World Bank2012-06-112012-06-112007-07https://hdl.handle.net/10986/7682For decades, Gambia has served as a regional entrepot, using the river as a transportation link to the hinterland. Relatively low import taxes, well-functioning port and customs services, and limited administrative barriers reinforced Gambia's position as a trading center. About 80 percent of Gambian merchandise exports consist of re-exports to the sub-region goods imported into Gambia are transported unofficially into Senegal and beyond. Gambian economy and especially its public finances are highly dependent on this trade because imported goods destined for re-export pay the normal import duties. Recently, however, re-exports have declined due to a combination of tensions with Senegal, harmonization of import and sales taxes in the region, and improved port and customs operations in Senegal and other neighboring countries. The current re-export trade is unlikely to be sustainable, calling for a strategy to build growth on a more secure foundation. The report identifies directions for establishing a more sustainable foundation for the country's position as a gateway to the region by improving the transport system and reinforcing its efficient trade facilitation services, while recognizing the limited potential for growth. The study makes detailed recommendations on strengthening and diversifying domestic production of goods and services in the areas of tourism, groundnuts, other agriculture, and fishing, by improving the business climate as well as implementing sector-specific reforms.CC BY 3.0 IGOACCIDENTSACCOUNTINGADVERSE CONSEQUENCESADVERSE EFFECTSAGRICULTUREAIRAIR CARGOAIR FREIGHTAIR SERVICEAIR SERVICESAIR TRANSPORTAIRPORTASSETSAUDITSBANK ACCOUNTSBIDBORDER CROSSINGBORDER TRAFFICBRIDGEBUDGET DEFICITSBUSINESS CLIMATEBUSINESS ENVIRONMENTCAPITAL INFLOWSCARSCENTRAL BANKCOMMERCIAL BANKCOMMERCIAL BANK LENDINGCOMMERCIAL BANKSCOMMODITYCOMPARATIVE ADVANTAGECOMPETITIVE ADVANTAGECOMPETITIVENESSCONGESTIONCONSUMER GOODSCOST OF FINANCECOSTS OF FUELCREDIBILITYCREDIT ASSOCIATIONCREDIT PROGRAMCREDIT RISKCROSS SUBSIDIZATIONCROSSINGCROSSINGSCURRENCYCUSTOMS UNIONDEBT RELIEFDEPOSITDEPOSIT RATESDEVALUATIONDEVELOPMENT AGENCYDEVELOPMENT BANKDEVELOPMENT POLICYDEVELOPMENT STRATEGYDIRECT PAYMENTSDOMESTIC DEBTDOMESTIC INTEREST RATESDURABLEECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESSECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTECONOMIC RELATIONSECONOMIC SITUATIONECONOMIC STRUCTUREECONOMIC STRUCTURESEQUIPMENTEXCHANGE RATEEXPENDITURESEXPORT SECTOREXPORT SECTORSEXPORTERSEXPORTSEXTERNAL TRADEEXTREME POVERTYFEASIBILITY STUDIESFERRIESFINANCIAL COMPENSATIONFINANCIAL SUPPORTFISCAL DEFICITFISCAL POLICYFOREIGN BUYERSFOREIGN DEBTFOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTFOREIGN EXCHANGEFOREIGN INVESTORSFREE ZONESFREIGHTFUELGDPGLOBAL ECONOMYGLOBAL MARKETGLOBAL MARKETSGOVERNMENT CAPACITYGOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONGOVERNMENT POLICYGOVERNMENT REVENUEGOVERNMENT REVENUESGROWTH RATEGUARANTEE FUNDHARMONIZATIONHIGHWAYHIGHWAYSHOLDINGHOURS OF OPERATIONHUMAN DEVELOPMENTHUMAN RESOURCEHUMAN RIGHTSIMPORT BARRIERSINCOMEINCOMESINEFFICIENCYINFLATIONINFLATION RATEINFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENTINSPECTIONINSURANCEINTEREST RATESINTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTINTERNATIONAL MARKETINTERNATIONAL STANDARDINTERNATIONAL STANDARDSINTERNATIONAL TRADEINTRINSIC VALUEINVESTMENT CLIMATEINVESTOR CONFIDENCEINVESTOR PROTECTIONJUDICIAL SYSTEMLAND USELEGAL FRAMEWORKLETTER OF CREDITLIBERALIZATIONLIFE EXPECTANCYLOANLOCAL ECONOMYLOCAL GOVERNMENTLOSS OF REVENUESLOW TARIFFSMACROECONOMIC POLICIESMACROECONOMIC STABILITYMACROECONOMIC STABILIZATIONMARKET CONDITIONSMISMANAGEMENTMONETARY POLICIESMONEY GROWTHMORTGAGEMULTIPLIER EFFECTSNATIONAL TRANSPORTNET EXPORTSNEW PRODUCTOIL PRICESOPEN ECONOMYOUTPUTPATRONAGEPOLITICAL STABILITYPORT AUTHORITYPOWER OUTAGESPOWER PARITYPRIVATE INVESTMENTPRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENTPRIVATIZATIONPRODUCTION COSTSPRODUCTIVE INVESTMENTPUBLIC DEBTPUBLIC FINANCESPUBLIC INVESTMENTPUBLIC TRANSPORTPUBLIC WORKSPUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPPUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPSPURCHASING POWERREAL GDPREAL INTERESTREAL INTEREST RATESREGIONAL INTEGRATIONREGIONAL TRADEREGIONAL TRANSITREGIONAL TRANSPORTREGULATORY FRAMEWORKRENEGOTIATIONREPUTATIONRETURNRETURNSRISK MANAGEMENTROADROAD IMPROVEMENTROAD NETWORKROAD TRANSPORTROADSRURAL INFRASTRUCTURERURAL ROADSSAVINGSSHORT-TERM FINANCESMALL COUNTRIESSMALL COUNTRYSTOCK EXCHANGESSTOCKSSTRATEGIC INVESTORSSURFACE FREIGHTTARIFF REVENUETAXTAX RATETAX RATESTAX REVENUESTAX RULESTAX SYSTEMTAXATIONTAXISTECHNICAL ASSISTANCETELECOMMUNICATIONSTOURIST AUTHORITYTRADE BARRIERSTRADE POLICIESTRADE POLICYTRADE REGIMETRADE RELATIONSTRADE TAXESTRADINGTRAFFICTRAFFIC DATATRAFFIC FLOWSTRANSITTRANSIT TRADETRANSPARENCYTRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURETRANSPORT PLANTRANSPORT SAFETYTRANSPORT SECTORTRANSPORT SERVICESTRANSPORT SYSTEMTRANSPORTATIONTREASURYTREASURY BILLSTREATIESTREATYTRUCK DRIVERSTRUCKSUNDERLYING PROBLEMSVALUATIONWEALTHWHOLESALE PRICESWORLD DEVELOPMENT INDICATORSWORLD MARKETWORLD TRADEWTOWorld Bank10.1596/7682