Gambia has solicited support from members of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) to develop the country's ICT sector.

Six months after its readmission to the Commonwealth, officials from the West African country have secured a commitment from the CTO for support in developing a national cybersecurity strategy and broadband strategy.

The CTO identified several challenges faced by Gambia, including the need to review and establish relevant ICT regulations, policies and legislation as well as the development of technical capacity - especially in the public sector

Gisa Fuatai Purcell, Acting Secretary-General of the CTO said the organisation's work alongside the Gambian government will include helping the country's Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) establish a competitive regulatory environment within the telecommunications industry.

Kalifa Bojang, Deputy Head of Mission from the High Commission of Gambia in London accompanied Gambia's ICT and Infrastructure Minister Ebrima Sillah to a meeting at CTO's headquarters.

Bojang said, "We are very happy to participate and be part of the CTO's ICT initiatives within the Commonwealth, as a full member country. We look forward to forge common efforts to achieve greater impact in using ICTs and enhancing digital inclusion of our respective countries."

Gambia is currently ranked 144th out of 176 countries on the latest International Telecommunication Union's ICT Development Index (IDI) released at the end of 2017.

The IDI measures use of- and access to the internet and other technologies in a country over a one-year period.

Gambia is ranked 16th among the 38 countries measured across Sub Saharan Africa, and 117th for competitiveness of its economy out of 137 countries worldwide according to the 2017-2018 edition of the Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum.