By: Haddy Touray
President Adama Barrow has welcomed the annulment of an international arbitration award of about US$33.2 million against The Gambia, describing the ruling as a significant legal victory for the country.
According to a government statement obtained on Tuesday, the decision followed a ruling by an Annulment Committee of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), which on 17 July 2026 set aside the award in full.
The dispute stemmed from the takeover of a shrimp farm during the country’s former regime. In March 2024, an international arbitral tribunal ordered The Gambia to pay compensation to foreign investors.
The government said that after Attorney General and Minister of Justice Dawda A. Jallow informed Cabinet of the tribunal’s decision, President Barrow directed that the award be challenged through all available legal means, arguing that the decision was unjust. Cabinet unanimously endorsed the move.
The Attorney General’s Chambers subsequently assembled a legal team led by senior Gambian counsel Edi M.O. Faal and Cherie Blair, KC, of Omnia Strategy, to seek the annulment of the award before the ICSID.
According to the statement, the Annulment Committee found that the original tribunal had failed to adequately explain how Gambian law established the country’s consent to ICSID arbitration. It ruled that the omission was fundamental to the tribunal’s decision on jurisdiction and annulled the award in its entirety.
The government said the ruling eliminates the damages and interest previously awarded against The Gambia, preventing a liability of more than US$32 million to the national budget. It also allows the country to recover approximately US$213,000 in arbitration costs.
The recovered funds, the statement said, can be redirected to priority sectors, including health, education and infrastructure.
Attorney General Jallow described the outcome as evidence that The Gambia can successfully defend its interests in international legal proceedings through strong political support and effective legal representation.
He commended President Barrow for his leadership throughout the process and praised the legal team, including Cherie Blair, Edi M.O. Faal, state law officers and expert witness on Gambian law, Counsel Kebba Sanyang, for their contributions during the two-year legal proceedings.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public funds and the national interest while continuing to honour its international obligations and seeking fair and lawful treatment in all international disputes.
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