Africa-Press – Gambia. A new investigation by ProPublica, the nonprofit newsroom known for exposing abuses of power, has accused the United States government of placing intense diplomatic pressure on The Gambia to fast-track regulatory approval for Starlink, the satellite internet company owned by Elon Musk.
According to the report published yesterday, Thursday, US Ambassador to The Gambia Sharon Cromer personally visited Communications Minister Lamin Jabbi in February to press for the approval of Starlink’s stalled license application. The meeting, held at Jabbi’s office outside Banjul, reportedly turned tense when Cromer allegedly warned that key US-funded development initiatives, including a $25 million energy project, were currently under review.
Gambian officials who spoke to ProPublica interpreted Cromer’s remarks as a veiled threat, linking foreign aid to Starlink’s approval.
Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January, the US State Department has ramped up efforts to expand Starlink’s footprint across developing nations, including The Gambia. The report alleged that US diplomats have coordinated with Starlink executives to pressure at least seven Gambian ministers, in what one official described as “maximum pressure.”
The press contacted the American Embassy in Banjul for reactions, but up until press time last night, no response came from them. Equally, The press tried calling Minister Jabbi but he could not be reached on the phone and did not respond to our enquiries.
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