The Gambia - 50.58
100
Perhaps the best opportunity in Africa
The Gambia is a country to watch in the next few decades. Coastal West Africa is one of the most rapidly developing regions in the world, and there is no better example of this than The Gambia. Home to a rapidly growing economy and a government committed to development, The Gambia is poised to capitalize on its current growth. Additionally, The Gambia is home to a newly democratic government after the quasi-dictatorial President Yahya Jammeh was forced to step down by an ECOWAS coalition after losing a free and fair election. While The Gambia has not yet had a peaceful transition of power, an ostensibly democratic government is certainly a step in the right direction. However, major obstacles still exist. The Gambia is a very poor nation; over ten percent of the population lives below the international poverty line. The country’s poverty affects other aspects of life in the Gambia, as low police wages practically force officers to take bribes. Corruption is endemic and poses an obstacle to development. While The Gambia is far from perfect, it is poised to be a peaceful and prosperous nation in the next few decades.
Human Rights - 58
The Gambia retains the death penalty under moratorium; the last execution was carried out in 2012. The current administration has not carried out any executions; the outgoing Jammeh administration vowed to execute all death row inmates but only got to nine. The Gambia no longer hands down death sentences but several inmates remain on death row. The government has not provided the whereabouts of those who were disappeared under the Jammeh administration, even to their family members. The Ombudsman’s Office received one report of torture in 2020. The offending officer was investigated and sanctioned in accordance with the law. Prison conditions are poor. The Mile 2 Prison in Banjul was overcrowded by around forty people throughout 2020. Prisoners lacked adequate access to food, and clean water as well as sanitation, medical, and exercise facilities. Police are known to abuse probable cause. Many people are investigated without warrants; their cases are not always thrown out in trial. Detainees are not always charged in a timely manner and have been denied access to a lawyer in some limited instances. Muslims can choose to apply Sharia Law in cases of divorce. If Sharia Law is applied, virtually all joint holdings of the couple (including children) go to the husband. Gambia’s media landscape has improved drastically since the end of the Jammeh administration. The government has allowed exiled journalists to return to the country and the new administration has allowed open dissent generally without retribution. The government has begun investigating former President Jammeh on several charges including rape, torture, mass murder, and killing journalists. Homosexuality is punishable by life imprisonment, though this law has not been enforced since 2012. The Gambia does not have a military, so points were not deducted for military service. Abortion is legal to save the woman’s life as well as in cases of fetal impairment.
Democracy - 68
The president is directly elected. While most outside observers are not allowed into the country, the election was ruled free and fair by the African Union. The leader of the opposition won the 2016 election. The president is not subject to term limits. Former President Jammeh had to be intimidated into stepping down. Jammeh lost a free and fair election but refused to concede defeat in 2016. The winner of the election, President Barrow, was sworn in by the Senegalese government and ECOWAS mobilized troops to force Jammeh to step down. Jammeh conceded after ECOWAS threatened to occupy the country. This means that The Gambia has technically not had a peaceful transition of power in its history. Fifty-three members of the unicameral legislature are directly elected while five are nominated by the president. Elections are free and fair, albeit slow and cumbersome due to the lengthy vote-counting process. The undemocratic Jammeh regime drafted electoral laws that heavily favored the incumbent. The current administration is still working to dismantle Jammeh-era electoral laws. It is difficult for small parties to register, as registering a party requires a $19,000 fee and ten thousand signatures. The actions and participation of the opposition are not restricted. Senegal exerts significant sway over Gambian politics as Senegal supported President Barrow after the 2016 election and ECOWAS troops, led by Senegal, facilitated the transfer of power. President Barrow used his executive authority to extend COVID lockdowns against the will of the legislature.
Freedom - 65
The Gambia’s media landscape has improved drastically since the end of the Jammeh administration. The Barrow administration has allowed exiled journalists to return to the country and has opened the doors to free expression without retribution. The government arbitrarily arrested two journalists in 2020 for covering protests against President Barrow. Both were later released without charge but two more journalists were arrested and charged with incitement and later released on bail. Non-Sunni Muslims face some discrimination. Christians are generally free to practice and no other religious groups have a significant presence in The Gambia. Jammeh-era sedition laws remain on the books but go generally unenforced. Certain journalists and dissenters are believed to be under state surveillance. However, The Gambia is not known to have a mass surveillance network and most people are generally free to publicly express criticism of the government. The government banned all demonstrations from March 2020 to May 2020 due to the COVID lockdown. Through his executive authority, President Barrow extended the COVID lockdown through September. The COVID lockdown ended without issue in September and demonstrations resumed freely. Most international observers were not allowed to observe the 2016 election, but NGOs were largely free to operate otherwise. Labor unionists are frequently harassed by the government. The Gambia has strictly enforced drug laws and is a notable exception on the African Cocaine Run. The government may issue gun ownership licenses for bolt-action rifles and shotguns. Possession of other kinds of firearms are generally reserved for contractors.
Economy - 32
Health - 15
The Gambia has a life expectancy of 62 years and an infant mortality rate of 3.59%. 10.3% of Gambians are obese and 10.3% are malnourished. The Gambia’s three hospitals and thirty-six clinics provide free care but the quality of care is mediocre and healthcare facilities are concentrated in coastal areas. 65% of Gambians have access to clean running water. 90% of Gambians are within a five-minute walk of a pump dispensing potable water. The Gambia has major problems with mosquito-borne tropical diseases as malaria and dengue are some fo the leading causes of death in the country. The Gambia has avoided recent ebola epidemics.
Corruption - 12
Police extortion is rampant. Police are paid slave wages and often must take bribes to feed their families. Public services must be paid with bribes. Judicial verdicts are bought and sold at low levels. Gambian customs administration is not as corrupt as in neighboring countries as The Gambia is a notable exception to the African Cocaine Run. The Barrow administration has taken some minimal steps to eliminate corruption but has still been accused of misappropriating funds at nearly all levels.
Competency - 39
The Gambia sees a lower crime rate than many of its neighbors. Strictly enforced drug laws except The Gambia from the African Cocaine Run, but prostitution remains rampant in The Gambia. The Barrow administration is failing to repeal unused Jammeh-era laws.
Future - 80
The Gambian economy has been growing rapidly and the government has opened up democratically, spelling a bright future for The Gambia. The government has made minimal progress in expanding its universal healthcare system.
Actions Abroad - 80
The Gambia’s military is limited. The Gambia maintains a national guard and a coast guard but no expeditionary military force and most of the country’s troops are on loan from Senegal, meaning that in the unlikely event of a war between the two countries, most of the Gambia’s troops will ally with Senegal. The Gambia is currently involved in litigation with Myanmar for its treatment of the Rohingya people. The Gambia has the backing of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and won a major ruling in 2021. The Gambia receives large amounts of foreign aid from the US, UK, and Belgium.
10.3% of Gambians live below the international poverty line and 48.3% live below the national poverty line. 9.64% of Gambians are unemployed. The Gambia has a moderate economic disparity. The minimum wage in The Gambia is $1.25 per day. The Gambia has three hospitals and thirty-six clinics throughout the country providing generally mediocre care. However, these hospitals are concentrated in coastal areas. The Gambian economy stagnated in 2020 and grew 6.2% in 2019.