ECOWAS Commission Vice-President Oluwatosin Anthony Ogunjimie concluded a two-day working mission to The Gambia on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, his first working visit there.
The programme combined institutional meetings, field visits to development projects and discussions on peace, security and conflict prevention, according to a report from the Economic Community of West African States.
Institutional Engagements
On Monday, 28 September, the first official day of the mission, Ogunjimie visited the ECOWAS Permanent Mission Delegation in The Gambia, where he exchanged with the leadership and staff of the representation on ECOWAS activities in the country, issues being followed at the national level, and the challenges and opportunities linked to strengthening the organisation’s presence and visibility there.
He then visited the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA), where he was briefed on the institution’s activities and its contribution to advancing ECOWAS objectives in the area of competition.
Field Visits to Stabilisation Fund Projects
The afternoon of 28 September was devoted to a field visit to several achievements of the ECOWAS Regional Stabilisation and Development Fund (RSDF).
Accompanied by implementation partners, notably GAMWORKS, Ogunjimie visited project sites to assess the results of investments made for Gambian communities.
The visit began at the GAMWORKS office, where he received a presentation on the RSDF programme in The Gambia, followed by discussions with the teams and a question-and-answer session.
The delegation then proceeded to the Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute (GTHI), where the Vice-President was welcomed by the management and the student body before visiting the facilities and reviewing the institute’s achievements.
The visit continued at the Fish Smoking Complex, where he met with women beneficiaries and toured the facilities.
According to the Commission’s account, the visit highlighted the impact of RSDF interventions on the beneficiaries’ economic activities and on improving their working conditions.
Dialogue with Gambian Authorities
On Tuesday, 29 September, Ogunjimie paid a courtesy visit to Mohammed BS Jallow, Vice-President of the Republic of The Gambia. The meeting covered relations between ECOWAS and The Gambia as well as shared priorities in development, regional peace and security.
The Vice-President subsequently attended the launch of the National Early Warning and Response Mechanism Policy 2026–2035 at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center.
The ceremony was attended by the Vice-President of The Gambia, the Ambassador of the European Union to The Gambia and the Ambassador of Germany to The Gambia.
Visit to ECOMIG Troops
On the afternoon of 29 September, Ogunjimie paid a special visit to troops of the 11th Nigerian Army Contingent deployed in The Gambia under ECOMIG.
The Commission said the visit recognised forces engaged in the regional mission in support of peace and stability in The Gambia.
The Vice-President interacted with members of the contingent and commended their commitment and contribution to ECOWAS efforts to promote peace and security across the Community.
Early Warning Centre
The mission concluded on 29 September with a visit to the ECOWAS Early Warning and Response Centre in The Gambia.
The engagement allowed the Vice-President to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms and systems established to monitor developments that could affect peace and stability, as well as national and regional early warning and response capacities.
At the conclusion of the mission, the Commission said the visit highlighted the diversity of ECOWAS interventions in the country, spanning institutional presence, community development and resilience, regional cooperation, peace support, early warning and conflict prevention.
It also provided an opportunity to strengthen dialogue with the Gambian authorities, ECOWAS structures, implementation partners and stakeholders engaged on the ground.
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