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The Ministry of Defence on Tuesday 9 June 2020 convened a conference to set the ball rolling for the establishment of the first ever codified defence policy for the Gambia. It is instructive to inform you that after the publication of the first ever National Security Policy for The Gambia, the Government initiated the development of the National Security Strategy (NSS) and the Security Sector Reform Strategy (SSRS). These two strategies have been developed and are currently being edited under the supervision of the Office of National security Adviser (ONSA). This implies that the documents are being prepared for publication. These documents if published will provide the foundations for sectorial policies that will guide security institutions in terms of policies, regulations and structure.
As result of this, the Ministry of Defence is expected to develop a Defence Policy from the National Security Strategy. The Defence policy will provide a framework for the development of a Military Strategy and define Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) tasks, capabilities and organization. In anticipation of this endeavour, the Ministry of Defence considers it necessary to start preparing for the impending tasks. It is as a result of this, the conference was organised to discuss the process for developing a Defence Policy. This would help prepare the GAF to tackle the constraints and challenges it is facing.
The conference laid the foundation stone for the drafting and development of the Defence Policy and Military Strategy structures. The Defence Policy and Military Strategy if developed will determine the force structure taking into cognisance personnel, training, equipment and infrastructure. Equally, a quick and proper development of the Defence Policy will go a long way in ensuring an effective reformation of the Defence sector in The Gambia. Thus, the decision of the Ministry of Defence to prepare earnestly is worthy of support from all stakeholders.
The conclave was chaired by the Minister of Defence, Honourable Sheikh Omar Faye. Others in attendance were the Chief of Defence Staff Gambia Armed Forces Major General Yakuba A. Drammeh , the National Security Adviser Colonel (Rtd) Momodou Badjie, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence Madam Ndey Marie Njie and host of other dignitaries from the Gambia Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Staff from the African Union Technical Support Team to the Gambia.