African Development Bank Group Strengthens Project Delivery in the Gambia

The African Development Bank Group and the Government of The Gambia concluded an Institutional Capacity Building and Fiduciary Clinic (ICFC) on 30 October. The event ran from 26 to 29 October 2026 at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center. The workshop brought together officials and project teams responsible for Bank-financed operations to explore practical responses to implementation challenges and strengthen project delivery.

The workshop brought together more than 60 participants from executing agencies, government ministries and the private sector. Finance specialists and the Bank Group's Gambia country team facilitated the programme, drawing on expertise in capacity development and project implementation.

Patricia Baptista, the Bank's Chief Country Programme Officer for The Gambia, and Aisha Sillah, its Country Economist, presented the portfolio overview. As of May 2026, the portfolio comprised 14 projects, with commitments of approximately USD 170 million. Agriculture accounted for more than half of commitments, followed by the social, transport and power sectors. The 2026 Country Portfolio Performance Review recognised strong audit compliance. It also identified project start-up delays, procurement bottlenecks, weaknesses in contract management and uneven financial reporting. The revised Country Portfolio Improvement Plan for March 2026 to February 2028 sets out 19 corrective actions. Several address capacity gaps in procurement, fiduciary management and results monitoring, which the ICFC addressed through practical sessions.

Mr Ansumana Sanyang, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, spoke on behalf of the Government of The Gambia. He welcomed the workshop as timely and aligned with the Government's priorities. He highlighted the importance of stronger public investment management and improved portfolio performance in supporting the transparent and accountable use of public resources.

The Institutional Capacity Building and Fiduciary Clinic adopted a practical workshop model focused on identifying and addressing implementation bottlenecks in real time. Sessions covered procurement, financial management, disbursement, environmental and social safeguards, monitoring and evaluation, and project cycle management. Discussions emphasised collaboration among executing agencies and the consistent application of fiduciary requirements throughout the project cycle.

The Institutional Capacity Building and Fiduciary Clinic forms part of the Bank's strategy to strengthen national and institutional capacity across its Regional Member Countries. It supports the Bank's Country Strategy Paper for The Gambia (2026-2031) and its Ten-Year Strategy (2024-2033). By strengthening skills and systems for project delivery, the workshop aimed to accelerate implementation across Bank-financed operations in the country. It also sought to promote greater transparency and sustainability.

Read the original article on African Development Bank (AfDB).