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The Office of National Security (ONS) on Tuesday 7 May 2025 hosted a high-level delegation from the Zimbabwe Peacebuilding Trust (ZPT) at the State House in Banjul. The visit was part of a week-long study tour (May 3-10) aimed at gaining deeper insight into The Gambia’s Security Sector Reform (SSR) process and exploring approaches to institutional reform and civilian oversight.
The delegation, comprising three representatives from ZPT, was in The Gambia to learn from the country’s transition from a regime-centered security structure to a more inclusive, human-centered model. The ZPT delegation was led by its Executive Director retired Commissioner of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, Bishop Charles Masunungure.
The National Security Adviser (NSA) Abubakar Suleiman Jeng welcomed the delegates to ONS and provided a comprehensive overview of The Gambia’s reform journey, beginning with the 2016 political crisis that marked a turning point in national governance and security. Jeng further explained how Security institutions were used as tools of suppression under the former regime, resulting in disappearances, executions, and torture, stressing the urgent need for transformative reforms which were adopted under the new administration, leading to the establishment of Office of National Security (ONS) which now ensures the effective coordination of the security institutions and also leads the SSR process.
NSA also outlined several key milestones in the reform process, including the first-ever National Security Audit conducted in 2017, the development of the National Security Policy (NSP), and the formulation of the Security Sector Reform Strategy (SSRS). “SSR is a process, not an event,” he emphasized, noting the deliberate shift from donor-driven reforms to nationally-owned strategies in recent years.
NSA Jeng further highlighted the critical role of local oversight in ensuring accountability. He pointed to the involvement of National Assembly committees and civil society organizations, which now actively engage in holding service chiefs accountable. These mechanisms, he said, have been vital in driving the success of The Gambia’s SSR.
For his part, ZPT Executive Director Bishop Charles Musunungure noted the significance of the visit stating that it would help his organization in familiarizing itself with the methodologies adopted by The Gambia with regards to the role and involvement of civilian oversight on the security sector.
“This visit is a significant milestone for ZPT,” he said, noting the shared historical and policy similarities between The Gambia and Zimbabwe.
The meeting further touched on broader issues such as the challenges of donor dependency and the recalibration of reform efforts to reflect national priorities, The courtesy visit reflects the growing spirit of South-South cooperation in peacebuilding and reform, as Zimbabwe seeks to draw valuable lessons from The Gambia’s experience.
