Bakary K. Badjie Takes Presidential Tour to Gambians in Europe

Written by: Alieu Jallow

Presidential aspirant and National Assembly Member for Foni Bintang, Hon. Bakary K. Badjie, has travelled to Europe to begin what his team describes as a “Listening Tour,” following the completion of a nationwide engagement with communities across The Gambia.

Badjie departed The Gambia on Tuesday, August 25th, beginning a new phase of his political outreach as he seeks to position himself ahead of the December 2026 presidential election.

The European leg of the tour will see the Foni Bintang lawmaker engage directly with Gambians living abroad, with a focus on hearing their experiences, concerns, ideas and aspirations for the future of the country.

“Because no matter where Gambians live, their voices matter,” Badjie’s team said in announcing the tour.

According to the organisers, the engagements will provide an opportunity for Badjie to hear directly from members of the Gambian diaspora on issues affecting their lives abroad and their relationship with developments back home.

Remittances, investment opportunities, dual citizenship, youth engagement and diaspora participation in national decision-making are among the issues expected to feature during the tour.

The Gambian diaspora plays a significant role in the country’s economy and social development, particularly through remittances, business investments and financial support to families and communities at home.

Badjie’s team said Gambians abroad should not feel disconnected from national affairs simply because they live outside the country.

“Gambians abroad are not forgotten. Because no matter where Gambians live, their voices matter,” the team said.

The organisers have presented the initiative as an effort to engage the diaspora beyond conventional election campaigning, describing it as an opportunity to listen to and better understand the perspectives of Gambians living in Europe.

Although Gambians living abroad do not currently vote in national elections, the diaspora continues to influence political conversations, public opinion and communities back home.

Badjie’s team said the European leg of the Listening Tour is intended to build what it describes as a “bridge” between home and abroad, allowing the concerns and perspectives of Gambians overseas to form part of national conversations ahead of the 2026 election.

The tour follows Badjie’s nationwide listening exercise, during which he engaged communities across different regions of The Gambia. Extending the initiative to Europe broadens his outreach to Gambians whose lives, despite being based abroad, remain closely connected to the country’s economic, social and political affairs.

“Hon. Bakary K. Badjie will meet Gambians in the Diaspora to listen to their experiences, hear their ideas and understand their hopes for the future of The Gambia,” his team said.

The team said moments from the European leg of the tour will be shared over the coming days.