Foreign relations of the Gambia


followed a formal policy of non-alignment throughout most of former President Dawda Jawara's tenure. It maintained close relations with the United Kingdom, Senegal, and other African countries. The July 1994 coup strained The Gambia's relationship with Western powers, particularly the United States. Since 1995, President Yahya Jammeh has established diplomatic relations with several additional countries, including Libya, the Republic of China, and Cuba. During his last years, the EU grew increasingly intolerant of Jammeh
’s iron-fist rule. Consequently, Brussels withheld millions of Euros to The Gambia. Jammeh fired back by expelling the EU
’s top diplomat in the country after he had accused the bloc and human rights activists of conniving to besmirch the image of his government for its stance on homosexuality.
The Gambia plays an active role in international affairs, especially West African and Islamic affairs, although its representation abroad is limited. As a member of the Economic Community of West African States, the Gambia has played an active role in that organization's efforts to resolve the Liberian Civil War and contributed troops to the community's cease-fire monitoring group. It also has sought to mediate disputes in nearby Guinea-Bissau and the neighbouring Casamance region of Senegal.
The People's Republic of China, Cuba, Libya, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America have embassies or High Commissions in the Gambia.
On 25 May 2005, the Gambia announced its readiness to establish full diplomatic relations with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The Gambia did not do so, however, citing international opinion.
In November 2010, the Gambia severed all diplomatic ties with Iran following the seizure of a suspicious arms shipment in Nigeria.
During the early months of the Libyan Civil War, the Gambia became the first African state to recognize the National Transitional Council as the sole legitimate representative of Libya.

Bilateral relations

CountryFormal Relations BeganNotes
15 January 1980
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 January 1980.
9 October 2018
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 October 2018.

A business delegation led by Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment Abdoulie Jobe visited Bangladesh in December 2014.
17 March 2016See China–Gambia relations
China and Gambia reestablished diplomatic relations on 17 March 2016, having previously cut ties in 1995.
16 October 1998
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 October 1998.
8 December 2000
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 December 2000.
26 July 2012
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 July 2012.
24 September 2009
  • Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 September 2009.
  • Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
    • 21 April 2010Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 April 2010.

    • India has an Honorary Consulate in Banjul.
    • Gambia maintains a High Commission in New Delhi.
    • Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
    September 1992Both countries established diplomatic relations in September 1992.
    12 March 1998
    Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 March 1998.
    17 February 2000
    Both countries established diplomatic relations on 17 February 2000.

    Both countries have a Memorandum on Migration Matters.
    See Malaysia–The Gambia relations
    The Malaysian embassy in Dakar is accredited to The Gambia while the Gambian embassy in Abu Dhabi is accredited to Malaysia. The relations are friendly warm.
    15 August 1975
    • Gambia does not have an accreditation to Mexico.
    • Mexico is accredited to The Gambia from its embassy in Accra, Ghana.
    16 August 2012Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 August 2012.
    30 July 1971
    Both countries established diplomatic relations on 30 July 1971.
    17 July 1965See The Gambia–Russia relations
    Both countries have established diplomatic relations on 17 July 1965. Diplomatic relations were later established once again after the breakup of the Soviet Union. The Gambia has an embassy in Moscow. Russia is represented in the Gambia through its embassy in Dakar.
    2 March 2009
    Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 March 2009.
    • Both countries are members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
    1965Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1965.
    21 April 1965
    Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the Gambia were formally established on 21 April 1965. As of 2011, there were 24 South Koreans living in Gambia.
    10 May 2019
    Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 May 2019.
    • Both countries are members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
    1968See Gambia–Taiwan relationsThe Gambia firstly established diplomatic relations with the Republic of China in 1968, three years after The Gambia gained its independence from the United Kingdom.
    In 1974, The Gambia switched diplomatic relations from ROC to the People's Republic of China but switched again back to ROC in 1995. In December 2006, the Premier of the Republic of China completed an official visit to the Gambia in part to pay respects to President Jammeh's inaugural ceremony and to donate funds for medical purposes. The Gambian Secretary of State reciprocated with an official visit to Taiwan. There have been several occasional official visits between the two countries. The People's Republic of China cut ties with the Gambia in 1995 after the latter established diplomatic links with the Republic of China. After 18 years, however, Gambian President Yahya Jammeh announced the breaking of diplomatic ties with ROC to recognize PRC on 14 November 2013 citing national strategic interest, immediately even after receiving US$6.6 million worth of aid from the Republic of China earlier. The ROC officially terminated its ties with The Gambia four days later on 18 November 2013. In an unprecedented move, however, the PRC did not respond to Gambia's offer to establish diplomatic relations, presumably because of its desire to improve relations with Taiwan. The PRC and Gambia reestablished diplomatic relations on 17 March 2016.
    1965
    Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1965.

    An 1889 agreement with France established the present boundaries. The Gambia became a British Crown Colony, British Gambia, divided for administrative purposes into the colony and the protectorate. The Gambia received its own executive and legislative councils in 1901 and gradually progressed toward self-government. It passed a 1906 ordinance abolishing slavery.
    During World War II, Gambian troops fought with the Allies in Burma. Banjul served as an air stop for the U.S. Army Air Corps and a port of call for Allied naval convoys. U. S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt stopped overnight in Banjul en route to and from the Casablanca Conference in 1943, marking the first visit to the African continent by a sitting American president.
    After World War II, the pace of constitutional reform increased. Following general elections in 1962, the United Kingdom granted full internal self-governance in the following year. The Gambia achieved independence on 18 February 1965, as a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth of Nations.
    See Gambia–United States relations
    U.S. policy seeks to build improved relations with the Gambia on the basis of historical ties, mutual respect, democratic rule, human rights, and adherence to UN resolutions on counterterrorism, conflict diamonds, and other forms of trafficking. In accordance with U.S. law, most direct bilateral development and military assistance to the Gambia was suspended because of the 1994 coup d'état. U.S. assistance continues, however, in the form of food aid administered through Catholic Relief Services, support for democracy and human rights projects, and the financing of girls' secondary education. In addition, the Peace Corps maintains a large program with about eighty volunteers engaged in the environment, public health, and education sectors, mainly at the village level.
    The Gambia is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military.

    The Gambia and the Commonwealth of Nations

    The Gambia was a member of the Commonwealth of Nations from its independence in 1965 until its withdrawal in October 2013.
    After presidential elections in 2016, the winning candidate Adama Barrow promised to return The Gambia to the Commonwealth. On 14 February 2017, The Gambia began the process of returning and formally presented its application to re-join to Secretary-General Patricia Scotland on 22 January 2018. Boris Johnson, who became the first British Foreign Secretary to visit The Gambia since the country gained independence in 1965, announced that the British government welcomed The Gambia's return to the Commonwealth.
    The Gambia returned to its membership of the Commonwealth on 8 February 2018.