A report from the Institute of Security Studies claims that ECOWAS troops staying in The Gambia hurt the country's independence. These troops, called Ecomig, first came in January 2017 after former president Yahya Jammeh refused to step down when he lost the election.
Ecomig was meant to keep the peace during the change in power, but their stay kept getting longer. Many people believe these troops mainly protect President Adama Barrow instead of helping fix security problems, which makes more and more Gambians unhappy about foreign soldiers in their country.
The ISS report states that having these troops for such a long time stops The Gambia from running itself fully and making needed changes. "The mission came in January 2017 to guard important government buildings and help improve security forces, but its continued presence affects the country's freedom to govern itself," says the report.
The National Security Strategy and Security Sector Reform Strategy started in 2020, but little progress has been made since then. The military forces have not been adjusted to the right size. At the heart of this problem lies distrust between President Barrow and the military, especially the army. This makes the president depend on Ecomig troops for safety.
The report ends by saying people see Ecomig as a bodyguard for President Barrow's government. Instead, these troops should focus on helping The Gambia complete its security improvements quickly.
Ecomig was meant to keep the peace during the change in power, but their stay kept getting longer. Many people believe these troops mainly protect President Adama Barrow instead of helping fix security problems, which makes more and more Gambians unhappy about foreign soldiers in their country.
The ISS report states that having these troops for such a long time stops The Gambia from running itself fully and making needed changes. "The mission came in January 2017 to guard important government buildings and help improve security forces, but its continued presence affects the country's freedom to govern itself," says the report.
The National Security Strategy and Security Sector Reform Strategy started in 2020, but little progress has been made since then. The military forces have not been adjusted to the right size. At the heart of this problem lies distrust between President Barrow and the military, especially the army. This makes the president depend on Ecomig troops for safety.
The report ends by saying people see Ecomig as a bodyguard for President Barrow's government. Instead, these troops should focus on helping The Gambia complete its security improvements quickly.
