By: The Fatu Network News Desk
The Gambia’s Ministry of Interior and the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) are at odds over a government programme to issue Gambian national identity cards to citizens living in foreign countries, including Gabon and Togo.
In an August 8 press release, the Ministry announced the “deployment of national ID card enrolment teams” to the two countries, saying the move responds to “public interest regarding the enrolment of citizens abroad for the issuance of the National Identity Card.” It stressed that the services are “based on established domestic and international legal instruments, as have been practised in the past.”
Citing the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the Ministry noted that the principle of extraterritorial jurisdiction allows The Gambia to extend public services “within the territory of its diplomatic missions and consulates.” It added that “all services provided to Gambians abroad are strictly governed by the Constitution of The Republic of The Gambia and other relevant laws” and that the same legal requirements apply whether documents are issued at home or abroad “to guarantee the integrity of our national documents.”
The Ministry explained that the decision was driven by the “difficult situation” citizens face when documents expire and they cannot return home for renewal. “The Government, being the principal duty bearer, is thus obliged to facilitate legal residence and identification for its citizens abroad,” the statement read. It said Immigration officers from the Gambia Biometric Identification System (GAMBIS) would process applications in Gabon and Togo, with approved ID cards printed in Banjul and sent back to embassies or consulates for collection.
In its response, issued under the headline UDP Raises Alarm Over Government’s Unlawful Issuance of National ID Cards Abroad, the opposition party accused the government of acting “under the pretext of serving Gambians in the diaspora” without “transparency, legal basis, and credible verification mechanisms.” The UDP claimed the process is “unlawful, politically motivated, and poses a serious threat to the integrity of the upcoming 2026 presidential elections.”
“Governments around the world issue passports to their citizens abroad through embassies and consulates – not national ID cards, which are meant to be issued within the national territory under strict documentation and biometric control,” the party said. It argued that issuing ID cards abroad, particularly in “countries with weak civil registration systems and porous borders,” raises the risk of “fraud, manipulation, and mass registration of non-Gambians.”
The UDP alleged that the cards could be used “to illegally register foreign nationals as voters” and that the government “may later renegotiate and introduce diaspora voting, leaving those issued ID cards eligible to vote in 2026 Presidential Elections.” It described the initiative as “a deliberate ploy to rig the upcoming elections.”
The party called on the Independent Electoral Commission “to clarify its involvement and distance itself from this unconstitutional process” and urged the National Assembly “to immediately summon the Minister of Interior and the Director General of Immigration to account for this initiative.” It also appealed to “Gambian civil society, political parties, and international partners to closely monitor and condemn this dangerous abuse of the national identification system.”
In its statement, the Ministry insisted it is “strongly committed to responsive service delivery and protection of the interests of its citizens, irrespective of their place of residence,” and reassured the public that it would “provide effective and efficient service delivery, without compromising the rule of law and accepted international standards and best practices.”
