More information about The Gambia is available on The Gambia page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet.
U.S.-GAMBIA RELATIONS
During World War II, Gambian troops fought with the Allies in Burma. The Gambia’s capital city served as an air stop for the U.S. Army Air Corps and a port of call for Allied naval convoys. The Gambia became independent from the United Kingdom in 1965. In January 2017, Adama Barrow was sworn in as president, as head of a coalition of opposition parties that defeated Yahya Jammeh in elections held on Dec. 1, 2016. Jammeh had initially taken power in a military coup d’état in 1994. The United States strongly supports the Government of The Gambia in its efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and improve governance, implement significant economic reforms, account for financial crimes and gross violations of human rights during the Jammeh era, and focus on economic growth.
U.S. Assistance to The Gambia
U.S. assistance supports democracy, trafficking in persons, fiscal transparency, capacity building, electoral reform, security, human rights, education, media freedom, agricultural expansion, rural development, refugee support services, and the fight against HIV/AIDS. In addition, the Peace Corps maintains a large program with about 140 volunteers engaged in the environment/agriculture, public health, and education sectors, mainly at the village level. The United States also provides limited military training assistance to The Gambia in line with Gambian Security Sector Reform efforts.
Bilateral Economic Relations
In December 2017, POTUS approved the reinstatement of The Gambia’s eligibility for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), effective Jan. 1, 2018. After being selected by the Millennium Challenge Corporation to develop a threshold program in 2017, program development was paused in 2019 when The Gambia was downgraded to Tier 3 on the annual U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report. A number of U.S. citizens have set up small businesses in The Gambia and several U.S. brand companies such as Western Union, MoneyGram, UPS, and FedEx are represented in the country.
The Gambia’s Membership in International Organizations
The Gambia plays an active role in international affairs, especially the Economic Community of West African States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The Gambia and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. The Gambia rejoined the British Commonwealth in February 2018.
Bilateral Representation
Principal embassy officials are listed in the Department’s Key Officers List.
The Gambia maintains an embassy in the United States at 5630 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20011.
More information about The Gambia is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here:
CIA World Factbook The Gambia Page
U.S. Embassy
USAID Africa Page
History of U.S. Relations With The Gambia
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Country Page
U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics
Export.gov International Offices Page
Library of Congress Country Studies
Travel Information
