Gambia's draft constitution allows political parties to receive foreign donations

The government has argued in its explanatory notes that political parties may receive legitimate support from International partners. In light of the 2020 draft constitution which prohibited political parties from receiving foreign donations, the 2024 Draft deleted this restriction. “While it is important to safeguard national sovereignty, the Government recognises that political parties may receive legitimate support from international partners,” the note stated. The government further justified that the deletion of that provision allowed for more flexibility in political funding provided that all contributions are transparent and compliant with existing laws. [ . . . ] The 2024 draft deleted that paragraph and replaced it with section 60(3) of the current (1997) constitution, which reads: An Act of the National Assembly shall make provisions for the better implementation of this section. The note justified that the matter of political parties declaring their revenues, assets, and sources should be addressed through an Act of the National Assembly, which would provide the necessary provisions for the effective implementation of that requirement.
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