President Adama Barrow, who started the democratic transition of Gambia in 2017, was re-elected in the period under review. The democratic gains of recent years are reflected in successive free and fair elections and a general improvement in the human rights situation. However, a growing sense of disillusionment with the pace of reforms has led to heightened tensions, resulting in a coup attempt in late 2022.
While the Barrow government has aimed to improve economic performance, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine have reversed or slowed progress. Therefore, Gambia remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with no significant improvement over the past five years.
To promote reconciliation in the society, the government has committed to investigate abuses during the tenure of former president Jammeh. At the same time, maladministration by law enforcement and corrupt officials have contributed to a decline in enthusiasm among the Gambian population.
