By Aminata Sanneh
Honorable Lamin Jabbie, Esq., Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, has reaffirmed The Gambia’s commitment to tackling greenhouse gas emissions (GHE), stressing that climate change remains one of the greatest challenges of our time.
Speaking on Monday, 22nd September 2025, at the opening of a three-day international training on “Data Identification, Analysis, and Monitoring to Track Transport Sector Emissions in The Gambia and Selected OIC Countries”, Minister Jabbie underscored the importance of climate action in line with Sustainable Development Goal 13.
“The Gambia has integrated climate change into its national blueprint, notably the RF-NDP (2023–2027) under Pillar V, which outlines robust actions in agriculture, environmental protection, and natural resource management,” he said. “In the fight against greenhouse gas emissions, the Government of The Gambia is committed to reducing emissions by 47.9% by 2030 under the Paris Agreement, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 under the Climate-Neutral Development Strategy.”
He noted that the transport sector plays a dual role—driving economic development while contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. Achieving the country’s ambitions, he said, will require reliable, disaggregated, and timely data to support evidence-based policymaking and effective monitoring.
“This COMCEC training is therefore timely, particularly as the world shifts toward a new paradigm of net-zero emissions,” the Minister emphasised.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure, Mr. Samba C. Mballow, highlighted that the training forms part of government’s efforts to build human and institutional capacity for emission monitoring within the transport sector.
“This initiative will strengthen the technical capacity of OIC member countries to collect, analyse, and report emissions data accurately. It will also enhance data harmonisation, improve information-sharing practices, and promote standardized approaches to emissions tracking across member states,” PS Mballow explained. He commended COMCEC for aligning the initiative with its strategic objective of improving the effectiveness and sustainability of transport and communications in member states.
Mr. Mod Secka, COMCEC Focal Person, described the transport sector as both an engine of economic growth and a major source of emissions. He noted that with rapid urbanisation, expanding vehicle fleets, and rising demand for mobility across OIC countries, the challenge of balancing development with sustainability is becoming increasingly urgent.
“For The Gambia, and indeed for many of our OIC partners, strengthening our ability to track, analyse, and report transport sector emissions is not only a technical necessity but a policy imperative,” Mr. Secka said. He emphasised that accurate emissions data is essential for evidence-based decision-making, enabling governments to design effective mitigation strategies, monitor climate commitments, and contribute meaningfully to global efforts under the Paris Agreement.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the transport sector accounted for about 24% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions in 2023, underscoring the urgency of coordinated action.
