January 2026

𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐉𝐔𝐋, 𝟐𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: The Government of The Gambia and the Government of Japan on Tuesday signed Exchange Notes for the provision of Japanese food assistance amounting to ¥200 million, equivalent to approximately D95 million, under the Japanese Food Assistance Programme. The signing ceremony, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, was presided over by the Honourable Minister, Hon. Sering Modou Njie, and formalizes Japan’s commitment to support The Gambia’s food and nutritional security. Under the agreement, Japan will supply 1,776 metric tons of rice, which will contribute significantly to addressing food needs across the country and complement ongoing national efforts to strengthen food security. Speaking at the ceremony, Hon. Sering Modou Njie conveyed the Government of The Gambia’s deep appreciation to the Government of Japan for its continued and unwavering support. He emphasized that the assistance comes at a critical time and will play an important role in enhancing food availability while supporting broader government interventions in the sector. In his remarks, the Japanese Ambassador to The Gambia, H.E. Akamatsu Takeshi, noted that the assistance responds directly to a request from the Government of The Gambia and underscores Japan’s strong commitment to supporting the country’s food security agenda. He commended the Government for its leadership and praised the resilience of the Gambian people in the face of global economic and climatic challenges. Ambassador Akamatsu further explained that, beyond meeting immediate food needs, the programme is designed to support long-term, self-reliant development. He highlighted that proceeds from the domestic sale of the donated rice may be utilized to finance priority development initiatives, including the acquisition of agricultural machinery, procurement of improved seeds and fertilizers, and other measures aimed at modernizing agriculture and boosting productivity. Both governments reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations anchored in common values such as democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, and to deepening cooperation in support of The Gambia’s sustainable development objectives

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐁𝐈𝐀 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐂𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐑. 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐇 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐅𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃 (𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐖𝐂) 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐉𝐔𝐋, 𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International cooperation and Gambians Abroad is pleased to announce The Gambia’s Candidature as Member of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC). The Election of Candidates to the ACERWC is scheduled to take place at the 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union in February 2026, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Gambia’s Candidate, Dr. Satang Nabaneh, is a leading Gambian Legal scholar, Human Rights expert, and an advocate with extensive experience in Child Rights and Child Protection, Advocacy, Gender Equality, and African Human Rights Systems. Her work reflects a deep commitment to rights-based education, policy reform, and normative development at national, regional, and international levels. Possessing a formidable academic background, Dr. Nabaneh holds a PhD in Law from the University of Washington, United States of America, a Doctor of Laws (LLD), a Master of Laws in Human Rights and Democratization in Africa (LLM) from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) (Hons) from the University of The Gambia. This foundation has enabled her to contribute significantly to scholarship, teaching and policy engagement on complex issues affecting women and children. Professionally, Dr. Nabaneh has built a distinguished career that combines academia, research, advocacy, policy development and institutional leadership. Since August 2021, she has served as a Research Professor of Law at the University of Dayton Human Rights Center, USA where she engages in research, teaching, and mentoring in Human Rights Law. She is also an Extraordinary Lecturer at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, following her tenure as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the same institution from 2021 to 2023. Between 2019 and 2021, Dr. Nabaneh managed the Academic Program on Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Africa at the Centre for Human Rights, contributing to curriculum development, research coordination, and capacity building across the continent. Earlier in her career, Dr. Nabaneh served as a Project Officer on Women’s Rights at the Centre for Human Rights from 2016 to 2019, where she worked on legal reform, advocacy, and norm-setting initiatives as Legal Adviser for the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa. At the national level, she has also lectured at the Faculty of Law of the University of The Gambia and has held leadership roles within civil society, including serving as Coordinator of the Female Lawyers Association of The Gambia and co-founding Think Young Women (TYW). Notably, she has been a long-standing Technical Adviser to the Child Protection Alliance (CPA), a role she fulfilled over more than a decade, underscoring her sustained commitment to child protection and welfare. She has played key roles in the advocacy campaigns that led to the enactment of the Tourism Offences Act 2003, Children’s Act 2005, Trafficking in Persons Act 2007, Women’s Act 2010, and Sexual Offences Act 2013 and the Domestic Violence Act 2013. Dr. Nabaneh is also the Founder and Editor of Law Hub Gambia, an initiative established in 2019 to promote legal awareness, research, and dialogue on law and governance issues. She also serves as the Deputy Secretary General of the African Network of Constitutional Lawyers (ANCL). Dr. Nabaneh’s scholarly output is extensive and highly regarded. She has authored and edited numerous books, book chapters, policy briefs, and peer-reviewed articles on harmful practices, women’s rights, sexual and reproductive health, disability rights, and constitutionalism in Africa. Her recent publications include major works on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), harmful practices, Girls’ Education and the implementation of the Maputo Protocol and the African Children’s Charter. She regularly contributes to global policy and public discourse through platforms such as The Conversation, Open Global Rights, and leading academic publishers including Palgrave Macmillan and Pretoria University Law Press. Dr. Nabaneh’s insights have been featured in The New York Times, Reuters, and Time. She was named one of 10 exceptionally talented African scholars to watch in 2024 by The Africa Report. Beyond academia, Dr. Nabaneh has provided high-level consultancy and technical assistance to Governments around the world, United Nations Agencies, African Union organs and national organizations and institutions. She has played a key role in developing The Gambia’s National FGM Policy and Plan of Action, supported the implementation of the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and contributed to normative development on women’s rights within the African Human Rights System. Her work includes drafting guidance on the Maputo Protocol and the African Children’s Charter through Joint General Comments, supporting both state and shadow reporting processes and conducting research on litigating Women’s and Girls’ Rights before African Union Human Rights Mechanisms. Through this candidacy, The Gambia reaffirms its commitment to the promotion and protection of children’s rights in Africa by presenting a candidate of exceptional merit, scholarship, leadership, and expertise.