisanal;  the total catch by industrial fishing vessels was estimated at around 
3,000 tonnes in 2007.22 
                                                      
18 World Bank (2007). 
19 EUROSTAT partner data for 2004-09. 
20 World Bank (2007);  and discussions with the authorities. 
21 FAO (2009b). 
22 Tobey et al. (2009). WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
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39. FAO sources suggest that the sector contributes between 8% and 12% of GDP, and that even 
this may be seriously undervalued as statistics are onl y collected for Atlantic coastal fishing;  many 
fish are offloaded in foreign ports or bought direct ly from the boats before catches are weighed;  GDP 
data relating to fisheries, based on the producti on method, do not give true estimates of value23;  and 
cross-checks with other local data, including  the consumer price index, suggest serious 
underestimation.24  Although The Gambia's fishery resources (both sea and brackish water) have been 
characterized as extremely rich25, recent, though sketchy, data suggest that demersal fish stocks are 
overfished and declining, while small pelagic fish  stocks are thought to remain relatively high.26 
40. The policy framework for the fishing sector in Th e Gambia is laid down in the 2007 Fisheries 
Policy and Fisheries Act, 2008 Fisheries Regulati ons and Fisheries Strategy, and 2009 Fisheries 
Management Plan (for shrimp, sardinella, sole, and catfish);  these replaced legislation from the 
1990s.  The Fisheries Policy of The Gambia, devel oped with FAO assistance, sets out nine principal 
objectives:  rational and long-term utilization of mari ne and inland fishing resources;  using fish to 
improve nutritional standards;  increasing employme nt opportunities in the sector;  increasing net 
foreign exchange earnings;  expanding participa tion of Gambian entrepreneurs;  developing 
aquaculture;  improving institutional capacity and th e legal framework for the sector;  strengthening 
regional and international collaboration in sustai nable fisheries management;  and strengthening 
institutional linkages with other relevant sectors. 
(ii) Industrial fishing 
41. In 2007, 32 industrial fishing vessels were licensed  to operate in Gambian waters.  Industrial 
fishing primarily targets high-value, bottom-feeding demersal marine creatures (sole, shrimp, 
snappers, cuttlefish, and octopus).  All industrial vessels are foreign owned, although some employ 
Gambian crews.  Although Gambian regulations requ ire catches to be landed in the country, industrial 
vessels generally land their catches in foreign ports or tranship to factory vessels on the high seas. The 
fish is thus processed, packaged and labelled as products originating from other countries.  This 
seriously understates the real volume and value of  fish caught and exported by Gambian vessels, and 
is stated as representing a major economic loss for The Gambia.27 
42. Plans have been in place for so me considerable time to construct a new deep-water fishing 
port at Banjul, with support from the African Development Bank and the Arab Bank for Economic 
Development (BADEA).  The project is expected to be completed by end 2010.   
(iii) Artisanal fishing 
43. It is estimated that some 200,000 Gambians are directly or indirectly dependent on artisanal 
fishing for their livelihoods.  Most of the artisanal catch is sold, in dried or smoked form, within The 
Gambia or neighbouring countries, although some high- value varieties (e.g. shrimp, sole, sea bream, 
and lobster) are sold for freezing and export. 
44. Fish processing plants in The Gambia take their supplies principally from artisanal fishers.  
There are about 20 locally registered fish processing firms;  only 8 factories have so far been certified 
                                                      
23 Official GDP data estimate that fishing contributed 2.7% of GDP in 2009, up from 1.7% in 2004-06. 
24 Secka et al. (2005). 
25 Studies by FAO/Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (sea resources) and French Institute for 
Research and Development (estuarine resources) quoted in Government of The Gambia  (2007). 
26 Tobey et al. (2009). 
27 Government of The Gambia (2007);  and Tobey et al. (2009). The Gambia WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 
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to export their products to European Union countries.28  In 2007 it was reported that only five out of 
seven existing plants were in opera tion, due to shortages of fish, high prices and irregular supplies of 
electricity, and high cost of finance.29  Processed fish are principally exported to the Netherlands, 
Germany, and Spain. 
45. The development of adequate quality, both for th e domestic market and even more for export, 
is a major concern in the fish trade. Recognizi ng this, the Gambian fisheries policy emphasizes 
post-harvest quality control and the achievement of  internationally acceptable standards on SPS and 
quality assurance.  
46. The new fisheries regulations impose a sliding scale of annual fees on artisanal fisheries 
depending on boat size and technology, averaging so me D 500.  Regulations also cover gear, mesh 
size, and minimum fish size.  At the national level,  the regulations are enforced through a Fisheries 
Advisory Committee30, while at local level,  control is devolved to Community Fisheries Centres.  
47. The Fisheries Act empowers the Minister of Fisheries, Water Resources, and National 
Assembly Matters to declare Special Management Areas for community-based fisheries management, 
establish open and closed seasons, define minimum fi sh size regulations, and impose gear and fishing 
method restrictions.  A Fisheries Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS) Unit, to enforce fisheries 
management systems and protect resources from illegal,  unregulated, and unreported fishing, has been 
established in collaboration with the Gambia navy.   
(iv) Trade policy for fisheries 
48. None of The Gambia's tariffs on fish or fish  products are bound in the WTO.  All tariffs, 
except for sardines (10%), are set at 20%. 
49. The Gambia's tariff allows for duty exemption on fi shing vessels.  It also appears to do so on 
other plant and equipment used in the industry, if provided in regulations and approved by the 
Minister of Trade, Regional Integration and Employm ent, but not on refrigerated transport trucks (the 
concession applies only to such vehicles imported by farmers), which could be a major assistance to 
the fishing sector.31   
(v) International agreements by  The Gambia on fisheries 
50. The Gambia maintains no agreement on fisheries with any country or customs area other than 
Senegal.  The only protocol on fishing between  the EU and The Gambia expired in 1986. 
51. The Senegalo-Gambian Agreement on Maritime Fisheries32, signed in 1992 and updated by 
successive protocols, currently provides for reci procal fishing rights for Senegalese and Gambian 
vessels up to 750 gross registered tonnes (grt) for small pelagic fish;  850 grt for purse seiners, hook 
                                                      
28 Government of The Gambia (2007). 
29 Tobey et al. (2009). 
30 Membership comprises:  Permanent Secretaries of the Ministries of Fisheries, Water Resources and 
National Assembly Matters, Trade, Regional Integration and Employment, Local Government, and Health; Commander of the Gambian navy;  Executive Director, National Environment Agency;  Director General, 
Gambia Maritime Agency;  representatives from industrial fisheries, artisanal fisheries, and aquaculture sectors; 
and Director of Fisheries (information provided by the Gambian authorities). 
31 The Gambia National Customs Tariff, Third Schedule, Parts B and C. 
32 See Protocol of Application of the Senegalo-Gambi an Agreement in the field of Maritime Fisheries, 
Dakar, 1994.  Viewed at:  http://w ww.fao.org/fishery/shared/faolextr ans.jsp?&xp_faoLexLang=E&xp_lang= 
en&xp_ISIS_MFN=003167. WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 56 
 
 
and longline fishing;  1,000 grt for shrimp boats;  an d 1,500 grt for fish or cephalopod vessels.  It also 
regulates net mesh size, catch declaration provisi ons, embarkation of observers, employment of 
deckhands, rights of innocent passage33, and provides for training of Gambian nationals in Senegalese 
fisheries and maritime schools, cooperation on fisheries research, and fisheries surveillance 
cooperation.34  
52. The Gambia is also a member of the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC), with 
Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Cape Verde, and Sierra Leone. The SFRC, established in 1985, maintains international agreements on access to fishery resources, sub-regi onal cooper ation on the 
right of pursuit, and surveillance in the area, as well as promoting fisheries management policies, 
promoting research, and monitoring, control, and surveillance of fisheries.
35 
(3) EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES  
53. The Gambia has historically had no significan t extractive industries.  According to the 
Government, coastal sand resources may contai n quartz sand suitable for glass manufacture. 
Exploitation began in 2006 of rai sed beach sands containing valuable  minerals, including ilmenite and 
rutile (minerals used in pigments ), and zircon, a refractory materi al; a substantial export trade has 
developed in mineral sands to China,  with 47,335 tonnes exported in 2009.36  
54. The Mines and Quarries Act, 2005, confirms that  ownership of all minerals, including under 
the sea-bed and the continental shelf, resides in the State, and that all mining exploration and 
production must be licensed.  Reconnaissance licences for major mining operations are granted for one year, retention licences for one year, annually exte nsible to five years, prospecting licences for a 
maximum of three, and mining licen ces for a maximum of 25 years.  Generally, tariffs on mineral 
products are set at either 5% or 10%. 
55. Since 2004, the Government has been encourag ing petroleum exploration offshore.  The 
Gambia continental shelf, part of the Casamance-Bi ssau sub-basin, is belie ved to have potential oil 
resources.  In 2004, a new Petroleum (Exploratio n and Production) Act was passed, establishing the 
Ministry for Petroleum, under the direct control of the President, and establishing the Gambia 
National Petroleum Company (GAMPETROLEUM), wh ich is currently the monopoly importer of 
petroleum products.  Exploration licences were issu ed in 2006 to a Canadian/Cypriot company, 
Buried Hill Energy.
37  The Income and Sales Tax Act, 2004, is reported to have been amended in 
2007 to provide for taxation of "excess" profits by oil exploration companies.38 
                                                      
33 "Innocent passage" means the right  of ships to engage in continuo us and expeditious surface passage 
through the territorial sea and archipelagic waters of fo reign coastal states in a manner not prejudicial to its 
peace, good order, or security.   
34 See Protocol of Implementation of the Agreement between the Republic of The Gambia and the 
Republic of Senegal on the Area of Ma ritime Fisheries, Banjul, April 2008. 
35 See SRFC online information.  Viewed at:  www.csrpsp.org/.    
36 The project was begun with Australian and Chinese investment in 2006, interrupted in 2008 and 
subsequently restarted (United States Geological Survey, 2006 and 2008;  and information provided by the authorities). 
37 Buried Hill Energy online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.buriedhill.com/index.php.  See also 
Oil Voice , "Buried Hill Energy Enters Into Exploration, Production and Development Licenses in Gambia", 
12 September 2006.  Viewed at:  http://www.oilvoice.com/n/Buried_Hill_Energy_Enters_Into_Exploration_ 
Production_and_Development_Licenses_in_Gambia/e1287042.aspx. 
38 Daily Observer , "Income Sales Tax Bill Amended", 14 December 2007.  Viewed at:  
http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/banjul/article /2007/12/14/income-sales-tax-bill-amended. The Gambia WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 
 Page 57 
 
 
56. At present, The Gambia depends entirely on impor ts for its oil and gas supplies.  There is no 
specific domestic taxation on oil products.  Genera lly, import duties on oil products are suspended, 
and excise and sales taxes are each le vied at 10% (Chapter III(1)(v)).  
(4) MANUFACTURING  
57. Manufacturing industry in the Gambia is genera lly very small scale, and limited to the local 
market.  The sector includes soap making, a brewer y, a foundry, cement bagging, fish processing, 
bicycle assembly, and various small-scale industries including furniture and handicrafts for the tourist 
sector. 
58. Generally, consistently with the structure la id down by ECOWAS, fertilizers and pesticides, 
specialized machinery and equipment, industrial ch emicals, and drugs and medicines bear among the 
lowest average rates of duty, even before con cessions are extended, while consumer goods bear the 
maximum rate of 20% (Table AIV.2).  However, the specialized schedules in The Gambia's domestic 
tariff allow for substantial tariff concessions and exceptions. 
59. In 2008, the then Department of State for Trade, Industry and Employment published a 
review of the micro, small and medium enterprise sector (MSME)39, combined with a national action 
plan.  The study identified many constraints to the development of MSMEs, from business 
registration costs and constraints, the fiscal and mo netary environment (in particular, the cumulative 
effect of national and local taxes), access to fi nancing, road and river transport infrastructure 
constraints, and lack of business development advisory  services.  It proposed 11 areas of action, to be 
undertaken over a 5-year period, covering:  im provements in the legal, institutional and policy 
environment for MSMEs;  improvement of social protection, safe working conditions and financial 
security; increasing access to micro-finance and other financial resources;  encouraging development of new products and services;  promotion of enterprise culture, access to management skills training and stronger linkages between MSMEs and the formal sector; improvement of infrastructure, especially roads and energy supp ly; encouragement of MSME clus ters, networks and incubators; 
provision of fiscal incentives for MSMEs;  and export promotion. 
60. This ambitious programme re quires a substantial degree of  cooperation and coordination 
among a large number of government ministries and agencies, private sector operators, and external assistance providers. 
(5) S
ERVICES  
(i) WTO bindings 
61. The Gambia has undertaken commitments under the GATS in 12 service subsectors.  It is one 
of the least developed countries that have undert aken the highest number of commitments in the 
context of the Uruguay Round and subsequent ne gotiations on services.  Commercial presence 
(mode 3) is subject to one horizont al limitation, namely that companies and individuals satisfy certain 
registration requirements, which include the payment of fees and deposits, prior to establishment.  No 
binding commitments have been made on measures affecting market access or national treatment for 
the presence of natural persons, with the exception of  the entry and stay of natural persons employed 
in management and expert jobs for the implementa tion of foreign investment.  In these specific cases, 
approval is needed from the office of the President  and is subject to satisfaction of a number of 
criteria, including the payment of a payroll tax, and a minimum investment requirement. 
                                                      
39 DOSTIE (2008). WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 58 
 
 
(ii) Financial services 
(a) Banking 
62. The Gambia's financial system consists of the Central Bank of The Gambia, 14 commercial 
banks, 39 foreign exchange bureaux, 11 insurance co mpanies, the Social Security and Household 
Financing Corporation (SSHFC – a state-owned soci al security and contractual savings institution), 
the Department of Posts (which manages savings  accounts), 67 credit unions, 61 registered Village 
Savings and Credit Associations (VISACAs), and a large number of informal savings and credit 
associations. 
63. Legislation currently in force comprises th e Central Bank Act, 1992, and the Financial 
Institutions Act and Money La undering Act, both of 2003. 
64. The Central Bank of The Gambia supervises th e banking subsector, conducts monetary policy 
and is mandated to promote "sound financial struct ure and credit exchange conditions conducive to 
the orderly and balanced economic  development of the country". 
65. Under the Financial Institutions Act, all financ ial institutions are required to obtain a licence 
from the Central Bank before beginning operations.  As part of its approval process, the Bank 
considers the following criteria:  capital adequacy, and the source of the institution's capital;  the 
character of directors and owners;  the address of the registered office;  memoranda and articles of association;  the certificate of registration and inco rporation;  medium-term business plan;  feasibility 
study;  and any other information the Central Ba nk deems, in the course of its enquiry, to be 
necessary.  No fees are charged for licences. 
66. No special conditions are attach ed to the establishment of foreign banks, or to the opening by 
foreigners of bank accounts in The Gambia, or to Gambian residents contracting loans from an 
overseas bank.  However, Gambian residents need  written permission from the Central Bank before 
opening an account overseas. 
67. The minimum capital requirement for banks establis hed in The Gambia is to be raised from 
D 60 million (approximately US$2.3 million) to D 150 million by end 2010, and to D 200 million 
(roughly US$7.6 million) by end 2012. 
68. The banking system has grown considerably in  recent years, with a rapid increase in the 
number of foreign-owned (many Nigerian) banks (Table IV.3).  
Table IV.3   
Banks and similar financial institutions, June 2010 
Name Main ownership Services provided 
Access Bank Ltd. Nigerian/Gambian Full services 
Arab-Gambian Islamic Bank Gambian Islamic banking 
Bank PHB (formerly, International Bank for Commerce 
(IBC))  Nigerian Full services 
Ecobank Group Ltd. (ETI) West African (ECOWAS) Full services 
First International Bank (FIBank) Nigerian Full services 
Guaranty Trust Bank Ltd. (GTBank)  Nigerian/Gambian Full services 
International Commercial Bank (ICBank) Interna tional (Swiss holding company) Full services 
Oceanic Bank Nigerian Full services 
Prime Bank Ltd. Lebanese/Canadian Full services 
Table IV.3 (cont'd) The Gambia WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 
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Name Main ownership Services provided 
Sahelo-Saharienne Bank for Investment and Commerce Libyan Full services 
Skye Bank Nigerian Full services 
Standard Chartered Bank (Gambia) Ltd. United Kingdom Full services 
Trust Bank Ltd Gambian/Ghanaian Full services 
Zenith Bank (Gambia) Ltd. Nigerian Full services 
Reliance Financial Servi ces (non-bank financial 
institution) Gambian Domestic deposit and loan 
services 
Source:    Central Bank of The Gambia online information, "Finan cial System:  The Banks".  Viewed at: http://www.cbg.gm/ 
 finance-system/theba nks.html; and Access Gambia Web Directory online information, "Banks in Gambia".  
 Viewed at:  http://www.acc essgambia.com/banks.html.  
69. To attract local deposits and encourage use of  banks, the minimum deposit needed to open a 
bank account has recently been reduced to D 200.40  The Central Bank  reports very strong growth in 
deposit liabilities in 2009-10.  However, despite the ra pid expansion of the nu mber of banks, lending 
rates have not come down significantly; according to  the Central Bank, this may be because of the 
wish of banks to strengthen their balance sheets.  Nor does there seem to have been an upsurge of 
lending to productive sectors of the economy. 
70. The 2003 Money Laundering Act requires financial institutions (broadly defined in Annex I 
of the Act) to, inter alia,  establish the true identity of customers and persons (including corporate 
entities) seeking to enter into a business relationshi p.  Where a financial institution has reason to 
suspect money laundering, it is required to subm it a complete written report to the supervisory 
authority, appointed by the Minister of Finance.  Under the Act, customers undertaking transactions of 
a value over D 200,000 (and of any value where it is su spected that drug trafficking or other crime is 
involved) must be identified;  information must be  sought on the origin and destination of transactions 
of over D 500,000 (individuals) or D 2 million (corpo rate bodies) that are "surrounded by conditions 
of unusual or unjustified complexity and appear to  have no economic justification or lawful object" 
and, if they are suspected as being related to  money laundering, these must be reported to the 
supervisory authority.  Anyone leaving The Gambia with over D 200,000, or its equivalent in cash or 
negotiable bearer instruments, should report to the supervisory authority. 
71. The Gambia is a member of GIABA, th e Intergovernmental Group against Money 
Laundering in West Africa.  In 2007, a report on technical assistance needs by GIABA highlighted a number of shortcomings in the implementation of th e Act, including:  delays in implementing the law 
and appointing a supervisory authority; a lax "know your  customer" (KYC) culture;  lack of clarity as 
to the role of the supervisory authority; possible inter-agency conflict in the operation of different 
sections of the Act (e.g. between the supervisory authority and the police);  and omissions from the 
list of proscribed offences. 
72. The report concluded that The Gambia had ser ious capacity and resource constraints in 
implementing the law, and that fighting money launde ring appeared to be a low priority, "especially 
given the perception of some key stakeholders that  money laundering was merely a potential, and not 
a real, problem…".  It identified a wide range of technical assistance needs and programmes that 
could be applied in The Gambia, while stressing th e need for the authorities to demonstrate "firm 
commitment to the diligent implementation of the law".
41 
                                                      
40 Note that the minimum deposit in a Post Office account is D 100 (section (iii)(b) below).   
41 Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money-Laundering in West Africa (2007). WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 60 
 
 
73. In December 2009, a regional workshop for E nglish-speaking countries in West Africa was 
held in The Gambia, at which the Government expressed the high premium it placed on capacity building in this area, especially for law enforc ement agents and the judicial apparatus.  The 
workshop's objective was to raise awareness on how to  identify money-laundering targets, to equip 
participants with various investigative techniqu es and expose them to ev identiary requirements 
necessary to prove common elements of money la undering, and to create a networking forum and 
information sharing for law enforcement agenci es in the fight against global economic crimes.
42 
74. GIABA is also providing other technical assistance and training to the Central Bank, which is 
seeking to strengthen its Financial Intelligence Unit to reinforce its capacity to deal with money 
laundering and similar offences.43 
(b) Insurance 
75. The insurance subsector comprises 12 companies, all privately owned.  With the exception of 
IGi Gamstar Life and Health Assurance Company Ltd., Gambia National Insurance Company Ltd. 
and Great Alliance Insurance Company Ltd. all co mpanies operate only non-life insurance.  Gamstar 
Life and Health Assurance Company Ltd. is the firs t separate subsidiary insurance company operating 
only life and long-term insurance in The Gamb ia.  Most insurance companies operating in 
The Gambia are members of the Insura nce Association of The Gambia (IAG).44 
76. The Insurance Act 2003 and the Insurance Regulat ions 2005 set out the basic requirements, 
such as conditions for registration of insurance companies and insurance agents, paid-up capital, 
deposits for every class of business, conditions for mergers and acquisitions, the amount of solvency 
margin and components of its calculati on, as well as investment requirements. 
77. Regulation of the insurance industry is the r esponsibility of the Central Bank, which appoints 
the Commissioner of Insurance.  The broad crite ria for establishing an insurance company are the 
same as those applying to banks a nd other financial institutions.  Upon incorporation or registration, a 
company or an association must provide the Commissioner with certified copies of its memorandum and articles of association, as registered, and the Commissioner, with approval of the Central Bank, 
grants registration as an insurer and issues a licence to the applicant.  Insurance brokers are required 
to maintain capital of D 100,000 and to deposit D 25,000 in Government securities with the Central 
Bank.
45  
78. Cross-border provision of insurance services is  allowed:  Gambian residents may freely 
purchase insurance abroad. Motor insurance under the "Brown Card" system for ECOWAS provides 
Gambian residents with cover in ot her member States, and vice-versa. 
                                                      
42 Daily Observer,  "Money Laundering is a Global Economic Threat Says Minister Sonko", 
2 December 2009.  Viewed at:  http://a llafrica.com/stories/200912030443.html. 
43 Information provided by the authorities. 
44 Current membership of IAG is:  International Insurance Co. Ltd.;  IGi Gamstar Insurance Co. Ltd.;  
Gambia National Insurance Co.  Ltd.;  Great Alliance Insu rance Co. Ltd.;  Sunshine Insurance Co. Ltd.;  Prime 
Insurance Co. Ltd.;  Global Security  Insurance Co. Ltd.;  Capital Express Insurance Co. Ltd.;  and Takaful 
Gambia Ltd. (Islamic insurance company). 
45 The Gambia Insurance Act 2003. The Gambia WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 
 Page 61 
 
 
(iii) Telecommunications and postal services 
(a) Telecommunications   
79. The main recent development in The Gambia's  telecommunications sector and policy, as in 
other African countries, has been the rapid growth of  mobile phone availability and use, in contrast to 
the relatively limited fixed-line access.  This has b een spurred by the liberalization of the cellular 
sector, while fixed-line telephony has remained in the hands of the public monopoly.   
80. The Gambia ICT Development Index (IDI) moved up 11 places to rank 11th in 2007, the 
highest rank gain of any country in the region.  Most of the improvement is due to higher mobile cellular penetration, but the growing number of Internet users per 100 inhabitants and increasing 
literacy rates also contribute to the higher ranking.
46  The penetration of fixed-line Internet has 
continued to grow since the ITU report was published, and mobile internet is also becoming available;  
all cellular operators have applied for 3G licences.47 
81. The Information and Communications Act, 2009, creates the legal and enabling environment 
to improve the quality and service delivery of te lecommunication services, and clarify the roles of 
stakeholders.  It establishes the principle that po licy and regulation should be technology-neutral and 
that there should be an open and competitive market.  It clarifies the respective roles of the Ministry 
of Information and Communications Infrastructure, as  the governing ministry, and the authority to be 
established to administer the Act.  The Act c ontains provisions for licensing of networks and 
operators, fair competition (including on abuse of  dominant position, and cartels), local loop 
unbundling, spectrum management, and universal service provision.48 
82. Fixed-line services are provided on a monopoly basis by the government-owned Gambia 
Telecommunication Company (GAMTEL).  Cellular telephony provision has grown rapidly since 
liberalization in 2001.  There are currently four service providers:  GAMCEL (subsidiary of 
GAMTEL), AFRICELL Gambia, COMIUM Gambia, and Q-CELL.  AFRICELL is the biggest network provider with wider nati onwide coverage.  Q-CELL is Gambia n owned with foreign partners 
and The Gambia's first 3G provider.  AFRICELL and COMIUM are foreign-owned companies.  All 
carriers have concluded roaming ag reements, which are still expensive.
49  Discussions with the 
authorities suggest that there may be approxima tely 800,000 cell phones in use in the Gambia.  
Because of interconnection costs among different networks, many people possess more than one SIM 
card and multi-SIM phones are widely available. 
83. Regulation of the telecommunications subsector is entrusted to the Public Utilities Regulatory 
Authority (PURA). Cellphone tariffs generally are not regulated, but PURA regulates interconnection 
agreements among cellphone opera tors and has negotiated reducti ons in interconnection tariffs, 
currently at D 0.15 per minute.  Recently, PURA  has also introduced a code of ethics for 
advertisement and sponsorships, supported by enforcement regulations, aimed at increasing truth in 
advertising.  It is applicable to all sectors but pa rticularly to communications, and it appears to have 
had a positive effect in clarifying the structure of tariffs in the sector.50 
                                                      
46 ITU (2009). 
47 Information provided by the authorities. 
48 Information and Communications Act, 2009.  Viewed at:  http://www.doscit.gm/. 
49 International phone tariffs from The Gambia are divided into three zones, in increasing order of 
price:  Senegal (Zone 1), Western Europe, United States and Canada (Zone 2), and the rest of the world, 
including other African countries (Zone 3).  The international gateway is governed by GAMTEL. 
50 The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (2009). WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 62 
 
 
(b) Postal services 
84. Until 2005, postal services were operated by th e Department of Posts, under 1912 legislation 
that gave the Department the monopoly for collecti ng, sending, despatching, and distributing letters 
and parcels.  Following a study of the Departme nt's operations in 2004/05, the Gambia Postal 
Services Corporation (GAMPOST) Act was passed in December 2005.  GAMPOST is a Gambia 
government agency, under the Ministry of Inform ation, Communications a nd Information Technology 
(MOICI), managing a network of 12 post offices.51 Express courier services are open to private 
competition; other forms of postal services have yet to be liberalized. 
85. GAMPOST has been a member of the Univ ersal Postal Union (UPU) since 197452, and is a 
member of the Pan African Postal Union.  The Gamb ia is one of the 19 count ries benefiting from the 
integrated postal reform and development plan (IP DP), created by the UPU International Bureau's 
Development Cooperation Directorate (DCDEV), to  put the postal reform process on track in 
countries wishing to benefit from such an approach , and training workshops in the different regions.53  
The Gambia has received training and technical assistance from UPU in such areas as quality 
standards, tracking of postal items, as well as material assistance in the form of a new vehicle. 
86. GAMPOST also offers certain financial services,  namely savings accounts, money transfers, 
and cashing of postal orders.  The minimum de posit required for savings accounts is D 100.  
Currently, GAMPOST manages funds of some D 8 million for some 7,340 customers. 
(iv) Transport 
(a) Road transport 
87. Road transport is the main mode for the move ment of persons and goods in The Gambia.  
Since its previous review, The Gambia has made c onsiderable progress in upgrading its road network.  
By end 2009, nearly 900 km of the 1,000 km network of (main) roads, connecting all main towns in the country, had been completed either to sealed (ta r) or high-grade gravel standard. The Government 
is now working on the rehabilitation of the 2,500 km  network of feeder roads; some 52 km were 
upgraded to sealed standard in 2009, and a study fo r financing of a further 240 km was under review. 
Finance for the network has come from multiple sources including the EU, Gulf states, and 
Chinese Taipei.
54 
88. The Gambia has completely liberalized its ro ad transport services, and private operators 
compete with The Gambia Public Transport Company (GPTC).  Operators seeking to transport freight 
or passengers on routes between The Gambia and Senegal are required to obtain a permit, under a 
bilateral Road Transport Agreement.  These permit s are delivered by the Minister responsible for 
transport in either country.  The cost of issuance  in The Gambia is D 500.  There is currently no 
regulatory authority for the subsector , and private operators are free to set their prices.  Cabotage is 
allowed. 
                                                      
51 GAMPOST online information, "Financial serv ices".  Viewed at:  http://www.gampost.gm/ 
financial-services.htm. 
52 Universal Postal Union online information, "Mem bers by alphabetical order".  Viewed at:  
http://www.upu.int/members/en/members.html. 
53 Universal Postal Union online information, "IPDP root and branch postal reform".  Viewed at:  
http://www.upu.int/union_postale/2006/en/2006- 1_ipdp_root_and_branch_postal_reform.html. 
54 Information supplied by the authorities for this Review. The Gambia WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 
 Page 63 
 
 
(b) Port operations, and maritime and river transport 
89. Regulation of port operations, and maritime a nd river transport is under the mandate of 
The Gambia Ports Authority (GPA), a state enterprise .  Banjul port is The Gambia's main maritime 
commercial port, serving as a gateway for the entry of goods and for re-exportation to countries in the 
sub-region.  Quay length is 750 metres, and th e maximum length of vessels allowed at wharves is 
182.9 metres.  The port offers approximately 38,000 m2 of uncovered storage area and 3,000 m2 of 
covered storage area. 
90. Cargo throughput, measured in tonnes, grew  steadily between 2004 and 2009, by 50%, 
generally reflecting sustained growth in the volu me of both imports and exports over the period 
(Table IV.4).  The volume of goods exported, ho wever, is generally only around 10% of that the 
volume imported through the port. 
Table IV.4 
Banjul Port, cargo throughput, 2003-09 
(Tonnes) 
 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 
Imports 939,847 860,813 898,675 932,220 1,032,392 1,130,462 .. 
Exports 91,325 95,954 84,836 119,683 107,985 130,547 .. 
Total 1,031,172 956,767 983,511 1,051,903 1,140,377 1,261,009 1,440,546 
..  Not available. 
Source:  Information provided by the Gambian authorities. 
91. Although the Ports Act 1972 envisages the possibi lity of certain services, notably pilotage, 
being provided by operators other than the GPA, in practice the GPA maintains a monopoly on all 
port services.   
92. The Gambia does not have its own national carrier.  Cabotage by foreign carriers is 
authorized under the Ports Act, 1972. 
93. The responsibilities of the Gambia Ports Authority are set out in the Ports Act.  The GPA 
determines berthing, mooring and anchoring locations , and approaches to the port, and sets ships' dues 
relating to these operations.  It sets and collects ha rbour dues, based on the number of passengers and 
the volumes of freight.  The GPA sets rates for the provision of services and use of equipment relating to handling of goods, carriage of passengers, use of any gear, tackle, tools, instruments or staging 
supplied by the GPA, use of dockyard and dockyard services; and the use of ferries and river craft for passengers and goods.  Charges are the same for im ports and exports.  Since 2008, certain charges, 
notably for conventional cargo hand ling, have been markedly redu ced to maintain the competitive 
position of the Banjul port (Table IV.5), and the storage area for containers has been doubled to 
10,000 km
2.  The port authorities are also considering dredging the river access channel, only 
9.5 metres depth at high water, to 12-13 metres to allow larger ships to access the port. 
94. The Ports (Ferries) Regulations of 1972 requi re all vessels operating in Gambian territorial 
waters to obtain a licence from the GPA.  The GPA h as been the sole operator of cross-river ferries 
since 2001. 
95. Inland river transport is regulated by the GPA.  Currently, there is one private-sector operator 
with two barges, while the Gambia Groundnut Cor poration has its own transport system.  River 
transport is, in principle, open to private-sector en trants.  Road transport remains the preferred option 
for most forms of freight and passenger transport. WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
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Table IV.5 
Charges and dues at Banjul Port, 2009/10 
Description Value 
Port charges  
Pilotage A composite charge based on the size of the vessel  
Berthing First 24 hours:  €0.15 per GRT 
Succeeding ½ days:  €0.09 per GRT 
Berthing:  €46.55 Berthing party 
Unberthing €46.55;  surcharging €60.80 
Buoys and lights €0.28 per NRT 
Discharged:  €1.45 per tonne for bulk;  €34.20/TEUa for containers Harbour dues 
Loaded:  €1.45 per tonne 
Other charges Mooring:  €121.60 
Container handling:  D 750 for 20 foot c ontainer;  D 1,500 for 40 foot container 
Conventional cargo:  direct delivery:  D 15 per tonne;  stacking:  D 30 per tonne 
Tariffs on empty containers and use of 
cranes  
Crane standby charge This charge was abolished in 2007 
User charge €142.50 per hour for container vessels 
Bulk cargo charge €4.24 per tonne 
Hourly charge D 50 for usage other than vessel operation 
Empty container charges (€), daily Shore handling €12/TEU 
Day 1-10 No charge 
Day 11-20 0.70 
Day 21-30 1.40 
Day 31-40 2.85 
From 41st day 5.70 
a Twenty-foot equivalent unit. 
Source: Information provided by the Gambian authorities. 
(c) Air transport 
96. Gambia has no national airline.  Currently, only two airlines – Brussels Airlines and Royal 
Air Maroc – provide scheduled long-haul flights to Banjul.  Other scheduled carriers include Virgin Nigeria, Arik Air (Nigeria), Elysian Airlines (C ameroon), Spanair, Mauritana Airways, and ASky 
(Togo). Most tourist arrivals in The Gambia are by charter flights, either with specialized charter 
operators' aircraft or using the two airlines men tioned above.  Airlines currently involved in the 
charter trade with The Gambia include Viking Ai rlines, Thomas Cook, Monarch, Transavia, and 
Tui Arkefly.
55  
97. Data from the authorities show that passengers  arriving in The Gambia from European 
destinations increased from some 97,000 in 2004 to  some 135,000 in 2007, before falling to 125,000 
in 2009.  Regional passengers have declined markedly, from 37,000 in 2004 to 25,000 in 2009. 
98. The Gambia is a signatory to the Yamoussoukro Declaration on creation of a single African 
air space56, and the Banjul Accord for the accelerat ed implementation of the Yamoussoukro 
Declaration.  The latter brings together seven West African states57, and establishes a platform for 
negotiating traffic rights and market access, as we ll for harmonizing air transport regulations.  
According to the authorities, the declaration has not  been implemented.  The Banjul Accord group of 
                                                      
55 Information provided by the authorities. 
56 African Union (2005). 
57 Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea,  Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. The Gambia WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 
 Page 65 
 
 
states have allocated traffic ri ghts to each member under the agre ement.  The Gambia pursues an 
open-skies policy. 
99. Banjul International Airport is managed by th e state-owned Gambia Civil Aviation Authority 
(GCAA).  It handles between 280,000 and 300,000 passenger movements per year, and 2,300 to 
3,000 tonnes of cargo (Table IV.6).  The GCAA collects landing fees and passenger taxes. 
Table IV.6 
Passenger and cargo traffic through Ba njul International Airport, 2003-08 
 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 
Scheduled passengers 139,561 135,926 107,636 143,481 108,325 .. 
Non-scheduled passengers 145,90 2 151,192 181,516 162,755 223,512 .. 
Scheduled cargo (kg) 92,343 73,674 99,556 52,115 134,242 .. 
Non-scheduled cargo (kg) 9,587 1,185 306 22,313 705 .. 
.. Not available. 
Source:   The Gambia Transport Statistics 2003-07.   
(v) Tourism 
100. The tourism industry's share of The Gambia's GDP is estimated to have increased from 12% 
in 2001 to 17% in 2007, the peak year;  and to ha ve fallen again to below 13% with the economic 
crisis of 2008-09.  The industry is estimated to provide 4.1% of employment directly and through its 
overall impact on the economy, 9.9%.58  The services account of the balance of payments is expected 
to improve slightly in 2010 owi ng to a small recovery in tourism.59 
101. Industry sources indicate that the relative share of business, tourism compared with private 
(mostly charter) tourism has been increasing, ri sing from 39% in 2003 to 44% in 2008; the value of 
tourist-related exports increased from US$57 m illion to US$83.5 million in the same period.60 
102. The main tourism season in The Gambia is from November to March.  Besides its 
Atlantic-coast beach resorts, The Ga mbia's main advantages are its culture61, and its variety of wildlife 
and ecosystems, including abundant birdlife and natura l reserves.  Only two airlines currently operate 
scheduled long-haul flights to Banjul, but many charte r tour operators and travel agencies, particularly 
in Europe, propose The Gambia as one of many possible destinations62, while a few independent 
operators focus almost exclusively on The Gambia.  According to the Ministry of Tourism, charter 
tourist arrivals increased by nearly 70%  between 2004 and 2009 (Table IV.7).  
103. The policy framework for the tourism subsector is provided by the National Tourism Master 
Plan, under which executive responsibility has been delegated to The Gambia Tourist Authority 
(GTA).  GTA's mission statement states that "…th e country's main marketing objective is to go 
up-market and attract more high spending tourists."  It is aware that to achieve this it must:  adhere to 
the principles of the Responsible Tourism Po licy, improve product quality, encourage the 
                                                      
58 World Travel and Tourism Council (2010).  IMF data show travel income increasing from 
US$51 million in 2003 to US$84 million in 2007 (see Chapter I, Table I.3). 
59 Economist Intelligence Unit (2010). 
60 World Travel and Tourism Council (2010) . 
61 For example, "Roots" tourism is attracting African-American visitors. 
62 See Access Gambia online information, "Gambi an Based Travel Agencies".  Viewed at:  
http://www.accessgambia.com/information/travel-agencies. html;  and Wordtravels online information, "Holiday 
Travel Agents and Tour Operators".  Viewed at:  http://www.wordtravels.com/Travelguide/Countries/Gambia/ 
Tour%20Operators. WT/TPR/S/233/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 66 
 
 
development of added value products, promote y ear-round tourism, encourage investors to fund 
up-country and up-river tourism ventures, and reinforce safety and security. 
Table IV.7 
Tourism indicators, 2004-09 
 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 
Overall tourist arrivals ('000) .. .. .. .. .. .. 
Charter tourist arrivals ('000) 90,095 107,094 124,800 142,626 146,759 152,379 
Average length of stay (days) .. 11.2 11.5 10.4 9.9 .. 
Average daily expenditure (D) .. .. 882 975 1,347 .. 
.. Not available. 
Source:  Ministry of Tourism. 
104. The Tourism Development Master Plan was agreed by Cabinet in 2007.  It incorporates the 
Responsible Tourism policy, introduced in  2004, as well as many aspects of eco-tourism 
development.63  The Government, assisted by external studies64, is conscious of the need to improve 
the positive impact of the tourist sector on the economy.  The policy recognizes a number of initiatives that have been taken to add local value to the tourist sector and increase backward linkages 
to the local economy, such as the "Gambia is G ood" (GiG) initiative, a UK-supported programme that 
promotes high-quality growing and marketing of ve getables and fruit by Gambian smallholders for 
sale to hotels.
65  Marketing of eco-tourism and the development of river voyages, birdwatching trips, 
and cultural activities have also b een a main focus of The Gambia's tourism development strategy.  
Gambia has also signed up to international initiatives promoting child protection in the tourism sector 
and has maintained legislation in this area since 2003.66 
105. Under the provisions of the GIEPA Act, certain  investments are eligib le for the incentives 
associated with special investor status (Chapter II(4)).  These relate to eco-tourism, the development 
of "up-country tourism" (motels, tourist camps, s port fishing, river cruising), and the development of 
four- or five-star hotels.  To develop tourism dur ing the so-called "green season" (the Northern 
hemisphere summer), the Government maintains s easonal incentives for tour operators, hotels, and 
ground handlers, applicable during May to end Oc tober.  These are:  a 25% discount on aircraft 
handling charges for all flights;  a 25% discount on landing and parking fees for all tourist flights;  
and a 50% reduction in sales tax for hotels and ground handlers. 
 
                                                      
63 Information provided by Minist ry of Tourism and Culture, August 2009.  See also Access Gambia 
online information, "Policy For Respon sible Tourism in Gambia".  Viewed  at:   http://ww w.accessgambia.com/ 
information/responsible-travel-policy.html. 
64 See, for example Mitchell and Faal (2008). 
65 See Concern Universal online inform ation, "Gambia is Good:  A Miracl e of Marketing".  Viewed at:  
http://www.concernuniversal.org/index.php?/working_in_partnership/gambia_is_good. 
66 See ECPAT UK (2005).