Africa-Press – Gambia. A quiet but ominous tide is rising in the corridors of US foreign policymaking—one that may wash harshly upon the shores of African nations like The Gambia. Recent revelations from POLITICO and Reuters have brought to light a proposed policy shift under Donald Trump’s second tenure that, if realised, could drastically reshape America’s engagement with the African continent. At the heart of this sobering development is a proposal to slash the combined budgets of the US State Department and USAID from $52.4 billion to a mere $28.4 billion in fiscal year 2026—an almost surgical 50% reduction in resources once devoted to diplomacy and development.
Among the nations poised to suffer the brunt of this rollback is indeed The Gambia—our country that, against many odds, has for the past eight years, laboured to reform and reposition itself as a reliable partner in the global democratic order. Yet it now finds itself on the periphery of America’s geopolitical favour, classified within a controversial new graded framework that could have appalling implications for its future relationship with the United States.
The draft proposal, reportedly circulated in March 2025, establishes a three-pronged travel restriction system targeting African states, largely based on immigration and national security concerns:
The Red List, a Total Travel Ban on Libya, Somalia, and Sudan—countries painted with the broad brush of terrorism affiliations and fragile identity systems.
The Orange List, a Severe Restrictions on Eritrea, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan—nations allegedly failing to cooperate with US immigration enforcement.
The Yellow List, bearing a Cautionary Status on a wider swath that includes The Gambia alongside Angola, Benin, Chad, Malawi, and others—countries under review for perceived democratic lapses or immigration-related infractions.
For The Gambia, the inclusion in the Yellow List is both disheartening and perplexing. The two cited grievances—failure to adhere to US immigration protocols and perceived democratic regression—sit uneasily with the country’s recent trajectory. Under President Adama Barrow, The Gambia has opened itself to global scrutiny, embraced multilateralism, and sought to shake off the shadows of former President Yahya Jammeh’s era. Why then, are we being treated as a pariah?
Even more troubling is the stunning silence from our own Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In a time of mounting uncertainty, this reticence feels less like diplomatic prudence and more like institutional paralysis. The void of explanation reinforces the late Vice President Alieu Badara Joof’s pointed criticism: that the National People’s Party (NPP) government lacks a coherent, forward-facing foreign policy—even in dealing with our closest neighbour, Senegal.
It is in moments such as this that a nation looks to its diplomatic torchbearers for clarity and conviction. Dr Mamadou Tangara—our current Minister of Foreign Affairs and a seasoned veteran of both the Jammeh and Barrow administrations—must now rise to the occasion. A man who has served as Permanent Representative to the United Nations and held multiple ministerial portfolios, including a protracted service in foreign affairs, should possess both the astuteness and the awareness to account for this diplomatic demotion.
The irony, of course, is glaring. President Barrow’s foreign policy record aligns, on paper, with the very priorities championed by the West:
Multilateralism restored: A triumphant return to the Commonwealth and the International Criminal Court.
Peace Advocacy: As Chair of the OIC, Barrow has consistently called for peaceful resolutions in Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan, and the Sahel.
Migration and justice: Bilateral engagements with Spain, Switzerland, and Türkiye to address migration and transitional justice.
Democratic renewal: At home, press freedoms and civic liberties have expanded, reflecting a deepened democratic ethos.
Indeed, if there is a post-Jammeh success story to be told, it is The Gambia’s own. By comparison, Senegal—a country that has taken bolder stances against Western narratives, particularly on Israel and Palestine—has evaded inclusion on any US watchlists. Senegal Foreign Minister Yassine Fall’s (Faal’s) unapologetic advocacy for Palestine, including high-profile statements and public protests in Dakar, stands in sharp contrast to The Gambia’s deliberate neutrality.
At one point, I speculated that the Gambia’s OIC chairmanship might be the sticking point, given the organisation’s strong pro-Palestinian leanings. But President Barrow has trodden a path of diplomatic restraint, avoiding inflammatory rhetoric or any overt condemnations. Unlike Senegal’s vocal positioning, The Gambia has maintained quiet diplomacy towards the ongoing Middle-East War—perhaps too quiet for its good.
Similarly, The Gambia’s deepening ties with China, while notable, are not unique; many African nations have embraced Beijing’s diplomatic and infrastructure overtures without facing Trump’s wrath. Thus, the rationale for The Gambia’s targeting remains murky and raises a disconcerting question: Is it being punished for something it hasn’t done, rather than what it has?
Could the divergence in visa policy with our neighbour, Senegal, be a factor? Unlike Senegal, which grants US citizens a 90-day visa-free entry, The Gambia levies significant fees and taxes—ranging from $128 to $449—on American visitors. And for a leader like Donald Trump, whose worldview is transactional and rooted in cost-benefit calculus, such disparities might well tip the scales of perception.
This mystery becomes more baffling when examining the immigration figures at the heart of the US policy shift. According to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data from early 2025, there are only 1,035 Gambians with final removal orders in the US, compared to 1,689 Senegalese. Yet, strangely, The Gambia government ostensibly acknowledged over 3,000 deportation cases pending identity verification. Why this inflated figure? How did The Gambia’s number triple while Senegal’s remained consistent? Where is the diplomatic accounting?
During Yahya Jammeh’s period, The Gambia’s estrangement from the West was easier to understand. His confrontational stance, authoritarian governance, and disdain for liberal values—especially his 2013 UN address denouncing homosexuality—made him deplorable to the Western order. That infamous speech, delivered as I worked in Manhattan that morning, stirred fierce opposition in Western capitals and galvanized American activists like Reed Brody and Jeffrey Smith to target the regime.
Ironically, today we witness a resurgence of conservative rhetoric in America. —President Donald Trump has advanced Executive Order 14168; Signed on January 20, 2025, this order directs all federal agencies to officially recognise only two sexes—male and female—defined strictly by biological attributes determined at conception—a view not dissimilar to Jammeh’s.
What unsettles me most, however, is the POLITICO report suggesting the possible closure of the U.S. Embassy in Banjul. Such a move would be catastrophic for Gambians at home and in the diaspora. The embassy is a lifeline for visa processing, document renewal, birth registration, and family reunification. Forcing Gambians to travel abroad for basic consular services would be a gross injustice—and a humiliating blow to our sovereign dignity.
This is not the time for whisper diplomacy. Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs must address the matter. They must explain why The Gambia, despite its transformation, finds itself adrift in the eyes of the United States.
Happy Easter to our Christian folks.
Source: The Standard Newspaper | Gambia
For More News And Analysis About Gambia Follow Africa-Press
