Gambia-Senegal

The Gambia and Senegal have a unique relationship when it comes to Customs and Trade. They share a geographical border and have a historical and economic tie since independence. The Gambia and Senegal have worked closely toward the ECOWAS integration agenda, allowing for the free movement of goods, services, and people between the two countries.

These two countries will continue to cooperate on customs and trade matters. They will collaborate to facilitate cross-border trade and agreement on issues to simplify trade and eliminate trade barriers. This cooperation will strengthen our bilateral cooperation and help foster economic growth and development.

The Gambia and Senegal have had a close relationship and interest in transit trade, as such they have gone further to develop transit system between the two countries.

The Gambia and Senegal have signed Declaration on Transit Trade in 2021 by the Ministers of Finance of the two countries. This agreement sought to facilitate transit trade. This arrangement also provisions for trade security and other relevant areas.

Currently, there is a Draft Agreement on transit Codification and between the two customs administration. The Gambia Customs administration has already responded to all the observations raised by the Senegalese Customs administration. The draft document is in its final stage and expected to be signed early next year.

Finally, The Gambia and Senegal will still continue to be a model in the region for economic integration to the rest of the World considering our geographical location.     

The Gambia and Senegal under President Barrow

Following the swearing-in of His Excellency Adama Barrow in January 2017 at the Embassy of the Republic of The Gambia in Dakar, Senegal and The Gambia announced a new dynamic between them, and pledged to strengthen their cooperation, for the greater benefit of their two peoples. Indeed, under the leadership of His Excellency Adama Barrow and His Excellency Macky SALL, the relationship between The Gambia and Senegal has become closer or more productive.

The two countries have recently shown strong commitment in upholding the spirit of good neighborliness as championed by the friendship of both Presidents Barrow and SALL.

We are one people sharing the same destiny, the same languages and the same culture. The same families live between the two countries. If Gambia sneezes, Senegal catches the cold. Indeed, we are condemned to live together in harmony, peace and solidarity.

President Adama Barrow, who made his first official visit to Dakar from 2^nd to 4^th March 2017, called Senegal Gambia’s best friend. Since then, the two countries have agreed to work together in so many areas of cooperation.

Several agreements have been signed, notably in the fields of tourism and consular affairs, strengthening bilateral cooperation in security and defense by adapting it to new challenges, fisheries, and higher education (see exhaustive list below). Thus in order to ensure better follow-up and implementation of the agreements already signed, the two countries have decided to convene a “Presidential Council” every six months, chaired by the two Heads of State.

Agreements