United Democratic Party (UDP) Secretary General and party leader, H.E. Ousainu ANM Darboe, has pledged to guarantee greater political, economic and institutional participation for Gambians living abroad under a UDP-led government.
Speaking on the party’s Diaspora Engagement and Participation Policy Commitment, Mr Darboe said Gambians living outside the country must no longer be treated as spectators in the political and developmental affairs of The Gambia.
He said The Gambia should be viewed as extending beyond its geographical borders to include all Gambians, wherever they live.
“The Gambia, as a country, is found wherever Gambians live, whether in Banjul, Brikama or Basse, Lagos, Dakar, Luanda, Johannesburg or Nairobi, London, Stockholm, New York, Paris, Beijing or Ankara,” he said.
Mr Darboe said Gambians in the Diaspora had, for decades, supported families, built homes, educated children, contributed to communities and helped sustain the national economy through remittances.
However, he said, despite these contributions, Gambians abroad had for too long been marginalised and treated as spectators in the political and developmental life of their country.
“Such injustice is unacceptable and must end,” he said.
Mr Darboe said a UDP-led government would guarantee the right of qualified Gambians living abroad to participate in the political process, including voting in presidential and parliamentary elections, referenda and other elections open to eligible Gambian voters.
He said the party would work with the Independent Electoral Commission to establish secure, accessible and legally sound mechanisms for Diaspora voting, including voting at Gambian embassies, consulates and other approved locations.
He also pledged to amend and strengthen electoral laws to remove barriers that prevent eligible Gambians abroad from exercising their constitutional right to vote.
Addressing the issue of dual citizenship, Mr Darboe said citizenship should be based on loyalty, service and commitment to the country and not paperwork alone.
He said a UDP government would uphold the right of qualified dual citizens to serve the country based on merit, competence, integrity and the national interest.
The UDP leader pledged to reform constitutional and legal provisions that he said unjustly exclude capable Gambians from serving their country simply because they hold dual citizenship.
He also said dual citizens should be allowed to contest National Assembly elections and serve in the legislature under fair and clearly defined rules, including provisions for Diaspora constituencies.
According to Mr Darboe, such reforms would give Gambians abroad a direct legislative voice in shaping the future of the country.
He said the Diaspora should not be viewed merely as a source of remittances but as a potentially powerful engine for national growth and development.
Under a UDP government, he said, Gambians abroad would receive equal consideration in national investment programmes, with opportunities for collective investment in agriculture, tourism, renewable energy, housing, infrastructure, digital innovation and the creative industries.
Mr Darboe also pledged to give Gambians in the Diaspora equal access to participate in the privatisation of public-private partnership ventures involving state-owned enterprises, while ensuring transparency, fairness and the protection of the national interest.
He said a UDP government would introduce Diaspora Bonds, work to reduce remittance transaction costs and consult financial institutions on the creation of savings and investment products tailored to the needs of Gambians abroad.
The UDP leader said the contribution of the Diaspora should not be measured solely in financial terms, noting that knowledge, skills and ideas were equally important to national development.
He pledged to establish a Diaspora Think Tank made up of Gambian professionals and technocrats living abroad to provide policy advice, conduct research and support evidence-based decision-making.
A UDP-led government, he said, would also engage Diaspora professionals and local experts as consultants and technical advisers in key sectors, including infrastructure, health, education, public finance, technology and digital governance.
The party would further promote short- and long-term skills transfer programmes to enable expertise acquired abroad to contribute directly to strengthening national institutions.
Mr Darboe also pledged to strengthen the Diaspora Affairs Directorate within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad by clearly defining its mandate, properly resourcing its operations and giving it the authority required to perform effectively.
He said the UDP would ensure Diaspora representation in national consultations and development planning and maintain an updated national Diaspora skills and investment database to help match expertise and investment opportunities.
The party also plans to strengthen consular services and support Diaspora-led initiatives in education, health and cultural preservation.
For Gambians who wish to return home, Mr Darboe said a UDP government would establish reintegration programmes, including employment pathways and business support.
He said the party’s approach would also promote the participation of Diaspora youth and women, support mentorship programmes linking professionals abroad with young people at home and encourage innovation hubs and entrepreneurship programmes driven by Diaspora expertise.
Mr Darboe said transparency, accountability and fair play would be uncompromising principles in the implementation of the policy.
He also pledged to establish permanent platforms for dialogue between the government and the Diaspora.
“The Diaspora will not be seen as an ATM, not as an afterthought, but as a strategic national development partner of value,” he said.
Mr Darboe said the policy represented a commitment to ensuring that no Gambian would be left behind.
He said Gambians at home and abroad should be treated as full participants and equal stakeholders in the country’s democratic and economic development.
“Together, those at home and those abroad, we will build a democratic, prosperous, and inclusive Gambia. A Gambia that values all its citizens. A Gambia that works for everyone,” he said..
