National Counter Terrorism Strategy
There are few countries that have not been affected by terrorism. It is therefore essential that all governments adopt a proactive attitude and undertake preparatory work to protect their citizens. The Gambia is no exception. Under the supervision of the ONS, the first National Counter Terrorism Strategy for The Gambia is under development.
The purpose of a National Counter Terrorism Strategy is to reduce the risk to The Gambia and its interests overseas from terrorism, so that people can go about their lives freely and with confidence.
Simulation Exercises are being used as a mechanism to help make sure that the strategy is practical and applicable in the Gambian context.
A Counter Terrorism Strategy commands a whole-society approach, and is therefore divided into interrelated work-streams. The Gambia’s future counter terrorism strategy will be portioned into four areas: Prevent, Pursue, Protect, and Prepare:
Prevent: To stop people from becoming involved in terrorist related activity.
Pursue: To stop terrorist attacks by detecting, prosecuting and otherwise disrupting those who plot to carry out attacks.
Protect: The work focuses on border security, the transport system, national infrastructure and public places.
Prepare: To mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack in an event whereby that attack cannot be stopped.