The Gambia National Transport Policy 2018-2027.

This Gambia National Transport Policy provides for building a sustainable, efficient, and integrated transport network that drives economic growth, cuts poverty, and boosts living standards across the country. The Policy considers transport as an instrument for economic growth, poverty reduction, regional integration and sustainable development and covers road, air, maritime and river transport. The Policy defines the following objectives: improving coordination among transport institutions; developing the Port of Banjul as a major regional gateway and transshipment port; supporting inland river transport and river-port development; strengthening transportation safety; promoting private-sector participation; generating local employment; encouraging energy-efficient transportation and climate-resilient infrastructure. The Policy also focuses on environmental protection as guiding principle of the Policy, as the government recognises that transport can cause pollution, consume scarce energy resources and damage the natural environment. Infrastructure investments are consequently expected to promote energy efficiency and reduce resource consumption. Concerning maritime and river transport, the Policy describes the following targeted objective: developing and promoting a seaport and water transport industry supporting the long-term expansion of productive capacity and improvement of the population's living standards. The Policy therefore combines port development, trade facilitation, maritime regulation, safety, environmental protection and revitalisation of inland-water transport. The Policy concerns: maritime governance and regulation, focusing on: powers and responsibility of the Gambia Ports Authority and the Gambia Maritime Administration (GMA); the respect of international maritime safety and pollution-prevention principles; revitalisation of the river Gambia as a transport corridor. Concerning environmental measures, the Policy focuses on: environmental impacts of maritime and river transportation, including air and water pollution, emissions associated with inefficient vehicle operation, disposal of waste, disruption of wetlands and natural hydrological processes; strategic environmental assessment and environmental impact assessment.