![[Translate to English:] The picture shows a focus group in Bundung on a Saturday afternoon with women who usually sell products at the markets. © PRIF/Sophia Birchinger.](/fileadmin/HSFK/images/thumbnails/Titel_PRIF2303_NEWS.jpg "[Translate to English:] The picture shows a focus group in Bundung on a Saturday afternoon with women who usually sell products at the markets. © PRIF/Sophia Birchinger.")
The African Union (AU) and its regional economic communities – such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) – often intervene in their member states on the grounds of defending peace and democracy. One example of this are the interventions in The Gambia since 2016, which have generally been assessed as successful in the literature. However, based on interviews with Gambians from different social groups, the new PRIF report paints a more nuanced picture of the affected population's perception of the interventions. For instance, there are major differences in assessment between different political camps, but also between the elite and the broader population. The length of the ECOWAS intervention, which is still ongoing, has also led to declining support within the population.
The report thus shows that more attention needs to be paid to the local public's public’s perspective on interventions by both academics and policymakers. The authors of the report are Sophia Birchinger, Sait Matty Jaw, Omar M Bah and Antonia Witt.