Gambia Takes Steps to Improve Governance and Reduce Corruption Vulnerabilities
Strengthening Governance Frameworks
The Gambia government has made significant progress in strengthening its governance framework, but challenges remain in addressing corruption vulnerabilities. At the request of The Gambia authorities, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission conducted a diagnostic to assess the strength of the governance framework and identify areas for improvement.
Key Findings from the Diagnostic
- Significant progress has been made in bringing legislation into line with best practices.
- Public processes remain vulnerable to corruption.
- Administrative capacity is limited.
Commendations and Recommendations
The IMF mission, led by Olivier Basdevant, commended The Gambia authorities for their efforts to modernize processes through digitalization and automation. However, the mission noted that further work was needed to improve governance and reduce corruption vulnerabilities.
Quote from Mr. Basdevant
“The mission welcomes the authorities’ intention to continue strengthening their capacity,” said Mr. Basdevant. “We also encourage them to develop a comprehensive national strategy for good governance, which could be informed by our forthcoming report.”
Support from International Partners
The IMF mission met with senior officials, including:
- Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs
- Minister of Justice
- Governor of the Central Bank of The Gambia
- Representatives of the private sector
- Civil society
- International development partners
Next Steps
The diagnostic provides an opportunity for The Gambia to carry out a detailed assessment of the severity of corruption and propose options to address those vulnerabilities. The IMF stand ready to support The Gambia authorities in their governance reform agenda through continued capacity development.
Quote from Mr. Basdevant
“We would like to thank The Gambia authorities and other counterparts for their hospitality, excellent cooperation, as well as candid and constructive discussions,” said Mr. Basdevant.
Upcoming Report
The IMF will finalize its report on the diagnostic exercise in the coming weeks, which will provide a comprehensive assessment of the governance framework and recommendations for improvement.