The Gambia’s Minister of Women’s Affairs overseeing the Office of the Vice President, Mrs Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang, yesterday launched the Gambia National Think Tank (GAMNATT) at a ceremony at State House, Banjul.

GAMNATT is a multidisciplinary group of Gambian experts selected by the government. Its responsibility is to facilitate the formulation and dissemination of a national development blue print, introduce a people-centered National Vision 2030 and a research agenda to influence public policy that impacts positively on all Gambians.

Mrs. Tambajang, who represented President Adama Barrow at the official launching ceremony, said the initiative reflected a radical shift away from the top-bottom approach to development, taking a more people-centred approach. She said it underscored Gambians’ commitment to work together to build a country anchored on democracy, rule of law, peace and reconciliation after 22 years of dictatorship.

The Acting Vice President explained that the strategy was for government and the private sector to collectively redress the brain drain in the public and private sectors and in civil society by making maximum use of Gambian expertise, involving professionals from different walks of life and youth in national development. President Barrow paid special tribute to Mrs. Tambajang for her leadership in the preparatory work that had gone into getting the initiative operational.

GAMNATT Coordinator Serign Fallou Njie said the initiative would enhance the government’s efforts to develop a long-term vision and accelerate development. He said that members had worked on a pro-bono voluntary basis to bring the think tank to fruition. He paid particular tribute to the female members of the group, saying that the women had provided the leadership and the brains behind it, whilst the men had merely played their part as workers.

Secretary General and head of the Civil Service Dawda Fadera was optimistic about the think tank’s projected outcomes. He said that with transparency and dialogue through a inclusive consultative processes, it brought hope in addressing the challenges in the public sector.