July 22, 1994 marked a new dawn in the history of The Gambia when a  group of military officers toppled Sir Dawda K Jawara in a bloodless coup headed by 28 year old Lieutenant Yahya Jammeh. A Provisional Ruling Council was put in place and all international aid was suspended while Great Britain and the European Union put pressure on the interim party to quickly reinstate democracy. Elections were swiftly organized and in August 1996, a revised constitution was put under referendum. More than 70% of the population voted for its adoption and in September the same year, more than 56% of Gambian registered voters elected the first President of the Second Republic, President Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jamus Junkung Jammeh. 

The Gambia is a member of several international organisations : The Economic Community of West African Union (ECOWAS), The African Union (AU), The United Nations, The organisation of Islamic Conference.