Former President Yahya Jammeh repeated his lie the 2016 presidential election which saw his 22-year rule end was stolen – and accused President Adama Barrow of trying to credit to himself development projects that he (Jammeh) started.

Jammeh has been helping opposition Gambia Democratic Congress leader Mamma Kandeh with his campaign and he called again on Thursday from his Equatorial Guinea hideout to speak to citizens.

The former dictator told citizens in Sare Bojo via telephone: “They rigged the election and brought in this group that has destroyed the country in just four years. But that is behind us.

“I have heard many times Adama Barrow trying to hoodwink you Gambians telling you that the projects I have implemented, he is the one who brought those projects. That is not true. Laminkoto-Passamas, you people know I started the project and up to 40 kilometers and there was a delay and the reason for the delay was that they wanted to stop that project, end it at 40 kilometers and then they will complete it in phase 2. I told them that I don’t want an incomplete project it has to be completed.

“Now somebody is coming to claim that he is the one who built this project, Adama Barrow. I have only one question for Adama Barrow and I want him to answer my question: how many stages are in a project? How many stages must one go through before the project is started? And I also want to ask him this question: with regards to Laminkoto-Passamas, who was the first consultant for the project? Let him answer these two questions.

“Secondly he claims to build the Farafenni bridge. The Farafenni bridge, there was a delay. It started and there was a delay. Why? Let him answer that too.”

By Amara Thoronka

Gambia Bar Association, Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa, International Commission of Jurists, International Center for Transitional Justice and other bodies operating on human rights and justice have on Wednesday 17th November 2021 held a conference at Gambia’s International Conference Centre to discuss the importance of accountability for the crimes reportedly committed under the 22-year rule of former president Yahya Jammeh.

This comes at a time when The Gambia and the wider global community await the release of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) report, its recommendations and subsequent prosecution of alleged crime perpetrators.

The TRRC was established by the TRRC Act of 2017. Section 13 of the said Act, the main objectives of the TRRC are as follow: to create an impartial historical record of violations and abuses of human rights from July 1994 to January 2017 in order to promote healing and reconciliation, respond to the needs of the victims, address impunity, and prevent a repetition of the violations and abuses suffered by making recommendations for the establishment of appropriate preventive mechanisms including institutional and legal reforms; to establish and make known the fate or whereabouts of disappeared victims; to provide victims an opportunity to relate their own accounts of the violations and abuses suffered; and to grant reparations to victims in appropriate cases.

Speaking on the importance of accountability on the said crimes and Gambia in general, human rights lawyer Neneh M.C. Cham spoke on the need for bringing alleged perpetrators to justice:

“We witness about 300 people confessing the perpetration of crimes ranging from murder, rape, torture, disappearance and many more. There is a responsibility on the state to prosecute alleged perpetrators because if they go unprosecuted, it is a recipe for more crimes and we should not allow that to happen. I still speak to many victims who are still traumatized and do not understand why their alleged perpetrators are not being prosecuted.”

On the same need for accountability, Executive Director of Article 19 in West Africa, Fatou Jagne Senghore said prosecuting the said perpetrators is going to be uneasy because there are people who don’t want Gambians to discuss the alleged atrocities:

“There are people who want us to sweep everything under the carpet because they benefitted or because they have guilt feelings due to their actions or inactions. So, it is going to be a struggle to ensure that accountability happens. We saw a lot of impunity in the past regime. We need to do more investigations to get the full picture of what really happened and to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice in a fair manner.”

Speaking on lessons from other African nations, President of Liberia Bar Association, Tiawan Gongloe said most perpetrators of crimes never admit their wrongdoings even when there are overwhelming evidence justifying their guilt.

“If the perpetrators are not held accountable there will be a repetition of the same crimes or even worse. Also, victims or children of victims would possibly revenge because they would take the entire Gambian society as co-conspirators to crimes committed against them or their parents.”

He called on Gambians to compel the current leadership and all political actors in the country to make strong commitment of implementing the pending TRRC recommendations.

Former US Ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues, Stephen Rapp suggested a hybrid [internationalized] court system to try the alleged perpetrators. He noted that the said judicial accountability mechanism would have a blend of the Gambia’s judicial officials and that of other countries.

Justifying the efficiency of such a hybrid mechanism, Ambassador Rapp cited the case of Sierra Leone where the same system was successfully used to try former Liberia President Charles Taylor and others.

Representing the International Commission of Jurists, Mr. Reed Broody cited what he described as one of the worst atrocities committed in the Yayah Jammeh era:

“The worse massacre of the Yahya Jammeh era was the case of the migrants. We believe that 59 West African migrants were killed here: 40 from Ghana, 9 from Nigeria, 3 from Senegal, 2 from Togo, 2 from Cote D’Ivoire, 1 from Liberia, 1 from Sierra Leone and 1 from Congo.”

President of Gambia Bar Association, Salieu Taal said the current Gambian legal system is not victim friendly:

“Torture, enforce disappearance are not part of the Gambian laws. The Gambian Constitution grants immunity to the Head of State which can only be lifted by two third of members of parliament. Our legal system was not designed for democracy, it was rather designed for dictatorship. Therefore, any proposed accountability mechanism to try the alleged perpetrators should have the support of the west Africa regional body [ECOWAS].”

Other speakers [in person and via Skype] made similar statements on the relevance of such accountability process in The Gambia; and video documentaries depicting some reported atrocities during the said period climaxed the conference.

Former President Yahya Jammeh has just finished speaking at Gambia Democratic Congress’s rally in Sare Bojo, in a show of defiance by the former dictator and GDC leader Mamma Kandeh.

Jammeh spoke briefly at GDC’s rally in Sare Bojo picked live by GDC national youth president MC Cham Jnr. Cham Jnr confirmed that it was Jammeh who was speaking.

While Jammeh was inaudible, a translate is heard saying Jammeh said he is ready to live and die with Gambians. He also said Jammeh said the country has in the last four years turned into a country where people get killed and a country of drugs.

MC Cham Jnr said Jammeh could not continue talking due to bad internet.

It comes after Mamma Kandeh vowed to let Jammeh continue speaking at his rallies after a warning from President Adama Barrow that he should stop inviting the former dictator to his platforms.

United Democratic Party leader Ousainou Darboe has told citizens in Basse Upper River Region his party is the party that can take the country to the Promised Land.

Mr Darboe is looking to take State House from President Adama Barrow and his campaign trail has now reached the Upper River Region.

Mr Darboe told citizens at his Basse rally on Wednesday: “For me to be seeking office should not mean my opponents should be my enemy and vice versa. But what we are showing Gambians is that it’s UDP that should rule this country. The reason is that for two years, we put experts together to analyze how this country should be run.

“We have seen how this country was run in the past and we have seen how it’s being run presently. The Independent Electoral Commission said we should submit our manifesto and we have done that. But we singled out five important issues which we named the five-point agenda. This is the five pillars that a government should run by.

“Our youth are all leaving the country nowadays and some are dying in the Sahara desert. Some enter boats and die in the Mediterranean. UDP says our youth should no longer leave our country. We say we can work hard and take care of ourselves and our families. We want to build 10 specialised skills centres in the country.”

By: Dawda Baldeh

President Adama Barrow leader of the National People’s Party (NPP) has promised to end rice importation in The Gambia if re-elected as president in December. He made these remarks at a campaign in Fula Bantang Village, Central River Region (CRR) and Jahanka Village, CRR north.

Barrow stated that his government will invest heavily in rice production to ensure the country produces enough rice. “We have eighty million dollars ($80m) for agriculture,” he said. Adding that the project will construct roads, storage facilities, fertilizers, create new irrigation systems to ensure year-round cultivation of rice.

President Barrow was responding to concerns raised by various villages that expressed the need for more development in agriculture. Various people highlighted the high cost of living while urging the government to help regulate the price of basic products.

Among the key issues highlighted was the need for yearly rice production especially the ‘Jakhally Pacharr’ which many believed will sustain the country’s rice consumption if properly managed.

President Barrow gave a solemn promise that if he is re-elected in December, he will end rice importation within two to three years.

In his meeting at Jahanka Village on Wednesday night, residents called on the President to assist them through the provision of good health facilities, schools, roads, regulation of price high among others.

The head of state said that agriculture is one of the key areas that he will focus on if re-elected, assuring farmers of his government’s commitment to eradicating poverty in the country. He further stated that his government will provide sufficient farming implements to make the fight against poverty easier.

Former President Yahya Jammeh will be speaking at Gambia Democratic Congress’s rally in Janjangbureh on Thursday, a top official has said.

“Jammeh is going to speak. There is no law that bans Jammeh from speaking,” MC Cham Jnr told The Fatu Network.

It comes as GDC leader Mamma Kandeh responded to President Barrow that Jammeh will continue speaking at his rallies.

The president had warned Mr Kandeh not to invite Jammeh to his platforms as the exiled former dictator’s asylum doesn’t allow him to participate in Gambians politics.

The president of the Gambia Bar Association has strongly recommended a regional-backed hybrid court to try the Jammeh-era crimes but insists that Gambians must own the process.

Salieu Taal was addressing an international conference of human rights lawyers and activists discussing the implementation of Gambia’s TRRC recommendations on prosecution.

“Any recommendations by the TRRC for the prosecution of abusive officials should be followed by a process of criminal accountability,” Taal said. Adding that internationalisation could provide more capacity and give victims a greater role in trials.

Taal’s position conformed with Adama Dieng, the special adviser to the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court who said,

“if the Gambian government is unwilling or unable to prosecute Jammeh-era crimes, the ICC in conformity with the principle of complementarity in international criminal law may do its part in investigating and prosecuting those most responsible.”

Adding that “legal responsibility for prosecuting these crimes rests in the first instance with the government of the Gambia. We hope and we expect that the Gambia will be able to effectively prosecute these crimes either alone or with the support of regional or international partners.

However, whether it is in The Gambia, or another African country, before a special court, or at the ICC, justice must happen, and justice will happen.”

The Senegalese-born lawyer, who was addressing the meeting via a video link from his base at The Hague, revealed that “Impunity is not an option in The Gambia.

Mai Ahmad Fatty and his Gambia Moral Congress have also sued the Independent Electoral Commission over its decision to reject the party’s nomination.

Mai Fatty was one of 15 candidates the IEC rejected for failing to collect 200 signatures from Banjul. He appealed the decision but it was discarded.

The politician and his party are unhappy and have now turned to the courts for a permanent resolution of the matter.

Mai Fatty himself wrote: “What is at stake is a matter of fundamental national importance, much greater than the sum total of our extant political ambitions. We are in court to protect the rights of those who may come after us – young Gambians – who may aspire to lead this country. It is a matter of law and principle.

“No state institution should be granted the authority to abuse its purposes of existence. No state institution should be permitted to scuttle the constitutional rights of a single citizen. No state official must be enabled to be a law unto him/self. This fight is about the sanctity and supremacy of an entrenched right.”

The case will be heard on Friday and it is coming amid Citizens’ Alliance’s legal battle with the IEC.

The Drug Law Enforcement Agency has announced arresting a couple suspected of cannabis possession.

DLEAG’s Kanifing Municipal Regional Command took into custody a husband and wife suspected to be dealing in prohibited drugs.

“Operatives launched a sting operation that resulted in the seizure of three (3) big bundles of suspected cannabis wrapped in brown papers and concealed in a black and orange suite case,” the agency said in a statement.

Pa George Njie and Fatoumata Jaiteh were arrested on the 16th November 2021 around 11:45 am at Bundung.

GACH Global has issued a statement setting the record straight regarding the vexed fuel supply saga as well as the misappropriation of one million Euros.

Below is the company’s statement issued on Wednesday:

There have been many rumours circulating in media circles centering on Mr. Abubakary Jawara and the fuel lifting saga at Gampetroleum as well as the case of missing 1 Million Euros. Both matters have been the subject of Police investigations and it was prudent to let that process play out before issuing any public statements.

For so many years, especially during the Jammeh era, the fuel importation and distribution sector was deemed to be the sole reserve of a few very often non-Gambian business men. This sector was a no-go area for indigenous Gambian business men and was often shrouded in a lot of secrecy. As luck will have it the Government after its assumption of power in 2017 implemented a series of policies which lifted the shroud of secrecy on this sector and made it easier for Gambian businessmen to venture into hitherto reserved business sectors.

In keeping with this move towards Gambians venturing into and taking ownership of key business sectors, it comes as no surprise that Mr. Abubakary Jawara, a serial entrepreneur decided to venture into the fuel sector. Gach Global Trading made bids for the supply of fuel to GNPC with a bid price that is $20 lower per tonne than any of the closest competitors. This favourable and unmatchable price put Gach in a prime position to win the bid without any external influence whatsoever. Any suggestions that this bid was won through any undue influence or political patronage are absurd and at best unrealistic in light of our very competitive bid price.

The uproar in certain circles with regards to the involvement of Gach in the energy sector is baffling. This boils down to a trend that has come to encompass our attitude to our fellow Gambian folk. We increasingly take tough and aggressive stances towards Gambian business men and women striving to forge a path in the challenging Gambian business sector, very often ridiculing and pulling them down while we are all too willing to roll out the red carpet for foreign business entities and turn a blind eye to their activities even when detrimental to our interest as a nation. If we are to grow as a country we ought to do better. The makers of these social media statements ought to know better as in this day and age of fast information unverified statements of this nature have far reaching and damaging consequences. We have always maintained our availability to verify or clarify any information, but then again this will not fit into the sinister agenda of these unrepentant propagators of mischief.

Of further concern is the fact that all these personal attacks are inextricably linked to political agenda as the makers of these statements believe that an attack on Mr Abubakary  Jawara constitutes an attack on the President. While understanding that this is a campaign period, responsible politicking demands honesty and objectivity in our criticism of each other. It is concerning that the President will receive critique for encouraging and supporting Gambian businesses. Business men that may claim any association with the President are painted as rouges while business men associated with other political parties even when found to be involved in questionable business practices are tagged as “victims of witch-hunts”.   Since 2017 the number of Gambian entities in key sectors like energy, telecommunications, hospitality has increased exponentially with much positive effects on the wider economy. Such divisive attacks which have only increased as we approach elections while might seem to offer short term political dividend are counterproductive and leave permanent cracks in our social fabric.

Returning to the topic at hand, our company received funds from our client being revenue from fuel supplies. The funds were held at our bank accounts for future payments to our suppliers. A staffer who was leading operations on the fuel supply arm of our business concocted a plan to misappropriate a significant amount of money from the company. The said staffer informed management that our supplier had requested prompt payment of the previous month’s fuel supplies. It is our belief that the staffer used forged messages to convey urgent payment demands from the purported supplier. Relying on the trust placed on this staffer as the head of supply operations a transfer of 1Million Euros was made to the account provided in what we believe to be a false invoice conveyed by the Staffer as emanating from the supplier.

We believed everything was well and fine until a recent investigation raised the suspicion that the funds might have been diverted by the said staffer and not used to pay the supplier as alleged. The matter has been reported to the police and the said staffer arrested. Upon examination, after being evasive, the said staffer admitted to having diverted the funds. The investigation is still ongoing in which we are allowing the law take its course.  The public is reminded that these still remain an active investigation and the staffer in question benefits from a presumption of innocence.

We remain available to respond to any clarifications that the public may have on these developments.

Opposition leader Mamma Kandeh of the Gambia Democratic Congress has announced that former President Yahya Jammeh will be speaking at his rally again, reacting to President Adama Barrow’s warning regarding his bromance with the former president.

The president warned Mr Kandeh on Tuesday against inviting the exiled former president to his platforms and asked the Independent Electoral Commission to intervene.

“I am warning Mamma Kandeh. We want peace in this country. Yahya Jammeh is on asylum. The asylum doesn’t give him any right to participate in Gambian politics.

“If you want to facilitate that, for him to be speaking at your platforms, platforms that can bring conflict in this country, we are warning the party leaders. We are warning them seriously. We are also calling on IEC to notice Mamma Kandeh,” the president said at a rally in Sare Ngai on Tuesday.

Mr Kandeh reacted on Wednesday during a rally held in Kerr Sait Maram in Central River Region South.

He said: “I have heard his statement and we agree to it. He said no one is above the law and that’s true. You said you’re the president and that too is true.

“But my response to Adama Barrow is that Yahya Jammeh will be speaking at a meeting. Since Adama Barrow said if that happens again, he will invoke the law against Mamma Kandeh. So we are waiting for that law tomorrow.”

The Minister of Trade Seedy Keita told reporters on Wednesday two Gampetroleum bosses, the general manager and operation chief, are helping police in their investigation of the recent fuel shortage in the country.

The two officials are Saihou Drammeh and Lamin Gassama.

Below is the trade minister’s statement in full, as transcribed;

During the week of week ending 31st of October 2021, the country witnessed shortage of gasoil at majority of the gas stations across the country. In contrast to the reports received from Gampetroleum for that week, dated 25th of October 2021 indicating the stock balance of 6,711,514 metric tons which would have lasted eight days for the national demand. This prompted a stock verification visit on the 31st of October to the depot comprising the state security, PURA, ministry of trade, Major Oil Marketing Companies and the management of the depot mainly the general manager and the operations manager. It was found that tanks D1 to D4 were all empty while tank D5 contained 50,000 litres of mixed diesel and water. The total capacity for the five tanks is 20,000 metric tons.

Taskforce

The timing of the stock-out could not have come at a worse time and it resulted in adverse economic and social impact nationwide. This prompted His Excellency the President Adama Barrow to establish a multi-sector taskforce comprising PURA, Gampetroleum board, ministry of trade, ministry of petroleum and security services on the 1st of November to review the matter and recommend courses of action to redress the matter in its entirety. The taskforce began work immediately with the major oil marketing companies namely OMCs, to find solutions to restore supply in order to ensure fuel availability. This involved the lifting of fuel from Senegal to The Gambia over land in order to address the fuel shortage. In this regard, we extend our gratitude to the presidents of the two countries and the customs authorities thereof, who assisted in expeditiously dispatching the oil tankers. This stop-gap measure reduced the shortage a bit while the GNPC through the support of the petroleum ministry worked hard to place order that will meet national demand for the short to the medium term.

Investigation

The team commenced investigations to determine the cause of the shortage. This took the form of discussions to the Gampetroleum management, PURA management and the relevant stakeholders. Gampetroleum management have not provided any credible documentary evidence to explain the shortage and as a result this prompted a visit to the depot. In order to review the information in their IT systems and understand better the situation, it was found that the software acquired to manage the depot operation is not being used and rather the depot operations were maintained on excel file. Also, management did not have a single account for each trader or OMC but transactions were maintained in excel sheets according to vessels that delivered the fuel stock. The hard copy of the transaction files were locked in the General Manager’s office. This prompted the taskforce to use circularization, which is to write to the OMCs and traders to request their details of transactions with the Gampetroleum depot. There were three major international oil traders namely [Trafilgura, BSTV and Addax] whose stock were held at the depot as a bonded warehouse and responses were received from eight OMCs namely Castle, Petrogaz, Speed, Jah Oil, NP, AfriOIl, GNPC and GACH. The compilations of the responses received indicated that 9,643 metric tons BMS or otherwise called petrol, 16,543 metric tons of diesel, 3,445 metric tons of jet fuel, 17,793 metric tons of HF4 belongs to international traders and 1,111 metric tons of BMS, 3,711 metric tons of diesel and 684 metric tons of jet fuel belongs to the local OMCs. After accounting for the closing stock, 9,843 metric tons of petrol, 20,246 metric tons of diesel, 17,793 metric tons of F4 belongs to the traders and the local OMCs’ net. As can be seen, the majority of the stock belongs to the international traders. Two OMCs have negative balances. It that it is meant, they took stock from the depot that does not belong to them, of 2, 016 metric tons of petrol, 5,249 tons of diesel. These are the OMCs that responded to the circularization request.

Outcome

International traders were concerned about the disappearance of their stock and a number of them flew from Europe to meet the taskforce. These has big economic implications for the country, as failure to settle them will have negative economic impact. Gampetroleum and the taskforce assured them that they will be paid their stock and the conditions to fulfill this are being discussed. Following the initial assessment, it was discovered that more than half of the fuel stock that should have been at the depot could not be accounted for. This prompted an official investigation into the matter which is ongoing. The focus of the ongoing investigation by the security forces is to determine to whom and under what condition the missing stocks were allocated. Since this whole saga began, the taskforce has discovered some questionable management practices which have given rise to a need for a further review of the standard operating procedures of the depot.

Next Step

Gampetroleum is a private limited liability company but the government will ensure that the needed guarantees for the traders are met by the Gampetroleum so that confidence can be restored for the oil supplies by these traders to resume. The Gampetroleum board has taken the needed steps including reporting the matter to the police for the needed actions to be taken to account for the unaccounted or missing stock. As it is, that is as we speak, the general manager of Gampetroleum and the operations manager are helping the police in their investigation and the government of The Gambia keenly awaits the outcome of the investigation and assure the general public that needed actions will be taken according to law. The public is hereby assured that all measures will be taken to ensure smooth and uninterrupted supply of petroleum products.

Ahead of the 4^th December polls Amnesty International, a global movement campaigning for the protection of human rights has urged the six presidential candidates to commit themselves to a charter seeking the promotion and protection of human rights in The Gambia.

The call for candidates to publicly commit to improving the human rights situation in seven key areas once they are elected comes amidst rising political tension predominantly between the incumbent Adama Barrow of the National People’s Party (NPP) who is seeking re-election and former Vice President Ousainou Darboe of the United Democratic Party (UDP).

Amnesty International’s human rights manifesto calls for commitment in seven key areas:

1. Respect, protect, promote and fulfil freedom of expression
2. Respect, protect and ensure freedom of assembly
3. End impunity
4. End sexual, gender-based violence and discrimination towards women
5. Promote economic, social, and cultural rights
6. Adopt a law prohibiting torture
7. Abolish the death penalty

Samira Daoud is Amnesty International’s Director for West and Central Africa, she said,

“The repressive regime of former President Yaya Jammeh was marked by mass arbitrary arrests, widespread torture, extrajudicial killings and persecution of dissenting voices.”

While the organisation believes that the situation has improved significantly under the watch of President Adama Barrow, it is of the view that next month’s election is an opportunity for The Gambia to see its human rights record improving.

As a way of facilitating that Amnesty International has called on all political parties and presidential candidates to break away from the past by making human rights top of their agenda. Urging them to prioritise and commit to the recommendations stated above and making a pledge (by signing the human rights manifesto) to deliver these commitments if elected.

By: WHO Media

Today the World Health Organization (WHO) joins advocates around the world to commemorate a landmark Day of Action for Cervical Cancer Elimination and welcome groundbreaking new initiatives to end this devastating disease, which claims the lives of over 300,000 women each year.

As with COVID-19, access to lifesaving tools is constrained, with women and adolescent girls in the poorest countries deprived of clinical screening facilities, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and treatments which those in affluent places take for granted.

The disparity between deaths from cervical cancer in high-income compared with low-income countries tells a stark story, similar to that we have seen during the pandemic, with 9 in 10 deaths from cervical cancer happening in low and middle-income countries.

Over the last decade, manufacturers have tilted supply toward wealthier locations. In 2020, just 13% of girls aged 9-14 years globally were vaccinated against HPV – the virus that causes almost all cases of cervical cancer. Around 80 countries – home to nearly two thirds of the global cervical cancer burden – are yet to introduce this lifesaving vaccine.

During this special day, WHO’s Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, together with celebrities, First Ladies, cancer survivors and health and community organizations, will help raise awareness and mobilize action – one year after WHO launched its landmark global initiative to eliminate cervical cancer.

WHO is also highlighting important new breakthroughs to prevent and treat the disease, including the prequalification of a fourth vaccine (Cecolin from a third manufacturer, Innovax) for HPV, which is expected to increase and diversify vital vaccination supply.

“Cervical cancer causes immense suffering, but it’s almost completely preventable and, if diagnosed early enough, one of the most successfully treatable cancers,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“We have the tools to make cervical cancer history, but only if we make those tools available to everyone who needs them. Together with our partners in the WHO cervical cancer elimination initiative, that’s what we aim to do.”

The risk of cervical cancer increases six-fold for women living with HIV, but many have not had access to vaccination or screenings.

Dr Tedros applauded countries that have adopted innovative ways to increase access to technologies and services that can stop cervical cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the past year, the HPV vaccine was introduced in seven countries – Cameroon, Cape Verde, El Salvador, Mauritania, Qatar, Sao Tome and Principe, and Tuvalu – bringing the total to 115.

Some countries trained healthcare workers with newer, portable devices to thermally ablate precancers.  Others expanded the use of self-sampling for cervical abnormalities – endorsed in recently published WHO guidelines — to allow women to collect their own swab. This option can reduce stigma for women, provides access to those living far from health facilities, and helps congested health centres maintain safe services while respecting COVID-19 safety measures. The self-collected sample can be run on the same laboratory platforms that countries have been investing in to support PCR testing for COVID-19.

But setbacks have occurred. Access to screening services has fallen for many women and in a recent survey, 43% of countries reported disruption to cancer treatment. Meanwhile HPV vaccination rates globally fell from 15% in 2019 to 13% in 2020, amidst health service disruptions and school closures.

“There has been important progress towards cervical cancer elimination even over this unprecedented year,” said Dr Princess Nono Simelela, Special Advisor to the Director-General on Strategic Priorities, including Cervical Cancer Elimination.

“While we have seen major advances in new technologies and research, the critical next step is to ensure these are designed for and accessible in low- and middle-income countries, and that the health and rights of women and girls everywhere are prioritized in the recovery from COVID-19.”

New technologies, investments and research to aid the fight against cervical cancer

Adding to important milestones achieved over the course of the past year, today WHO is releasing new recommendations to guide research into artificial intelligence (AI)-based screening technologies. This first-of-its-kind guidance supports developers to bring cervical cancer screening into the future, and ensure pre-cancers are detected as early as possible.

The first designated “WHO Collaborating Centre for Cervical Cancer Elimination” was also announced at the University of Miami, which will be an important centre of research and technical assistance to help countries achieve targets for cervical cancer prevention and control.

The Day of Action will encompass a major global event and press availability, organized from WHO headquarters in Geneva. It will feature performances and remarks from cancer survivors and renowned artists such as Angelique Kidjo, as well as community efforts to promote vaccinations and screenings. 100 world monuments are being illuminated in teal – the colour of cervical cancer elimination – to mark the day, from the Temple of Heaven in Beijing to city skylines across Australia and Canada’s Niagara Falls.

“We have the tools and knowledge to eliminate cervical cancer. What we do with that is up to us,” said H.E. Neo Jane Masisi, First Lady of the Republic of Botswana, who is participating in the day’s events. “We can make choices that condemn women to a painful, avoidable death. Or we can prioritize their health, so that a future generation of women and their families look back with pride at the choices we made today.”

Several partners also announced important global commitments and investments during the day’s events.

WHO ‘s Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem was launched a year ago today and outlines three ambitious targets to be achieved over the next decade, including 90% girls getting vaccinated against HPV, 70% women screened for pre-cancerous lesions, and 90% of those who need it having access to treatment and palliative care. Together, these measures could reduce new cases of the disease by more than 40% and prevent 5 million related deaths by 2050.

By Dawda Baldeh

Papa Faal an Independent Presidential Candidate whose nomination was rejected by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is the latest candidate who endorsed the National People’s Party (NPP) after a lengthy discussion with President Adama Barrow.

On Tuesday night, Papa Faal pledged support to President Barrow during his campaign at Kuwonku, Wuli West. Papa Faal was also speaking to the press immediately after meeting with President Barrow at his residence in Mankamang Kunda.

He said that they have agreed to support President Adama Barrow to contribute in the development of the country.

“I have endorsed President Barrow because of the respect and honor he has for my late grandfather (Former President Jawara),” he said.

Faal added that his coming to join the president and his grand coalition will help immensely in the development of the country. He said they have been working tirelessly to ensure the legacy of their late grandfather is protected. He assured their timely support to the president as he confirmed that supporters have agreed.

Seedy Njie, Deputy Spokeperson of the National People’s Party (NPP) welcomed Papa Faal to Party while noting that his coming will add value in the party. He said Papa Faal didn’t come to NPP just to see the president win the election but to transform the country to the next level.

Njie urged all the candidates who endorsed the party to feel comfortable while awaiting victory in December. “Welcome to the party and feel free,” he ended.

Independent Presidential Candidate for the 4^th December election Essa Mbye Faal has refuted claims that he is yet to finish his work with the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) before going to the political arena to vie for president

His clarification came during a campaign rally at Wassu Garage. Essa told his supporters that those claims were baseless and far from actuality and truth. Noting that they were inspired by his political opponents to derail his presidential aspiration and make him look bad.

“I have done my work and I am done with the TRRC. I have even been issued with a letter of appreciation for the job well done. I am just waiting for them till I hear that again and I will show out the letter to everyone to see,” Essa said confidently.

Adding that: “They are telling you, don’t vote for Essa Faal because he is not yet done with the TRRC is all due to politics. I have done my work with the TRRC. All of you have seen the work that I did there. I have not done any work in an improper way. I was not also working as someone unprofessional. I don’t think I would have the nerve to stand here and ask you for votes had I not done what was required upon me.”

Speaking about his agenda for the Gambian people ESSA accused the Barrow led government of taking over power for five years and not bringing any substantial change to the Gambian people.

He explained that he will change the current situation in the health, agriculture and security sectors among other areas where he claims President Barrow’s NPP has failed to deliver.

Momodou Sabally has slammed the National Human Rights Commission over the commission’s statement condemning United Democratic Party leader Ousainou Darboe’s threat to destroy President Adama Barrow.

National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday issued a statement condemning both President Barrow and UDP leader Darboe over the former’s tear gas comment as well as the latter’s threat to destroy President Barrow.

An unimpressed Momodou Sabally said: “President Barrow has been attacking Darboe and UDP unnecessarily for almost three years. And the Human rights commission has always remained mute.

“Would there be a need for the Human Rights Commission to issue such a condemnation if Darboe did not respond to President Barrow? Where was the Human Rights Commission when Darboe and UDP became the attractive subject of abuse, defamation and attack by Barrow and his morons.

“The NHRC should have made a statement to condemn Barrow immediately he gloated about attacking 3 years jotna with tear gas. But no; they had to wait till DARBOE rightfully responded to the now clearly oppressive ADAMA Barrow before they issue this malicious and hypocritical statement…”

It’s another busy day for all of the country’s six presidential candidates regarding campaign.

President Adama Barrow and his National People’s Party have finished with Upper River Region and would now turn their attention to Central River Region with rallies in Fula Bantang, Jahanka and Janjangbureh.

Gambia Democratic Congress will be in Sare Bojo in Upper River Region while People’s Democracy for Independence and Socialism will be in Njawara, Kerr Pateh Korreh, Kerr Ardo, Waruril wan, Salikenye, Illiassa, Farafenni and Ngayen Sanjal all in the North Bank Region.

For United Democratic Party, the party will be alive in Sotuma Sireh and Basse in the Upper River Region while National Unity Party will seek votes in Nyakoi, Saragubu, Darsilami, Jah Kunda, Gunjur Kuta, Chamoi Bunda and Diabugu Batapa all in the Upper River Region.

The Independent Essa Faal will also be in the Upper River Region with meetings in Passamas Fula, Fatoto, Kantel Kunda, Koina, Sabusireh, Jiroba Kunda and Dampha Kunda.