By Omar Bah
The United States, through its Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), is commencing a significant collaboration with IDLO to address training gaps in The Gambia’s justice delivery system. The partnership aims to enhance the country’s legal capacity by providing continuous legal education to state counsels, empowering them to fulfill their mandates effectively.
In a statement delivered on her behalf, US Ambassador Sharon L Cromer emphasized that the training aims to uphold human rights and the rule of law, which are fundamental to US foreign policy in The Gambia, Africa, and globally.
The training is meticulously designed to cover a wide range of aspects, including civil litigation practice, the media, transitional justice processes, criminal procedure in The Gambia, prosecutorial skills, prosecuting SGBV cases, and upholding human rights challenges in the criminal justice system, ensuring a comprehensive approach.
The US Ambassador acknowledged the strides made by the justice ministry in ensuring access to justice for all Gambians, especially those outside the greater Banjul area. She also noted the significant increase in the number of Gambian staff in the justice system compared to 20 years ago.
The training aims to equip participants with the skills to translate policy guidelines into legislation and to deepen their understanding of the legal framework governing companies in The Gambia, corporate governance best practices, and the importance of transparency and accountability in corporate practices.
The Solicitor General, Hussein Thomasi, urged the participants to take the training seriously and uphold professionalism as state counsel, emphasizing The Gambia’s ongoing efforts to enhance the skills and capacities of its judicial and legal professionals to improve justice delivery across the country.
