Claim: Gambia is ranked 2nd worst country to do business in the world.
Source: Essa Mbye Faal, Independent Presidential Candidate
Verdict: TRUE
Speaking at during a presidential debate at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo on November 20, 2021, the leader of the Turn Around Movement, Essa Mbye Faal, said:
“Forbes Magazine has listed Gambia as second to last country for worst to do business in the world.”
“It means, we beat only Chad, which is a country at war,” he said during the country’s first-ever debate for presidential candidates to the December 4 elections which was organised by the Commission on Political Debates.
Of six candidates confirmed by the Independent Electoral Commission to contest the presidency, only Faal and Halifa Sallah, leader of the People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), participated in the debate.
A screenshot of Forbes ‘The Best and Worst Countries for Business 2018’ (Photo Credit: Modou S. Joof)FACT-CHECK
In 2018, Forbes Magazine ranked The Gambia 2nd worst country to do business, in front of Chad, which is placed last on that list of 153 nations.
The Magazine’s “The Best and Worst Countries for Business 2018” rankings are based on indicators such as innovation, taxes, technology, corruption, freedom (personal, trade, and monetary), property rights, infrastructure, market size, political risk, quality of life, workforce, red tape and investor protection.
A screenshot of Forbes ‘The Best and Worst Countries for Business 2018’ (Photo Credit: Modou S. Joof)All economic data for the ratings are derived from the Heritage Foundation; World Economic Forum; Transparency International; Freedom House; World Bank; Central Intelligence Agency; Property Rights Alliance, according to the Magazine.
In the Forbes list, The Gambia is ranked 152, above Chad, which ranked last in the index. Fact Check Gambia research shows no data on Forbes “best and worst countries for business” beyond 2018.
A screenshot of Forbes ‘The Best and Worst Countries for Business 2018’ (Photo Credit: Modou S. Joof)Verdict: The claim made by Essa Mbye Faal is TRUE from the research we have gathered.
Researched by Omar Faye
- FEATURED IMAGE: Faal, a former defence attorney for Charlse Taylor, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, and Uhuru Kenyatta, who helped expose massive human rights violations in Gambia as Lead Council of the Truth Commission, is running for president as an independent candidate (Photo Credit: Commission on Political Debates)
