Africa-Press – Gambia. The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr. Abubakarr Suleiman Jeng, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, delivered a comprehensive briefing to Permanent Secretaries (PSs) on the state of Security Sector Governance and Reform in The Gambia.
The session, themed “Evolution of Security Sector Reform in The Gambia’s Post-Authoritarian Era,” took place during the Permanent Secretaries’ quarterly retreat at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center in Bijilo.
In his address, Mr. Jeng emphasized that Security Sector Reform (SSR) was introduced in the aftermath of the country’s 2017 democratic transition. The reform was rooted in the principles of human-centered security, prioritizing citizen protection and active participation in security matters as a foundation for guaranteeing freedom and strengthening the rule of law.
He noted that a comprehensive security sector assessment conducted in 2017 laid the groundwork for a series of key national policy documents, including – National Security Policy (2019), National Security Strategy (2020), Security Sector Reform Strategy (2020), National Defense Policy (2023), Internal Security Policy (2024), National Security Council Bill (2025).
Mr. Jeng explained that these policy frameworks collectively form the National Security Architecture, which outlines the governance, management, decision-making, and oversight structures of the country’s security sector. This architecture, he added, reflects the national vision for security anchored in the protection of sovereignty, territorial integrity, citizen well-being, good governance, social welfare, economic development, and the safeguarding of the environment and natural resources.
“This vision is clearly articulated in the 2019 National Security Policy and further reinforced in the Recovery-Focused National Development Plan (2023–2027), also known as Yiriwaa,” Mr. Jeng told the gathering.
He further outlined the five thematic areas guiding the ongoing SSR, as directed by the Government of The Gambia, Addressing post-authoritarian legacies to facilitate meaningful reform, developing comprehensive security governance, legal, and policy frameworks, empowering civilian management and oversight bodies through targeted reforms, tackling cross-cutting and perennial challenges within the security ecosystem, and Implementing institutional-specific reform activities for individual security agencies.
Mr. Jeng concluded by reiterating the government’s commitment to building a responsive, accountable, and people-centered security sector that upholds democratic values and strengthens public trust.
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