THE GAMBIA OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES THE NATIONAL EARLY WARNING AND RESPONSE POLICY (2026–2035)

The Government of The Gambia, through the National Early Warning and Response Mechanism Coordinating Centre (NCCRM), has officially launched the National Early Warning and Response Policy (NEWAR Policy 2026-2035). This milestone marks the country’s formal adoption of a national framework to strengthen early warning systems, enhance coordinated responses, and safeguard peace and human security.

The NEWAR Policy is now the official reference document guiding all national and partner interventions in early warning and response. Stakeholders across government, civil society, and international organizations are strongly encouraged to align their strategies and programming with the policy to ensure coherence, sustainability, and maximum impact.

The launch event, attended by the Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia, senior government officials, ECOWAS representatives, funding and development partners, highlighted the collective commitment to proactive conflict prevention and resilience building. 

Vice President of The Republic of The Gambia, Mohammed BS Jallow:

“The risks facing our societies today are increasingly complex and interconnected. This makes early warning and, more importantly, early response, essential to our national peace and security. This Policy provides us with a framework to move decisively from a culture of reaction to a culture of anticipation, prevention and preparedness.”

The European Union Ambassador to the Gambia, Imma Roca i Cortés said: 

"By anticipating risks and acting early, crisis preparedness and response actively contribute to stability and sustainable peace. As a close partner and friend of The Gambia, it is important for the European union to accompany this National Early Warning and Response Mechanism Policy which will be instrumental to strengthen The Gambia’s early warning systems."

Director General of The National Early Warning and Response Mechanism Coordinating,  Binta Singhateh: 

“NCCRM recognizes that early warning and response is not the responsibility of one institution alone. It requires strong collaboration across government, local authorities, communities, civil society, traditional and faith leaders, individual and institutions who share a common conviction that the best crises is the prevented crisis and that the best warning is the one that leads to timely action.” 

The policy provides clear guidelines for monitoring risks across health, security, crime, governance, and environmental sectors, and establishes mechanisms for timely response. It also aligns with ECOWAS regional frameworks and international best practices, positioning The Gambia as a leader in preventive action. 

The NEWAR Policy document is available for reference and use by all stakeholders, and NCCRM will provide technical guidance to institutions and partners on integrating the policy into their operations. Stakeholders are encouraged to cite and apply the policy in program design, advocacy, and implementation.

The National Early Warning and Response Mechanism Coordinating Centre (NCCRM) was established by Executive Order No. 88 in 2019 and launched as a public institution under the Office of the Vice President in 2022. The Centre now operates under the National Early Warning and Response Mechanism Act, 2025, its mandate includes coordinating and harmonising early‑warning and response systems in The Gambia and advising government on human‑security threats.

The development of the policy was supported technically and financially through the EU Support to ECOWAS in Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) Project. EPSG is commissioned by Germany and co-financed by the European Union (EU) and Denmark. The project is implemented in a Team Europe Approach by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in cooperation with Expertise France (EF) and Fundación para la Internacionalización de las Administraciones Públicas (FIAP). In the area of conflict prevention and crisis management, the project supports National Centres for the Coordination of Response Mechanisms, strengthens the ECOWAS early‑warning system, and promotes the use of data and analysis for preventive action.