Gambia musters $1.7 bn support from Brussels donor conference

A total of $1.7 billion was on Tuesday in Brussels by the International donors for The Gambia, to meet the 2.4 billion-euro budgets needed for his National Development Plan (NDP).

“At present, the total cost of the flagship (projects) stands at 2.4 with a financing gap of 1.6 . It is this financing gap that I am presenting to you for funding. Given the economic challenges we have inherited and the numerous development issues to address, the effective implementation of the national development plan requires significant donor support,” said Gambian President Adama Barrow.

EU High Representative Federica Mogherini, who co-chaired the conference together with the President of The Gambia, Adama Barrow, told in her opening remarks that “The Gambia is showing to the world that freedom and democracy are about real people and real lives.”

“After the presidential election in 2016 and the international community stood with the Gambian people. We stood on the side of freedom and democracy. Two years on, we continue to stand by your side,” she said.

The European Union and the Gambian government a conference in Brussels to discuss international support of The Gambia in its democratic transition since authoritarian ex-President Yahya Jammeh was ousted from power in early 2017.

“And today, I am delighted to say that the European Union has pledged additional 140 million euros to its existing support. Together, with contributions pledged by other participants in today’s conference, we have reached the total amount of 1.45 billion euros of support to the national development plan of the Gambia,” said EU’s International Development Commissioner, Neven Mimica.

Over the course of his decades-long rule, The Gambia stockpiled public debts that represented 130 percent of its gross domestic product last year.

President Adama Barrow presented his three-year NDP for 2018-2021 and the EU said he confirmed its commitment to transforming the country into a country with strong democratic institutions that “respects and protects human rights, and enjoys economic growth and sustainable development.”

The Brussels conference gathered delegations from 43 countries and 10 international who stated their support to Barrow’s NDP and democratic transition.

Reuters