President Adama Barrow’s recent decision to appoint Retired Army General Sereign Modou Njie as The Gambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs is, by many unmeasured, a misplaced choice one that risks undermining a ministry already grappling with damaged credibility and strained international relations.
There is no doubt that General Njie is a patriotic Gambian who has served his country with distinction in uniform. His discipline, leadership, and loyalty are not in question. In fact, his skillsets and background would serve him well in a number of ministerial portfolios, particularly in areas where security, administration, or veterans’ affairs are paramount. However, the Foreign Ministry at this pivotal moment demands a different kind of leader and leadership.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in urgent need of reform. Years of executive interference and politicization have eroded its institutional integrity and credibility, both at home and abroad. Diplomacy is not merely a matter of protocol and representation; it is an art of negotiation, relationship-building, and policy articulation that aligns national interest with global expectations. To lead this kind of transformation, what the country needs is not a retired general, but a seasoned diplomat someone with a deep understanding of international relations, multilateral diplomacy, and a pragmatic reform agenda.
Gambia’s foreign policy challenges today are not military or security-centered. They are issues of strategic partnerships, regional integrations, cooperation, diaspora engagement, and regaining international trust in the international global arena. They require a minister who can speak the language of diplomacy fluently and rebuild relationships that have suffered in recent years.
In the past, the Foreign Ministry has been reduced to a rubber-stamp institution, often sidelined by directives from the presidency and undermined by favoritism in appointments. This has led to a loss of morale among career diplomats and a deterioration of professional standards. The appointment of a politically inexperienced figure, no matter how accomplished in other fields, sends the wrong signal both internally to civil servants and externally to diplomatic partners.
This is not about discrediting General Njie’s integrity or service. It is about acknowledging the specialized nature of diplomacy and respecting the institutional role of the Foreign Ministry. Appointing the right people to the right positions is fundamental to good governance. At a time when The Gambia is seeking to reassert its place on the global stage, leadership at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should reflect professionalism, reform, and deep sectoral expertise.
President Barrow must be reminded that effective diplomacy requires more than loyalty it demands vision, credibility, and competence in international affairs. Unfortunately, this appointment has fallen far short of that expectation.
