Foreign relations of the Gambia 14 February 2017, The Gambia began the process of returning and formally presented its application to re-join to Secretary-General Patricia Scotland on 22 January 2018. Boris Johnson, who became the first British Foreign Secretary to visit The Gambia since the country gained independence in 1965, announced that the British government welcomed The Gambia's return to the Commonwealth. The Gambia rejoined on 8 February 2018. Foreign relations of the Gambia The Gambia followed a formal policy of non-alignment throughout most of former President Dawda Jawara's tenure. It maintained close relations with the United Kingdom, Senegal, and other African countries. The July
Gambia–Philippines relations exploration following the recent discovery of oil in his country. Jammeh offered one block out of the five oil deposits in the Gambia to the Philippines to be developed in the proposed joint oil exploration. The Philippines agreed to conduct a joint oil exploration with the Gambia. The agreement was said to be the fruits of the New Asian–African Strategic Partnership signed by both countries in Jakarta. The Philippine National Oil Company subsequently said that the first 5 blocks offered did not show much potential, but that they were interested in the sixth block. The Gambia also wanted to reciprocate