Gambia Highlights Parliamentary Digital Reforms at Inter-Parliamentary Union Meeting

Kalipha M. M. Mbye, the Clerk of the National Assembly

By Fatou Sillah 

The Gambia’s National Assembly has showcased its ongoing digital transformation efforts at an international parliamentary forum, emphasizing the use of artificial intelligence and new technologies to improve legislative transparency and citizen engagement.

Kalipha M. M. Mbye, the Clerk of the National Assembly, outlined the reforms during a meeting of the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments held on the sidelines of the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Istanbul.

In a statement released by the National Assembly, Mr. Mbye said his presentation focused on what he described as efforts to “bridge the gap” between citizens and the legislature through digital innovation. The initiative, he said, is intended not as a symbolic modernization effort, but as a practical tool to strengthen democratic participation.

Central to the reforms is an artificial intelligence-assisted transcription system introduced in 2025 to modernize the Hansard, the official record of parliamentary proceedings. According to Mr. Mbye, the previous system often required several months to produce finalized transcripts, leaving parliamentary debates outdated by the time they were published.

“Under this new system, uncorrected transcripts are produced within 24 to 48 hours of a sitting,” he said.

The Clerk also described a broader institutional shift toward a paperless parliamentary system. This includes plans to establish a Digital Stakeholder Submission Portal designed to allow citizens, civil society groups, and other stakeholders to submit memoranda electronically during the committee stage of lawmaking.

The reform, officials say, is intended to replace a traditionally top-down consultation model with a more participatory approach to legislation.

“The experience of The Gambia demonstrates that innovation in parliamentary administration does not necessarily require vast financial resources,” Mr. Mbye said. “What it requires is vision, adaptability, and an unwavering commitment to transparency.”