The Gambia’s Anti-Corruption Efforts Fall Short as Enforcement of Rules Laid Down under UNCAC Remains Inadequate

Banjul, The Gambia - Despite enacting laws to combat money laundering and corruption, The Gambia has failed to fully respect the rules prohibiting crimes laid down under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), according to a report by Public-Private Integrity.

Concerns Over Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism

The report highlights several concerns, including:

• Lack of effective implementation: The Gambia has failed to implement anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regulations effectively.
• Inadequate confiscation tools: The country lacks adequate tools for confiscating assets linked to corruption and other crimes.
• Poor international cooperation: There is limited cooperation between The Gambia and other countries in recovering stolen assets.

Domestication of UNCAC Remains Incomplete

The report notes that:

• Most conventions remain un-domesticated: The Gambia has ratified most of the conventions, including UNCAC, but has yet to domesticate them.
• No asset forfeiture fund established: The country has not established an asset forfeiture fund for other countries or authorized asset sharing with other countries.

Transparency in Property Sales Lacking

The report also criticizes:

• Lack of transparency in property sales: Properties believed to have been fraudulently obtained by former President Yahya Jammeh and his associates were seized in 2018, but their sale has not been publicly disclosed since then.

Recommendations for Improvement

To address these concerns, Public-Private Integrity recommends:

• Establishing an anti-corruption commission: Ensure that an anti-corruption commission is established and implementing anti-corruption policies in practice.
• Conducting systematic corruption risk assessments: Conduct regular corruption risk assessments in public services and government enterprises.
• Extending the Ombudsman’s mandate: Extend the Ombudsman’s mandate to include the power to instruct public officials on issues of maladministration.
• Publishing budget execution progress: Publish budget execution progress and provide a clear timetable for publication.
• Defining the public sector for reporting purposes: Clearly define and identify the public sector for reporting, transparency, and accountability purposes.

Conclusion

The report urges The Gambia to take concrete steps to address these concerns and ensure that its anti-corruption efforts are effective and transparent. “This report highlights the importance of implementing anti-corruption measures in practice and ensuring that institutions have the necessary capacity to effectively investigate and prosecute corruption cases,” said [Name], Chairperson of Public-Private Integrity.