Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL – The Gambia) – Interior Minister Abdoulie Sanyang has called for stronger cooperation among African countries to confront the continent’s evolving security challenges, warning that no nation can effectively tackle threats such as terrorism, organized crime, and cyber insecurity on its own.
Speaking on behalf of President Adama Barrow at the opening of the 19th Africa Security Watch Conference and Awards in Banjul, Sanyang said Africa’s security landscape demands collective action driven by African-led solutions.
“It is with immense honor that I welcome you to Banjul and to the Smiling Coast of Africa for the 19th edition of the Africa Security Watch Conference and Awards,” he told delegates gathered from across the continent.
He said The Gambia was honored to host the conference for the fourth time, having previously welcomed the event in 2011, 2018, and 2022, describing the decision as a vote of confidence in the country’s commitment to peace, security, and regional cooperation.
“Your journey to Banjul reflects your conviction that the security challenges of our time demand common answers and that Africans must ultimately decide them,” Sanyang said.
Growing Regional Threats
The Interior Minister highlighted the expansion of terrorism and violent extremism from the Sahel towards the coastal states of West Africa, alongside rising threats posed by transnational organized crime, irregular migration, cybercrime, maritime insecurity, climate-related conflicts, and youth unemployment.
He stressed that these interconnected challenges require coordinated regional responses rather than isolated national efforts.
“The traffickers finance the extremists. The extremists thrive on grievances. The grievances grow where the state is absent or distrusted. Our responses must therefore be as connected as the threats themselves,” he said.
Sanyang also commended the Security Watch Africa Initiative for nearly three decades of promoting dialogue on security issues through conferences, publications, and awards, describing it as an important platform that brings together policymakers, security professionals, academics, the private sector, and civil society to discuss peace and stability across the continent.
The Gambia’s Security Reforms
Reflecting on his experience as former Inspector General of Police and now Minister of Interior, Sanyang said effective security depends on maintaining public trust.
“I have seen security from the checkpoint, from the command post, and now from the Cabinet table. Security fails where institutions lose the confidence of their communities, and it endures where that confidence is kept,” he said.
Although geographically small, he noted that The Gambia remains vulnerable to regional security risks because of its strategic location along the Atlantic coast.
He outlined several reforms undertaken since the country’s democratic transition in 2017, including security sector reform, strengthening democratic oversight of security institutions, modernizing legal frameworks, investing in integrated border management, and expanding community policing.
Among the reforms, Sanyang disclosed that the government has introduced a new Immigration Bill before the National Assembly to replace legislation dating back to 1965, saying the proposed law is intended to modernize border management to address current security realities.
He also reaffirmed The Gambia’s commitment to contributing troops and personnel to African Union and United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Security Through Development
Looking ahead, Sanyang urged African governments to deepen cooperation in intelligence sharing, joint security operations, cybersecurity, border management, legal harmonization, and community engagement.
He argued that lasting peace cannot be achieved through military and police action alone but also requires investment in young people and economic opportunities.
“Security is not achieved by uniforms alone. It is achieved when a young African can see a future worth protecting,” he said.
The minister further emphasized that security measures must remain firmly grounded in respect for human rights, the rule of law, and democratic accountability.
“Security built on fear manufactures the very grievances it claims to suppress. Security built on justice earns the cooperation of citizens, and citizen cooperation is worth more than any weapon in our arsenal. Lawful security is durable security,” he concluded.
The 19th Africa Security Watch Conference and Awards has brought together senior military officers, police chiefs, government officials, academics, and security experts from across Africa to discuss emerging security threats and strengthen continental cooperation in promoting peace and stability.
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