RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/TPR/G/233 
10 August 2010  
 
(10-4151) 
Trade Policy Review Body Original:  English 
   
 
  
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW 
 
Report by 
 
THE GAMBIA 
 
 
  
Pursuant to the Agreement Establishing the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (Annex 3 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade 
Organization), the policy statement by The Gambia is attached. 
 
 
Note: This report is subject to restricted circ ulation and press embargo until the end of the first 
session of the meeting of the Trade Policy Review Body on The Gambia. The Gambia WT/TPR/G/233 
 Page 3 
 
 
 CONTENTS 
   P a g e  
1. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT AND PERFORMANCE 5 
1.1 E CONOMIC OVERVIEW  5 
1.2 E XPECTED OUTLOOK OF THE ECONOMY  5 
1.3 M ACROECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT  6 
(a) Fiscal policy 6 (b) Monetary policy 7 
(c) Debt sustainability 7 
2. SECTORAL PERFORMANCE 7 
2.1 A
GRICULTURE  7 
2.2 T OURISM  9 
2.3 T RANSPORT  10 
2.4 M ANUFACTURING  10 
2.5 F ISHERY SECTOR  11 
3. TRADE POLICY ENVIRONMENT 12 
3.1 T RADE -RELATED POLICIES  12 
3.2 T RADE FACILITATION  12 
3.3 Q UALITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND STANDARDIZATION  13 
3.4 E NHANCED INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK  14 
3.5 A ID FOR TRADE  14 
4. REGIONAL INTEGRATION 16 
4.1 E COWAS   16 
4.2 E CONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT (EPA) WITH THE EU 16 
5. TRADE-RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 17 
6. CONCLUSION  17 
 
 The Gambia WT/TPR/G/233 
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  1. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT AND PERFORMANCE 
1.1 E CONOMIC OVERVIEW  
1. Since the last trade policy review of the Ga mbia in 2003, the Government of The Gambia 
successfully tackled the adverse impact of the 2002 drought and the subsequent drought of 2007.  The 
economy achieved an average growth rate of 6.1%  from 2006 to 2008 and is rebounding following the 
drought of 2007 and the subsequent effects of the global financial and economic crisis.  The 
performance of the economy improved further in 2009 due partly to strong growth in agriculture, 
largely because of good rains. 
2. The main drivers of the growth during 2006 to  2008 were mining, construction, wholesale 
and retail trade, financial services, transport, and telecommunication, which were supported by 
favourable weather conditions and steady inflows of fo reign direct investment and remittances.  The 
performance of the service sector was strong with av erage annual growth rate of 7.5% during 2005 to 
2007 with strong contribution from communication and hot els and restaurants.  However, tourism and 
residential construction were hard hit by the global financial crisis.  The number of charter tourists 
arrivals dropped by 19.5% in 2009 from 2008 leve ls.  Remittances from Gambian Diaspora also 
dropped sharply limiting the financing for home building and purchases. 
3. The performance of the agriculture sector was mixed during the review period.  Groundnut 
output fell substantially in 2007 due to unfavourable  rainfall but recovered in 2008.  The sector 
continued to perform strongly in 2009 due to good rains and successf ul expansion of rice farming, 
which helped to offset the negative impact of the glob al financial crisis, particularly on the rural poor.  
Exports of non-traditional crops, mainly cashew nuts, also improved since 2008. 
4. Average inflation moderated from 17% in 2003 to  2.1% in 2006, but increased to 8% in 2007 
due to rise in international prices of food and petroleum products.  The Government reduced the 
duties and taxes on food grains which constitute 54% weight in the consumer price index, to reduce 
the impact of the rise in the world prices of food and petroleum on the life of the people.  The sales 
tax on rice imports was reduced from 15% to 5% in July  2007 and eliminated altogether in May 2008.  
As a result the 12-month average CPI inflation m oderated to 4.9% in 2008.  The Government 
however increased the taxes on car parts and used vehicles to compensate for the revenue loss as a 
result of reduction of duty and taxes on rice.  The import sales tax of rice was re-introduced at 5% in 2010 following the fall and stabilization of world prices of rice in 2009. 
1.2 E
XPECTED OUTLOOK OF THE ECONOMY  
5. With the recovery of the Western Economies from the global economic crises, coupled with 
favourable rainfall in 2009, the outlook of the Gamb ian economy for 2010 is positive and real GDP is 
expected to grow by 5%. 
6. The service sector is projected to account for 62.5% of national output, while Agriculture is 
projected to account for 25% and Industry 12.5%.  Agricu ltural output is expected to grow at a modest 
rate of 9.8% in 2009, down from a growth rate of 26.6% in 2008.  The Serv ices sector will remain 
fairly buoyant following the expected recovery  of tourism from the global economic crisis.  
Distributive trade is projected to grow by 6%, fina nce and insurance services by 11%, and transport, 
storage, and communication by 5%. WT/TPR/G/233 Trade Policy Review 
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  7. The growth rate of industrial output is expect ed to improve from -1.2% in 2008 to 3.5% in 
2009.  This is on account of sustained strong growth  in mining and quarrying;  electricity, gas, and 
water;  and construction. 
8. Prices of goods and services have been relativ ely stable in 2009.  Food and non-alcoholic 
beverages group recorded an annual point-to-point inflation rate of 2.6% in September 2009, down 
from 8.1% a year before, and contributed 68.1% to overall inflation.  Non-food items recorded annual 
inflation rate of 1.9% in September 2009, down fr om 4% a year before and contributed 31.9% to 
overall inflation.  Given these trends, inflation on  a year-on-year basis for 2009 in terms of the 
Consumer Price Index is expected to be around 2.7%  compared to 6.8% recorded in December 2008.  
The 12 month average inflation is expected to be around 4.5% in 2009, the same as in the previous 
year. 
1.3 M ACROECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT  
9. The Gambia continued to enjoy a stable macroeconomic environment since 2004 as the 
Government maintained prudent macroeconomic po licies to sustain the stability of the economy 
despite the vulnerability of the economy to ex ogenous factors.  The overriding objective for 
macroeconomic policies is to maintain a stable  economic environment that would support strong 
growth and poverty reduction. 
(a) Fiscal policy 
10. Fiscal measures focused on more effective revenue mobilization, reduction in the fiscal deficit 
and the creation of a competitive business environmen t that will enhance private sector development 
as well as attract investment.  In that regard, the Government continues to adopt fiscal measures that 
will help achieve these objectives. 
11. In 2006, the Government started aligning its tariff rates with those of the ECOWAS common 
external tariff (CET) following the adoption of a co mmon external tariff by the ECOWAS Authority.  
Even though the adoption of the CET has to some extent reduced the competitive tariff advantage of 
The Gambia, the overall advantage of an effective economic integration in West Africa is greater for 
The Gambia in the long term.  The Government also reduced the corporate tax from 35% to 33% and 
the turnover tax also reduced by 0.5% in 2010. 
12. The new Customs and Excise Act was passed by the National Assembly in 2010.  The new 
Act reduced the need for duty exemptions for produ cers by reducing rates for inputs in line with the 
ECOWAS CET.  The Government is also curren tly working closely with the ECOWAS Commission 
to examine the possibility of adopting value added tax ( VAT) instead of a sales tax.  It is hope that by 
the end of 2010, arrangements as well as the nece ssary assessment for the adoption of VAT will be 
completed. 
13. The Government will continue to pursue tax re forms over the medium te rm to enhance further 
revenues and strengthen the business environment.  Th is will involve further simplification of the tax 
system, gradual reduction of corporate and inco me tax rates, and eliminate exemptions and 
discretionary investment incentives.  Reforms to tax administration will further be pursued following 
the establishment of the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) in 2006.  In this regard, the Government 
will adopt measures to improve taxpayer-oriented services by the GRA as well as strengthen measures 
to protect taxpayers' rights through the effective implementation of a tax tribunal. The Gambia WT/TPR/G/233 
 Page 7 
 
 
  (b) Monetary policy 
14. The focus of monetary policy since 2004 is on  achieving price and exchange rate stability as 
key elements in creating the environment conduc ive to achieve sustainable economic growth.  
Monetary policy will be aimed at holding inflation to no more than 5%, by targeting reserve money 
growth to 10% during 2010.  Broad money is project ed to grow by about 11% during the year, while 
growth in bank credit to the private sect or is projected to pick up to 23%. 
15. In the financial sector, the Government is comm itted to its liberal policies as reflected in the 
Gambia's schedule of commitments in services.  The number of commercial banks increased from six 
banks in 2003 to fourteen banks in 2010.  Th e Central Bank of the Gambia will strengthen the 
supervision of the banking system to ensure that they are in compliance with the banking rules and 
operating in competitive environment.  In addition,  the Bank will increase banks' capital requirements 
from D 60 million in 2009 to D 150 million at end-2010 and eventually to D 200 million at end-2012.  
In addition a credit reference bureau has been established in 2009 and is now functional. 
(c) Debt sustainability 
16. The public external debt of The Gambia  increased from US$555.2 million in 2003 to 
US$676.7 million in 2006, a level that posed more challenge to sustain given the limited resources 
and development commitments of the Government.  The external debt services of the Government 
rose from US$22.6 million in 2004 to US$25.6 milli on in 2006 and US$26.5 million in 2007. 
17. The Gambia has been acces sing the IMF concessional facilities since 1998 under the 
Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility and unde r the various Poverty Reduction Growth Facility 
(PRGF) programmes in 2002.  The Government opted for the HIPC in 2001 and performed satisfactorily which helped The Ga mbia reach the HIPC completion point in December 2007 and thus 
benefited from substantial de bt relief.  The debt relief reduced The Gambia's external debt stock by 
more than half (from US$676.7 million in 2006 to  US$299.4 million 2007) and this created some 
fiscal space for Government to spend its lim ited resources in priority development areas. 
18. The Government in 2009 formulated a Medium Term Debt Management Strategy 2010-12, as 
a national strategy for debt sustainability, wh ich Government is currently implementing. 
2. SECTORAL PERFORMANCE 2.1 A
GRICULTURE  
19. The performance of the agricultural sector has been  mixed as it continues to be at the mercy 
of erratic rainfall.  The Government, however, con tinues to pursue the medium term goals of the 
sector which are aimed at achieving food security through the promotion of sustainable diversified food production programmes, with emphasis on cerea l production.  This will create employment and 
generate income for the rural population w ho are highly dependent on primary production. 
20. The performance of the sector was strong in 20 03 and 2004 with growth rates of 20.1% and 
14.5% respectively after the drou ght of 2002.  The sector perform ed reasonably well during the 
2008/09 cropping season with increase in area and production for most crops.  The total cereal production is estimated at 284,700 tonnes comprising 223,700 tonnes of coarse grain and 
61,000 tonnes of paddy rice.  The coarse grain cerea l production is 10.5% above that of the previous 
year and 27.8% above the last five-years average.  Although animal feed has improved, the most notable improvement is on rice production which increased from 34,000 tonnes in the 2008/09 WT/TPR/G/233 Trade Policy Review 
Page 8 
 
 
  cropping season to 64,500 tonnes in the 2009/10 cropping season.  Groundnuts production was 
estimated to increase from 72,000 tonnes in 2007/08 to 140,000 tonnes in 2009. 
Table 1 
Cultivated area:  major crops, 2006/09  
(Ha) 
Crops 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 
Early millet 101,397 94,151 113,640 
Late millet 14,821 17,567 21,000 
Sorghum 18,969 21720 26,281 
Maize 32,261 36,156 43,460 
Paddy rice 15,199 16,588 34,000 
Total cereals 182,647 186,182 238,581 
Total ground nuts 110,388 117,591 133,703 
Total all crops 293,030 303,773 372,084 
Table2 
Production of major crops, 2006/09 
(Tonnes) 
Crops 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 
Early millet 103,539 75,825 108,404 
Late millet 14,621 13,361 17,220 
Sorghum 20,266 17,951 25,624 
Maize 29,147 31,408 44,894 
Paddy rice 15,832 11,395 38,300 
Total cereals 183,405 149,940 234,442 
Total groundnut 81,775 72,557 109,641 
Total all crops 265,180 222,497 344,082 
21. Reducing the sector's reliance on rain fed agri culture through a well developed irrigation 
system and the gradual and sustainable transforma tion of agriculture from subsistence to a more 
commercially–oriented farming continues to be the ma in challenge of the Government in its quest to 
modernise the sector and improve its performance. 
22. The Government of The Gambia continues to take agriculture as a priority sector in its 
development agenda and mainta ins its collaboration with deve lopment partners to promote 
agricultural production and food productivity for food security and increased rural income.  Through 
this collaboration, several development projects we re formulated and implemented during the review 
period.  These projects, either individually or jointl y, have contributed to the continuous improvement 
in the sector performance both in terms of diversif ication and produc tion enhancement.  The projects 
target to develop or rehabilitate 8,132 hectares in the area of rice production, while others provide and 
strengthen capacity building in the production and post production management of crops. 
23. The Government has also recently formulated  an Agriculture and Natural Resource (ANR) 
Policy which is geared towards raising the productiv ity of small holders as well as increasing their 
income levels.  The policy also emphasizes th e comparative advantage of resources and the 
commitment of the Government to improve the agricultural environment to attract commercial 
investment in the sector.  The Government's commitment in creating effective and efficient 
agricultural delivery systems will be pursued vigor ously.  The Government's effort will also be 
directed at increasing production, through expansi on of the cultivable ar ea as well as increased 
productivity, with focus on irrigation to reduce relia nce on rain fed production.  The Government will The Gambia WT/TPR/G/233 
 Page 9 
 
 
  also focus on sustainable improved technologies particularly in the areas of water control, improved 
seeds, agro-chemicals, and pest and diseases.  Alongsid e this policy, the Government also formulated 
the Gambia National Agriculture Investment Pr ogramme in 2009, under the framework of the 
Comprehensive African Agriculture Developmen t Programme (CAADP).  The Government, in 
collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission, organi zed a donor round table in Banjul in 2010 and a 
compact was signed with development partners.  Th e Government is currently preparing a national 
operational plan for the implementation of the programme. 
24. The Government continues to promote private co mmercial investment in agriculture.  Private 
commercial investments in the horticultural and poultr y sectors have substantially increased.  This has 
resulted to expansion of commercial activity from main ly the traditional areas of fruits and vegetables 
for exports to large scale production of poultry pr oducts, potatoes and onion for domestic market. 
25. To sustain and improve performance in th e 2009-10 season, the Agriculture sector was 
well-equipped with inputs and oper ational equipment and tools.  Over 130,000 bags of compound 
fertilizer and 100,000 sachets of seed treatment chemi cals and herbicides for rice were made available 
in the country.  The Expanded Rice Production Initi ative with Chinese Taipei in 2008 successfully 
cultivated 7,000 hectares with additional 8,000 hect ares expected to be put under production in the 
second year of the project. 
2.2 T OURISM  
26. The development of the tourism sector in The Ga mbia since the last Trade Policy Review has 
been largely positive.  The sector has benefited from a number of significant investments in hotels by 
the private sector as well as improvement in road s and other tourist related structures by the 
Government.  The Government formulated the Tour ism Development Master plan in 2007 as the main 
policy framework for the development of tourism in  The Gambia.  The plan compliments the National 
Tourism Policy and has also incorporated th e Ecotourism Support Strategy for the Gambia. 
27. One of the main challenges of tourism in The Gambia is product divers ification and effective 
marketing and promotional activities of the Gambia as a destination particularly in light of other 
competitive destinations.  Budgetary constraints and limited experienced personnel at the Gambia 
Tourism Authority hamper the agency's effort to sell The Gambia very well. 
28. Tourism development, however, continues to be  a priority for the Government, given the 
sector's contribution to GDP and employment.  The G overnment reduced the electricity tariff rates for 
the hotels from D 10.43 per unit in November 2006 to D 7.65 per unit in 2009, down by 26.6% to 
reduce the electricity cost of the hotels.  In 2009, significant resources were also directed at 
international marketing with the development of a highly interactive website, production of 
promotional literature, and participation in major tourism events at home and abroad.  Various 
initiatives are being undertaken to diversify the tourism market, while a destination marketing 
framework is being developed. 
29. As part of this diversification process, The Ga mbia will aim at positioning itself as a preferred 
destination for Conference Tourism.  The Governme nt will also continue to promote the development 
of good quality hotel infrastructure to compliment  the development of roads and the upgrading of 
various craft markets in the Tourism Development Ar ea.  Similarly, listed world heritage sites like 
James Island, Juffureh, Wassu, and Kerr Batch Stone Circles were gi ven a facelift with donor support.  
The Government, with the support of the World Bank and the Spanish Government, will upgrade the 
Gambia Hotel School into a tourism and hospitality training institute in 2010. WT/TPR/G/233 Trade Policy Review 
Page 10 
 
 
  30. To enable the communities to gain from the tourism sector, the Government is working 
closely with civil society to promote the linkage  between the accommodation sector and agricultural 
suppliers through "the Gambia is  Good Programme".  The programme is aimed at ensuring that a 
good amount of the fresh fruits and vegetables require ments of hotels and restau rant could be supplied 
locally. 
2.3 T RANSPORT  
31. The development of a good road network to f acilitate the movement of people and goods is 
one of the main policy objectives of the Government  in the transport sector.  The overall objective is 
to develop an efficient transport network that will support production in the economy as well as 
position The Gambia as a transit hub in the region.  To  this end, the Government has made significant 
progress in the improvement of The Gambia's road  network.  Through the support of the EU, a 
number of road projects have been commissioned to re habilitate The Gambia's transit routes as part of 
the EU funded roads project to promote regional co nnectivity in West Africa.  The Mandinaba-Seleti 
Road and Barra-Amdali Road linking northern and s outhern Senegal through the western corridor in 
The Gambia were completed in 2009.  Th e construction of the Mandinaba-Soma road, 
Soma-Basse-Wellingara and Trans-Gambia Roads ar e in progress.  These roads will significantly 
improve accessibility within The Gambia and connectivity with Senegal. 
32. With the objective of making the Gambia a transit hub, The Gambia Ports Authority has 
started implementing the Ports Master Plan develope d in 2002.  The focus is to strengthen the position 
of the Port of Banjul as a gateway to the region by improving its competitiveness and efficiency.  To 
this end, the Port reviewed and reduced its tari ffs in 2007 to make them more competitive and has 
recently started the Ports Expansion Programme by negotiating and acquiring the residential area 
close to its premises to create space for port development. 
33. One of the biggest challenge to attain the Port as a gateway is the estuary nature of the Port of 
Banjul which requires periodic dredging in order to  regain the design depth at all berths.  The 
Government will also have to link the Port to th e region with a good quality road network.  Even 
though progress is made in this regard with EU su pport, there still remain a number of links to the 
regional network that have to be improved.  Coastal shipping linking the Port of Banjul to other ports 
in the sub-region is undeveloped.  The Gove rnment will vigorously pursue the effective 
implementation of the ECOWAS Agreement on road  transport and the ECOWAS priority road 
transport programme. 
2.4 M ANUFACTURING  
34. The Government of The Gambia is committed to  a comprehensive and intensive development 
effort aimed at transforming the Gambian econom y from low levels of output and income and 
dependence on agriculture and tourism to a divers ified economy capable of sustained economic and 
social progress through development of its own na tural, human and material resources.  The 
development of the manufacturing sector is a prio rity in achieving this policy objective.  The 
manufacturing sector is presently undeveloped, and on  average contributed 5% to GDP during the 
review period.  This situation can be impr oved given the untapped potential in the sector. 
35. A number of challenges constrain the developmen t of the sector.  These include the lack of 
access to finance, relatively high cost of energy, length of time and bureaucracy in approving duty 
waiver application for imported manufacturing input s, small domestic market and cheap imports. The Gambia WT/TPR/G/233 
 Page 11 
 
 
  36. The Government has adopted a number of measures aimed at addressing some of these 
challenges.  One important step in this direction is the opening up the generation of electricity to 
Independent Power Producers, which has greatly  improved the supply of electricity.  The 
Government, through the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA), has reduced the electricity 
tariff rates for the manufacturing sector, agriculture  and commercial activities from D 9.43 per unit in 
November 2006 to D 7.20 per unit in 2009, down by 23.6%.  The 2001 Gambia Investment Promotion and Free Zone Act and the Customs and Excise Act ha ve also been reviewed to reduce the need for 
application of duty waivers.  The Government is finalizing arrangements to set up the Gambia 
Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) in 2010 and with its coming into effect, GIPFZA 
will cease to operate.  This institution is design to  pursue the development of Micro and Small and 
Industrial Enterprises as enshrined in the Vision 2020 national blueprint.  The main focus is 
investment and export promotions through attraction of Foreign Direct Investment to enhance value 
added activities in the economy. 
37. The Government of the Gambia in 2009 also signed a five-year Country Cooperation 
Programme with UNIDO which aims at raising the competitiveness of industrial enterprises.  The 
Country Programme will respond to key indust rial priorities and related productive capacity 
challenges of public and private sector partners .  It covers five key areas which include:  
agro-industries (food processing, the ground nuts, and cashew nut sectors);  private sector development (focus on small-scale programme  for sustained development);  industrial 
competitiveness (competitiveness units and assistance to  the formulation of an industrial policy);  
trade capacity building (quality infrastructure, metrol ogy, and standards);  and renewable energy for 
productive activities.  The Government is therefore on the verge of formulating a National Industrial 
Policy (NIP) through the UNIDO country programme.  With the completion of this policy document, 
all the programmes and strategies for the developm ent of industrial sector will be guided by it. 
2.5 F
ISHERY SECTOR  
38. The fisheries sector continues to be a priority sector for the Government because of its great 
potential for the economic development of the country.  It is in this respect that the Government 
formulated the fisheries policy in 2007 and a fish eries regulation in 2008 to enhance the management 
of the fish resources at the level of artisanal, i ndustrial, and aquaculture s ubsectors.  The overall goal 
of the sector policy is to encourage responsible fishing and fish utilization practices as well as sustainable development of fishing for food secur ity and poverty reduction in the Gambia.  The 
2008 Fisheries Regulation specifies a number of conservation measures including area restrictions, 
gear restrictions and fish size limitations among others. 
39. The sector, however, faces a number of challeng es which constrain its development.  Limited 
access to credit facilities for operators in the artisa nal and industrial fisherie s subsectors frustrates 
efforts to modernize the artisanal fishing fleet and investment capital in the industrial subsector for 
their development.  The lack of appropriate onshore factories, high energy cost and the absence of a 
fisheries port are also major physical constraints of the industrial fisheries subsector.  Quality improvement and conformity to standards are also posing problems in The Gambia due to the limited 
capacities and infrastructure necessary to conform to international standards. 
40. However, it should be noted that the Government , with the support of development partners, 
has adopted measures to address some of these constr aints.  To this end, the Government aims to 
provide fisheries infrastructure facilities, fishing related equipment and facilities for fish preservation 
and distribution. WT/TPR/G/233 Trade Policy Review 
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  41. Under the Gambia Artisanal Fisheries Devel opment Project, works on the Banjul Fisheries 
Jetty are progressing and construction works are exp ected to be completed by the end of 2010.  
Following acquisition of a supplementary loan fr om the African Development Bank, funds are now 
available for the construction of the Bakoteh Fish  Market and rehabilitation of three inland fish 
landing sites at Bintang, Tendaba, and Albreda.  These add to the landing sites that have been 
constructed along the coastal communities and at Brikama.  The landing sites have the potential to impact on the lives of the communities and contribute to poverty reduction through increased landings, particularly of pelagic species. 
42. The FAO-funded Sustainable Aquaculture Project, launched on 30 September 2008, is 
expected to supplement existing aquaculture resear ch activities, reduce pressure on the capture of 
fisheries of the River Gambia and assist farming co mmunities, especially rice growers in the Central 
River Region, and generate supplementary incomes.  The provision of four high-speed patrol boats by 
Chinese Taipei will reinforce capacity for monito ring, control and surveillance of the country's 
territorial waters, both coastal and inland.  The fish eries laboratory is currently being refurbished and 
strengthened as well, with the support of the EU funded West African Quality Programme. 
3. TRADE POLICY ENVIRONMENT 3.1 T
RADE -RELATED POLICIES  
43. The Government of the Gambia is committed to th e promotion of trade as part of the overall 
objectives of creating an enabling environment to promote economic developm ent and job creation.  
In that regard, the Government is pursuing polic ies aimed at improving the business environment and 
attracting investment. 
44. In line with this, the Gambia Competition Law was enacted in 2007 and the Competition 
Commission established in 2008.  The Gambia Co mpetition Commission is now fully operational and 
the Government will continue to support and strengthen the institution to bring efficiency in the way 
markets operate in The Gambia.  The instituti on will ensure fair competition and encourage good 
trade practices in the Gambia.  The 2001 Investme nt Promotion and Free Zones Acts were also 
reviewed in 2009 to create an enabling environm ent for investment, as well as address the dynamic 
challenges of investment promotion and free zones development.  The Government also completed 
the formulation of a National Micro, Small, and Me dium Enterprise (MSME) Policy in 2008, aimed at 
establishing an enabling environment for the growth of MSMEs.  An action plan was also developed in support of the implementation of the policy. 
45. The Government in 2009 also started the drafti ng of a Trade Policy and Action Plan for the 
Gambia with the support of the West African Moneta ry Institute (WAMI).  The draft trade policy and 
action plan were validated in January 2010.  Th e Gambia Trade Policy Framework outlines policies 
and programmes that will promote high value a dded exports, enhance leve ls of productivity and 
improve international competitiveness.  The Governme nt, through the policy document, also aims at 
promoting a more concerted and c oordinated national approach to raising export performance.  The 
trade policy will also provide a platform for fri endly business environment for all categories of 
enterprises and improve the country's competitiveness in the global economy. 
3.2 T
RADE FACILITATION  
46. Since the last Trade Policy Review, The Ga mbia Government invested immensely in 
enhancing trade facilitation and boost the competitiven ess of the business environment.  As part of 
these efforts, the different tax administration depart ments were brought into one with the creation of The Gambia WT/TPR/G/233 
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  the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA).  In a bid to further simplify customs procedures, cut 
administrative costs and enhance efficiency, the GRA upgraded its system to ASYCUDA++, which 
would be fully operational in 2010.  For the smooth implementation of this new system the GRA is in 
the process of building the capacities of its staff and also the economic agents that would in one way 
or the other be associated in the implementation or use of customs procedures. 
47. In 2010, the Government went a step further to  review, update and bring together the various 
pieces of tax administration-related legislations into one comprehensive law.  The Customs and 
Excise Act 2010 was promulgated to better take into account some key relevant regional and 
international conventions and protocols that The Gambia is signatory to.  This Act should also 
contribute towards a business friendly environment by, among other things, further streamlining the 
duty exception regime and allow the possibility of self assessment.  All this should significantly 
promote transparency and predictability. 
3.3 Q UALITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND STANDARDIZATION  
48. As part of the efforts to strengthen the quality infrastructure in the country, The Gambia 
benefited in 2008 from a three-year West Africa Quality Programme funded by the European Union 
in collaboration with the United Nations Industria l Development Organisation (UNIDO) as executing 
agency.  The objective of this programme is to strengthen competitiveness of national industries and 
enterprises and to ensure compliance with international trade rules a nd regulations, in particular the 
WTO Agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures 
(SPS). 
49. Through the programme, an assessment of the food testing laboratories in The Gambia was 
carried out to identify the support that the Progra mme needs to provide in the area of laboratory 
testing and metrology.  Four laboratories are be ing supported for improved t esting and international 
accreditation – National Agriculture Research Institute laboratory for aflatoxin testing in groundnuts, 
the Fisheries laboratory for microbiology testing of fish, the National Health laboratory for chemical 
testing of foods and the Veterinary laboratory for mi crobiology testing of foods of animal origin.  The 
laboratories are being re-vamped to the required standard for international accreditation.  The 
metrology laboratory is being supported by providi ng it with the basic equipment necessary for the 
delivery of metrology services to commerce, industry and other laboratories. 
50. Through the programme several training workshop s were also organized;  technicians from 
food testing laboratories were introduced to ISO accreditation;  60 groundnut farmers and 
18 agriculture extension workers from 30 ground nut producing villages in The Gambia received 
training in the control of aflatoxin (from seed to harvest) using the Farmers Field School approach;  
30 participants from the Programme's Steering Co mmittee and food testing laboratories shared 
information on the roles of the laboratories in the food control system. 
51. The Programme is supporting the setting up of the country's Focal Point for standards within 
the Ministry of Trade, Regional Integration, and Em ployment.  In addition, the TBT Enquiry Point at 
the Ministry of Trade and SPS Enquiry Point at the National Codex Committ ee are being supported 
by the Programme to ensure th at enterprise advisory services are readily available to exporting 
companies.  The Programme is also supporting th e National Codex Committee in the setting up of 
standards on edible oils a nd fat as well as food items. 
52. On standardization, the Government is work ing towards establishing the Gambia Standards 
Bureau.  Two studies on the establishment of the Bu reau have been conducted with the support of the WT/TPR/G/233 Trade Policy Review 
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  Commonwealth Secretariat in 2008 and UNIDO under the West Africa Qualit y Programme in 2009.  
the Government has developed and is implementing a road map for the establishment of the Gambia 
Standard Bureau in 2011.  The draft Gambia Bure au of Standards Bill has been validated by the 
stakeholders in April 2010 and will be enacted hopefully in September 2010.   The development of 
national standards will enable The Gambia to have  a reference point for bo th imported and exported 
products.  It will thus enhance access of the Gambia n products to internati onal markets and reduce the 
possibility of importing sub-standa rd products into the country. 
53. The Government has also started the drafting of a quality policy and it is hoped that this 
exercise will be completed early in 2011. 
3.4 E NHANCED INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK  
54. Under the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade -Related Technical Assistance to Least 
Developed Countries, the Government of the Gamb ia requested support from the IF agencies for a 
Diagnostic Trade Information Study (DTIS) in 2006.  The ultimate objective of the study was to build 
the foundation for accelerated growth by enhancin g the integration of the Gambian economy into 
regional and global markets.  Th rough this support, a DTIS study for the Gambia and its Action 
matrix was finalized in 2007. 
55. The Government also established a National Steering Committee (NSC) in July 2007 to 
coordinate the EIF programme in The Gambia.  With  the support of the EIF Secretariat, The Gambia 
was able to finalize the formulation of a Tier 1 proposal which was approved by the EIF Board in 
December 2009.  The project will help in strengthe ning the Ministry of Trade, Regional Integration 
and Employment and other trade related institutions.  It will also assist in the implementation of the 
action matrix of the Diagnostic Trade Integration St udy in order to deal effectively with trade policy 
development and implementation, as well as assist in  the co-ordinated deli very of trade-related 
technical assistance in response to th e needs identified by the Gambia. 
56. Following the approval of the Tier 1 project, the Government also established a National 
Implementation Unit in January 2010, which is now  fully operational.  To ensure the effective 
implementation of the EIF Programme in the Gambia , a Ministerial oversight committee, chaired by 
the Minister of Trade, Regional Integration, and Em ployment has been constituted.  It will help in 
giving the programme the necessary government at tention particularly as regards the process of 
mainstreaming trade. 
57. One of the challenges for the Gambia in th e EIF programme, particularly as regard the 
Aid-for-Trade initiative is the limited number of donor s resident in the Gambia.  The membership of 
the NSC has been broadened to include key developm ent partners, to widen consultations in resource 
mobilization. 
3.5 A ID FOR TRADE  
58. The Gambia Government is working closely with  several development partners and donors in 
an effort to achieve the development goals outlin ed in both the Vision 2020 and PRSP II.  The major 
development partners in this regard are African  Development Bank Group, World Bank, IMF, UNDP, 
OPEC, IDB, the European Union, DFID, Spain, Chinese Taipei, Japan, and other agencies of the 
United Nations system. 
59. Support in trade related areas is mainly in infr astructure development, principally roads, to 
enhance the flow of goods, particularly the linkage  to the regional transit corridors and agriculture.  The Gambia WT/TPR/G/233 
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  Besides these, other trade-related infrastruct ure and productive sectors have received limited 
development support.  It is in these areas that aid for trade can help The Gambia to address 
supply-side constraints and build up productive capacities for more exports to increase trade 
performance.  Both the horticultural and cashew nut production sectors have potential for The Gambia 
to diversify its exports beyond the traditional expor ts of groundnuts and fishery products.  Profitable 
investment opportunities for private sector participa tion in agriculture exist in the production of 
horticultural crops both for exports and for the local tourism industry.  Cashew nuts, poultry 
production and food processing are also emerging as im portant activities for the domestic market with 
great potential for employment generation. 
60. The DTIS study published in 2007 clearly identified the opportunities and potential as well as 
the constraints that should be quickly addressed to enhance growth and reduce poverty through trade.  
The Government is making effort to implement some of the recommendations but other important 
recommendations need the support of the developmen t partners.  It is in these areas that the 
Government will continue to solicit the inte rvention of developmen t partners through the 
Aid-for-Trade initiative for enhanced production, income generation and po verty reduction.  The 
Government has set up an Inter-Institutional Co mmittee to better improve the coordination of 
trade-related policies as well as for better trade mainstreaming.  The Ministry of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment is drafting a medium te rm strategy to enhance the implementation of the 
DTIS recommendations. 
61. To enable the Gambia to achieve  the objectives of aid for trade, the Government would have 
to promote production of quality goods for exports  and improve on competitiveness and the delivery 
of trade-related services.  In that regard s, aid for trade would be directed to: 
(a) the establishment of processing facilities for cashew nuts, sesame and fish to enhance 
value addition for export diversification; 
(b) the expansion of horticultural production  and its linkage to the tourism sector; 
(c) development of the energy sector through renewable energy projects for coastal 
communities to enhance their engagement in gai nful activities in the horticultural and 
fishery sectors; 
(d) development of quality infrastructure as we ll as enforcement of quality to ensure 
compliance with international standards; 
(e) support the improvement of customs and port services to attract transit trade; 
(f) support the expansion programmes at the Port of Banjul;  and 
(g) support the rehabilitation of major regional transit routes. 
62. For effective aid-for-trade coordination in th e Gambia, the Government will improve the 
coordination of aid on trade-related projects.  In  2007, the Government established a new Project 
Management and Aid Coordination Unit at the Minist ry of Finance to improve  aid coordination in the 
country.  Consultation is in progress to establis h an overall aid coordination mechanism at the 
Ministry of Economic Planning and Industrial Development. WT/TPR/G/233 Trade Policy Review 
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  63. The Government will further improve the framewo rk for aid coordination in the country and 
make more effort to attract donor support to trad e-related development projects to address supply-side 
constraints for improve d production and exports. 
4. REGIONAL INTEGRATION 
4.1 E COWAS  
64. The Gambia attaches great importance to regiona l economic cooperation a nd integration.  The 
Gambia actively participates in ECOWAS activiti es at all levels and is committed to the 
implementation of the ECOWAS protocols and programmes. 
65. On free movement of persons, The Gambia has abolished entry visas and permits for 
ECOWAS nationals and adopted the ECOWAS travel  certificate in line with the provisions of the 
ECOWAS protocol on free movement and the right of residence. 
66. Regarding free movement of goods, the Gambia  is also fully implementing the ECOWAS 
Trade Liberalisation Scheme under which unpro cessed goods from the ECOWAS region enter The 
Gambia duty free.  Industrial products that satisfy ECOWAS rules of origin from certified community 
enterprises under the ETLS can also export such pr oducts into the Gambia duty free.  Currently 
15 Gambian registered companies have been grante d approval to operate under the ETLS.  Out of the 
15 companies, three companies are currently ex porting to the regional market under the ETLS. 
67. On the ECOWAS common external tariff (CET), th e Government of The Gambia is gradually 
harmonizing its tariff rates with the CET following the adoption of the ECOWAS CET in 2006 by the 
regional authority.  The Government in 2006 increased the fourth band from 18% to 20% for final 
consumer goods.  Following the adoption of the fifth band by the Authorities of the ECOWAS 
Member States in 2008, the Government in 2009 subm itted its list of products proposed for the fifth 
band as requested by the ECOWAS Commission.  The ECOWAS member states are currently negotiating on products that will be  classified under the fifth band. 
68. On the ECOWAS Inter-State Ro ad Transit Scheme, the Gambia  Government appointed the 
Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry as th e National Surety for the coordination and 
implementation of the ISRT in 2006.  Seed fund for the scheme has also been provided by the 
Government and the Scheme was officially launched  in The Gambia in August 2008.  A task force 
has been constituted by The Gambia Chamber of  Commerce and Industry for sensitization and 
monitoring the implementation of the scheme in The Gambia. 
4.2 E
CONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT (EPA) WITH THE EU 
69. West Africa is still negotiating a WTO-compatib le Economic Partnershi p Agreement with the 
European Union to replace the non-reciprocal Cot onou preferential trade regime extended to the 
African, Caribbean and Pacific countries by the EU .  Under the new regime, West Africa region and 
the other ACP regions negotiating EPAs with the EU are expected to also open their markets 
progressively in an asymmetrical manner to EU expor ts.  This will be accompanied by EU-supported 
measures to accelerate West Africa's integrati on processes, upgrade its industries and build its 
productive capacity and competitiveness.  This is to en able West Africa to take full advantage of the 
market access opportunities offered by the EU  and to integrate into the global economy. 
70. The Gambia supports the West African pos ition of a development oriented Economic 
Partnership Agreement which will reflect the devel opment needs of the region particularly the small The Gambia WT/TPR/G/233 
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  economies such as The Gambia's.  The Government has submitted its proposed list of sensitive 
products as well as the Gambia operational plan fo r an EPA-development programme currently being 
prepared at the regional level. 
5. TRADE-RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
71. As a least developed Member country, the Ga mbia is committed to the multilateral trading 
system and is making efforts to meet the challeng es of compliance to multilateral trade agreements of 
the WTO.  The Government very much appreciat es the assistance it has been receiving from the WTO 
Technical Assistance programme.  A number of staff from the Ministry of Trade, Regional Integration, and Employment and other government officials from trade-related institutions have 
benefited from the Geneva-based and regional tr ade policy courses as well as the national and 
regional training workshops and seminars.  These tr aining programmes, including the on-line courses, 
have immensely contributed to increase awareness and the understanding of the WTO Agreements. 
72. The Government also appreciates the technical assistance provided by the WTO-Members 
supported Agency for International Trade Informat ion and Cooperation (AITIC) in 2008 and 2009.  
The Agency carried out capacity building work shops on SPS, TBT, and notification requirements 
under the WTO.  The recommendations made at the previous WTO and AITIC workshops, were 
instrumental in the Government 's establishment of enquiry points for both SPS and TBT in 2008. 
73. One of the challenges for The Gambia to take advantage of the market access opportunities 
offered by the multilateral trading sy stem is to overcome its supply-side  constraints.  The Government 
will therefore solicit the support of the development partners to address some of these supply-side 
constraints through the Aid-for-Trade initiative. 
6. CONCLUSION 
74. The Government of The Gambia will continue to adopt prudent macroeconomic policies to 
sustain the stability of the economy and will pursu e liberal trade policies as well as adopt measures 
that will ensure a competitive trading environment.  The Government will also continue to strengthen 
its productive sectors to diversify the economy and will therefore seek the support of development 
partners under the Aid-for-Trade in itiative to achieve this objective. 
75. The Government will continue to be committed to the multilateral trading system and call on 
members of the WTO to continue to support the e ffort of small economies li ke The Gambia in the 
implementation of the WTO commitments and to e nhance their integration into the global economy. 
 
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