Gambia

 

Gambia

 Country / Territory Brief

The Gambia is the smallest country on the African mainland, being surrounded by Senegal. Due to its unique geographic

location, it is also a hub for trade in the region. Gambia’s exports remain relatively undiversified, being dominated by groundnuts,

which account for 60% of domestically produced exports. The country has sparse natural resource deposits and a limited

agricultural base. The remittances from workers overseas and tourist receipts are an important source of foreign capital. The

Gambia is a member of the Economic Community of West African States and it benefits from the European Development Fund

for ACP Countries. It has maintained a reputation of relative stability and peace, although its sub-region has been marked by

recurring instability and conflict.

 Trade Performance

1 General Trade Performance

1.1 Evolution of Trade Ratio to GDP - Goods

1.2 Evolution of Trade Ratio to GDP - Services

1.3 Evolution of Total Trade

1.4 Trade Map

1.5 Export and Import by Leading Destination - Export

1.6 Export and Import by Leading Destination - Import

1.7 Evolution of Exports and Imports by Destination - Export

1.8 Evolution of Exports and Imports by Destination - Import

1.9 Total Export Growth

Source: ITC, calculations based on ITC’s Trade Competitiveness Map data.

Note:Graph shows decomposition of the country’s export growth in value terms by diversification pattern over the indicated

period.

1.10 Marginal Export Growth

Source: ITC, calculations based on ITC’s Trade Competitiveness Map data.

Note:Graph shows decomposition of the country’s export growth in value by structural driving effects over the indicated period.

Values are in US$ thousands.

1.11 Composition of Trade in Services - Export

1.12 Composition of Trade in Services - Import

1.13 Evolution of FDI

2 Sector Trade Performance

2.1 Sectoral Diversification in Products - Export

2.2 Sectoral Diversification in Products - ImportI

2.3 Sectoral Diversification in Destinations - Export

2.4 Sectoral Diversification in Destinations - Import

2.5 Sectors by World Demand - Export

2.6 Sectors by World Demand - Import

2.7 Trade Performance Index

 Trade Strategy and Policy

1 Trade and Development Strategies

Year Strategy name Sector

2011

ECOWAS Mango Export Strategy

The Mango Export Strategy for the Economic

Community of Western African States...

Mango

2011

Programme for Accelerated Growth and

Employment (PAGE)

The document provides an overview of recent

economic and social developmens in...

Fisheries, Livestock, Tourism, Forestry, Crops

2010

Gambia National Agricultural Investment Plan

(GNAIP)

The Gambia National Agricultural Investment Plan

(GNAIP) provides an outline of the...

Fruits and Vegetables, Livestock, Fisheries, Forestry, Oil-seeds

(Sesame, Groundnuts), Food Crops

2010

The Gambia National Gender Policy

The National Gender Strategy envisages high quality

and dignified living standards for...

2010

The National Employment Policy and Strategies

2010-2014

The document provides an overview of the

background to the strategy and...

2009

National Youth Policy 2009-2018

The policy is the result of a long consultation process

which took...

2007

From Entrepôt to Exporter and Eco-tourism

The DTIS aims at increasing The Gambia's

integration into the world economy...

Groundnuts, Cotton, Horticulture, Sesame, Cashew, Fisheries,

Tourism, Transport and Logistic Services

2006

Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper - Gambia 2007-

2011

The 2007-2011 PRSP is alligned with the objective

contained in the MDGs...

Groundnuts, Tourism, Horticulture, Livestock, Fisheries

2006

UNDAF Gambia 2007-2011

The UNDAF is alligned with the objectives expressed

in the MDGs Declaration...

1996

National Vision 2020

The document is divided into three main parts. The

first outlines long...

2 Domestic and Foreign Market Access

Overview: Trade Policy and Business Environment

INDICATOR, UNITS RANK/132 SCORE

Domestic Market Access The pillar assesses the level and complexity of a country’s tariff

protection as a result of its trade policy. This component includes the effective trade-weighted

average tariff applied by a country, the share of goods imported duty free and the complexity

of the tariff regime, measured through tariff variance, the prevalence of tariff peaks and

specific tariffs, and the number of distinct tariffs.

125 3.042973534

Foreign Market Access The pillar assesses tariff barriers faced by a country’s exporters in

destination markets. It includes the average tariffs faced by the country as well as the margin

of preference in destination markets negotiated through bilateral or regional trade agreements

or granted in the form of trade preferences.

130 17.924509565

Tariff rate (%) This indicator is calculated as a trade-weighted average of all the applied tariff

rates, including preferential rates that a country applies to the rest of the world. The weights

are the trade patterns of the importing country’s reference group (2012 data). An applied tariff

is a customs duty that is levied on imports of merchandise goods.

n/a n/a

Complexity of tariffs , index 1-7 (best) This indicator is calculated as the average of the

following indicators: Tariff dispersion, Specific tariffs and Number of distinct tariffs. See

description of each individual indicator for more details. Prior to averaging, values for each

indicator were transformed to a 1–7 score, using the min-max method.

14 6.7300930001

Tariffs dispersion (standard deviation) This indicator reflects differences in tariffs across

product categories in a country’s tariff structure. The variance is calculated across all the tariffs

on imported merchandise goods, at the 6-digit level of the Harmonized Schedule.

42 7.5548990193

Tariffs peaks (%) This indicator is the ratio of the number of tariff lines exceeding three times

the average domestic tariff (across all products) to the MFN (most-favoured nation) tariff

schedule. The tariff schedule is equal to the total number of tariff lines for each country. These

tariffs are revised on a yearly basis.

1 0

Specific tariffs (%) This indicator is the ratio of the number of Harmonized System (HS) tariff

lines, with at least one specific tariff, to the total number of HS tariff lines. A specific tariff is a

tariff rate charged on fixed amount per quantity (as opposed to ad valorem)

1 0

Number of distinct tariffs This indicator reflects the number of distinct tariff rates applied by a

country to its imports across all sectors.

3 4

Share of duty-free imports (%) Share of trade, excluding petroleum, that is imported free of

tariff duties, taking into account MFN tariffs and preferential agreements. Tariff data is from

2013 or most recent year available and imports data is from 2012

120 10.94964093

Tariffs faced (%) This indicator is calculated as the trade-weighted average of the applied tariff

rates, including preferential rates that the rest of the world applies to each country. The

weights are the trade patterns of the importing country’s reference group (2012 data). A tariff

is a customs duty that is levied by the destination country on imports of merchandise goods

41 5.409296139

Index of margin of preference in destination markets, 0-100 (best) This indicator measures the

percentage by which particular imports from one country are subject to lower tariffs than the

MFN rate. It is calculated as the average of two components: 1) the trade-weighted average

difference between the MFN tariff and the most advantageous preferential duty (advantage

score), and 2) the ratio of the advantage score to the trade-weighted average MFN tariff level.

This allows capturing both the absolute and the relative margin of preference.

71 21.957616622

3 Trade Facilitation

Logistics Performance Index (LPI): Country Comparison

Source: World Bank, Logistics Performance Index (LPI)

Logistics Performance Index – Evolution

Source: World Bank, Logistics Performance Index (LPI)

4 Business and Regulatory Environment

Multilateral Trade Instruments

Abstract

The Trade Treaties Map tool is a web-based system on multilateral

trade treaties and instruments designed to assist trade support

institutions (TSIs) and policymakers in optimizing their country's legal

framework on international trade

Instrument

ratified : 71 / 266 instruments

Ratification

rate : 26.7%

Weighted

score : 34.8/100

Ratification

Rate Rank

Weighted

Score

Rank

In World : 152 / 193 156 /

193

In Region : Sub-

Saharan

Africa

31/ 47 34/ 47

In

Development

level :

Least

developed

country

25/ 48 26/ 48

Graph

Presents a visual illustration breaking down a country’s ratification level

according to various categories and compares it to the world average.

Instruments ratified Click here for a full list and more details about these

multi-lateral trade instruments

5 Infrastructure

Indicator Value Rank/148

Quality of overall infrastructure How would you assess general infrastructure (e.g.,

transport, telephony, and energy) in your country? [1 = extremely underdeveloped—

among the worst in the world; 7 = extensive and efficient—among the best in the

world] | 2012–13 weighted average.

3.09 99

Quality of roads How would you assess roads in your country? (1 = extremely

underdeveloped; 7 = extensive and efficient by international standards) | 2010, 2011. 4.24 56

Quality of railroad infrastructure How would you assess the railroad system in your

country? (1 = extremely underdeveloped; 7 = extensive and efficient by international

standards) | 2010, 2011.

n/a n/a

Quality of port infrastructure How would you assess port facilities in your country? (1 =

extremely underdeveloped; 7 = well-developed and efficient by international

standards). For landlocked countries, this measures the ease of access to port

facilities and inland waterways | 2010, 2011.

4.62 48

Quality of air transport infrastructure How would you assess passenger air transport

infrastructure in your country? (1 = extremely underdeveloped; 7 = extensive and

efficient by international standards) | 2010, 2011.

4.67 58

Individuals using Internet (%) Internet users are people with access to the worldwide

network. 85.20 103

Mobile telephone subscriptions/100 pop According to the World Bank, mobile cellular

telephone subscriptions are subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service using

cellular technology, which provides access to switched telephone technology.

Postpaid and prepaid subscriptions are included. This can also include analogue and

digital cellular systems but should not include non-cellular systems. Subscribers to

fixed wireless, public mobile data services, or radio paging services are not included.

12.45 111

Fixed broadband Internet subscriptions/100 pop: The International Telecommunication

Union considers broadband to be any dedicated connection to the Internet of 256

kilobits per second or faster, in both directions. Broadband subscribers refers to the

sum of DSL, cable modem and other broadband (for example, fiber optic, fixed

wireless, apartment LANs, satellite connections) subscribers.

0.03 127

Source: World Economic Forum, Global Enabling Trade Report 2014

 ITC and the Country/Territory

1 ITC Projects

1.1 Current projects

Gambia: Sector Competitiveness and Export Diversification

1.2 Recent projects

IA81 - PACT2 - Design of ECOWAS-TEN network of trade experts

ECOWAS Regional trade information networks

PACT 2 - ECOWAS Regional Private Sector Apex Bodies for Public-Private Dialogue

PACT 2 - ECOWAS Networks of National and Regional TSIs

PACT 2 - ECOWAS Sector Strategy

PACT 2 - ECOWAS Improved Technical Capacities and RBM Operations

5.2 Events

2.1 Upcoming events

No data

2.2 Recent events

Launch of The Gambia’s cashew and sesame sector strategies18/06/2014-Banjul, Gambia

Launch Event of the Sector Strategies in The Gambia17/06/2014-Banjul

Two-day Workshop on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Determination26/05/2014-Banjul

Planning workshop for farmer field schools in Gambia28/02/2014-Banjul

Workshop on Guidelines for elaboration and enforcement of technical regulations27/02/2014-Banjul

Sensitization workshop on quality assurance framework for cashew nuts and sesame26/02/2014-Banjul

Workshop on Hygiene Practices and Food Safety Systems based on HACCP in World Trade14/01/2014-Bijilo

5.3 ITC Contacts

Ekutu BONZEMBA

Trade Promotion Officer

+41 22 730 0330

bonzemba@intracen.org

Ruben PHOOLCHUND

Chief, Office for Africa

+41 22 730 0508

phoolchund@intracen.org

Read more

 Trade Information Sources and

Contacts

1 Trade Information Sources

This section provides a list of country specific print and online publications on trade-related topics, including both ITC and

external sources.

1.1 ITC publications

Best Practice Case Studies in Tourism

Paper presented at ITC Regional Executive Forum : 'Small States in Transition : From Vulnerability to Competitiveness' , Port of

Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 18-21 January 2004 - reports on...

Revitalization of the Groundnut Sectors in the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal

Report assessing the situation of the groundnut sector in the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal, with a view to identify the

constraints faced by the sector, and to put forward recommendations...

Read more

Maximizing Benefits from Tourism : The Gambia Experience

Paper presented at ITC Executive Forum's 2005 Consultative Cycle on Innovations in Export Strategy : 'Building the Tourism

Mega-Cluster: What Works and What Doesn't' , Kingston and Portland, Jamaica, 6-9...

The Challenges of Building an Effective Public-Private Partnership : The Gambia

Paper contributed by The Gambia Strategy Team, presented at ITC Executive Forum : 'Competitiveness through Public-Private

Partnership: Successes and Lessons Learned' , Montreux, Switzerland, 26-29 September, 2004 - examines challenges...

Integrating Tourism to the Productive Sectors in The Gambia

Paper contributed by The Gambia Strategy Team, presented at ITC Executive Forum : 'Competitiveness through Public-Private

Partnership: Successes and Lessons Learned' , Montreux, Switzerland, 26-29 September, 2004 - explains how...

Read more

Value-Based Tourism : Getting the Most of the Tourism Dollar : The Gambia's Perspective

Paper presented at ITC Executive Forum : 'Export of Services : Hype or High Potential? Implications for Strategy-Makers' ,

Montreux, Switzerland, 5-8 October, 2005 - focuses on Gambia's Tourism Master...

1.2 Selected printed information sources

2011 Analysis of the Cashew Value Chain in Senegal and The Gambia

2007 SPS Capacity in Liberia

2007 SPS Synthesis Report : Summary of SPS and Food Safety Performance of Non-UEMOA Countries in West Africa

2006 SPS Capacity in Guinea

2006 - Kyambalesa H; Houngnikpo M C Economic Integration and Development in Africa

2007 - Kima B Etude du marché du beurre de karité et de ses produits dérivés dans les pays du Burkina Faso, du Mali, du

Niger, de la Sierra Leonne et de la Guinée : Rapport de synthèse

2006 West African Financial Flows and Opportunities for People and Small Businesses

2007 Cashew Marketing and Consumption in West Africa : Current Status and Opportunities

2008 Services Trade and Domestic Regulation in the Gambia

1996 - Webster L; Fidler P, eds. Informal Sector and Microfinance Institutions in West Africa

2001 Women Entrepreneurs in Least Developed Countries: Country Studies From Africa

2006 Cotton in West Africa : The Economic and Social Stakes

2008 - D'Alessandro S Evaluation sous-régionale de la chaîne de valeurs oignon/échalote en Afrique de l'Ouest

1986 Traité instituant la Communauté économique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest et protocoles annexes. - Mis à jour

2006 EPA Negotiations, West Africa : Executive Brief

2006 - Alaba, Olumuyiwa B EU-ECOWAS EPA : Regional Integration, Trade Facilitation and Development in West Africa

2006 SPS Capacity in Sierra Leone

2010 Trade Policy Review : The Gambia

2010 UNCTAD's Appraisal of the Implementation of the Brussels Programme of Action for LDCs for the Decade 2001–2010 :

Assessment of Progress and Lessons for the Fourth United Nations Conference on LDCs (LDC-IV) and Beyond

2009 - Twerefou D K Mineral Exploitation, Environmental Sustainability and Sustainable Development in EAC, SADC and

ECOWAS Regions

2006 Overview of the Regional EPA Negotiations : West Africa-EU Economic Partnership Agreement

2006 Le coton en Afrique de l'Ouest : Un enjeu économique et social

2005 Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Capacity Evaluation of The Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria : Main Report

2010 - Rolland JP; Alpha A Etude sur la cohérence des politiques commerciales en Afrique de l'Ouest

2011 - Rolland J P; Alpha A Analyse de la cohérence des politiques commerciales en Afrique de l'Ouest

2008 Perfil de la Industria Paraguaya de Software

2009 Characteristics of Malaysia's Animal Feed Market

2014 Perspectives on Global Development 2014: Boosting Productivity to Meet the Middle-Income Challenge

2010 Mobilizing Aid for Trade for SPS-Related Technical Cooperation in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region

2010 Leather Garments in the EU

2006 Overview of the Current State of Organic Agriculture in Kenya, Uganda and the Republic of Tanzania and the

Opportunities for Regional Harmonization

2007 Export Diversification and Value Addition for Human Development : Addressing the Impact of the Agreement on Textiles

and Clothing Expiration on Cambodia

2006 - Ruffing, Lorraine Deepening Development Through Business Linkages

2012 OECD Economic Surveys: Chile

2005 - Magder, D Egypt after the Multi-Fiber Arrangement: Global Apparel and Textile Supply Chains as a Route for Industrial

Upgrading

2006 Bangladesh: Furniture Export Market Sector Brief

2012 Cotton Contamination Surveys, 2001 - 2003 - 2005 - 2007 - 2009 - 2011

2006 - Boutou, Olivier Management de la sécurité des aliments : De l'HACCP à l'ISO 22000

2006 Trading up : Economic Perspectives on Development Issues in the Multilateral Trading System

2004 Perfiles de mercado para productos bolivianos en los mercados de Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, México,

Paraguay, Perú, Uruguay y Venezuela

2010 Vietnam: Oilseeds and Products

2007 Organic Farming in the Czech Republic: 2007 Yearbook

2007 - Gibbon P; Bolwig S Economics of Certified of Organic Farming in Tropical Africa: A Preliminary Assessment

2006 The Relationship of Third-party Certification (TPC) to Sanitary / Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures and the International

Agri-Food Trade; Case Study: Guatemala- with Emphasis on Food Safety

2007 - Ismail F Mainstreaming Development in the WTO : Developing Countries in the Doha Round

2009 Market Report. Focus on the Nordic Market - Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

2001 - Karlöf, Bengt Benchlearning : Good Examples as a Lever for Development

2003 - Martin W; Pangestu M, eds. Options for Global Trade Reform : A View from the Asia-Pacific

2010 L'industrie sri lankaise du textile-habillement

2000 - Hauber, Christiane Formation, Prevention & Determination of Cr (VI) in Leather

1.3 Selected online information sources

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) = Communauté économique des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest

(CEDEAO)

APE - CEDEAO

ESOKO

ECOWAS Press Releases

The Republic of the Gambia

Central Bank of the Gambia

West African Monetary Institute = Institut monétaire de l'Afrique de l'Ouest

Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry

2 Trade Contacts

Gaya Art Café Senegambia Highway, next to the

Senegambia Craft Market

224464022

Gaya@qanet.gm

http://www.gayaartcafe.com

The Gambia Investment and

Export Promotion Agency GIEPA House Banjul

 2204377377

2204377379

info@giepa.gm

http://www.giepa.gm

The Gambia Chamber of

Commerce and Industry 55, Kairaba Avenue Serrekunda

220378929

220378936

gcci@qanet.gm

http://www.gambiachamber.gm

National Women Farmers

Association 98 Kairaba Avenue Banjul

+2204377837

info@nawfa.gm

http://www.accessgambia.com/extra/nawfagambia.html