Saturday, March 15, 2025
Home Blog Page 718

Museveni appoints his wife to key ministry in new cabinet

 

Uganda has a new cabinet, some old faces, others new but one appointment stands out, president Yoweri Museveni named his wife Janet Museveni as the new minister for the ministry of education and sports.

Janet previously was the minister for Karamoja affairs, a portfolio she held since 2009.

 
The appointments come after a tense February election whose results were rejected by Museveni’s main rival, Kizza Besigye.

 

According to the list, 35 ministers especially those who lost in the last polls were dropped.

Analysts opine that Museveni’s new selection criteria appears to be based on a need to balance varied ethnic and religious interests in order to maintain a wider base of political support but the government insists that it was by merit.

 

The full cabinet list was as follows:

1. Rt. Hon. Prime Minister ─ DR. RUHAKANA RUGUNDA
2. 1st Deputy Prime Minister & Deputy Leader of Gov’t Business in Parliament ─ GEN. MOSES ALI
3. 2nd Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs ─ HON. KIRUNDA KIVEJINJA
4. Minister of Education and Sports ─ HON. MUSEVENI JANET KATAAHA
5. Minister of Public Service ─ HON. MURULI MUKASA
6. Minister of Trade, Industry & Cooperatives ─ HON. KYAMBADDE AMELIA ANNE
7. Minister of Internal Affairs ─ GEN. JEJE ODONGO
8. Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry & Fisheries ─ HON. SSEMPIJJA BAMULANGAKI VINCENT
9. Minister of Finance and Economic Planning ─ HON. KASAIJA MATIA
10. Minister of Foreign Affairs ─ HON. KUTEESA KAHAMBA SAM
11. Minister of Health ─ DR. ACENG JANE
12. Minister of Works and Transport ─ ENGINEER NTEGE AZUBA
13. Minister of Lands, Housing & Urban Development ─ HON. AMONGI BETTY
14. Minister of Water & Environment ─ HON. CHEPTORIS SAM
15. Minister of Justice & Constitutional Affairs ─ MAJ. GEN.KAHINDA OTAFIIRE
16. Attorney General ─ MR. BYARUHANGA WILLIAM (ADVOCATE)
17. Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs ─ HON. MWESIGE ADOLF
18. Minister of Local Government ─ HON. BUTIME TOM
19. Minister for Karamoja Affairs ─ HON. BYABAGAMBI JOHN
20. Minister of Energy and Minerals ─ HON. MULONI IRENE
21. Minister of Information & Communications ICT ─ HON. TUMWEBAZE FRANK
22. Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation ─ DR. TUMWESIGYE ELIODA
23. Minister in Charge of General Duties/Office of the Prime Minister ─ HON. BUSINGYE MARY KAROORO OKURUT
24. Minister of Disaster Preparedness & Refugees ─ HON. ONEK HILARY
25. Minister of Tourism, Wildlife & Antiquities ─ PROF. KAMUNTU EPHRAIM
26. Minister for the Presidency ─ HON. MBAYO ESTHER MBULAKUBUZA
27. Minister of Security ─ LT. GEN. TUMUKUNDE HENRY
28. Minister without Portfolio ─ HAJJI NADDULI
29. Minister for Kampala City Authority ─ HON. KAMYA BETTY
30. Government Chief Whip – HON. NANKABIRWA SENTAMU RUTH
31. Minister of Gender, Labour & Social affairs ─ HON. MUKWAYA JANAT
Recently, the president promoted his son Kaneirugaba Muhoozi to the position of a major general, sparking claims of a succession plan.

The 71 year old leader has ruled the east African country for 30 years.

Reuters

RICHARDSON CENTER CALLS FOR THE RELEASE OF AMERICAN WOMAN DETAINED IN THE GAMBIA

 

For Immediate Release

June 7, 2016

 

Frederick, Maryland mom Fanta Darboe Jawara beaten and arrested in April while waiting for a taxi and remains imprisoned

 

New York, NY — The Richardson Center for Global Engagement calls for the immediate release of Fanta Darboe Jawara, a mother of two from Frederick, Maryland, who was wrongfully arrested in mid-April while visiting family in The Gambia. As reported by The Washington Post today, Mrs. Jawara was arrested two days before she was supposed to return to the United States and is being forcibly detained at the notorious Mile 2 prison, which was targeted in a recent UN report and where freed prisoners report sleeping on hard, concrete floors and being fed cornmeal mixed with dirt.

 

“Fanta Darboe Jawara went back to The Gambia to see her family for the first time in eleven years and was arrested for being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said former New Mexico Governor and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson. “The Richardson Center calls on the Government of The Gambia to dismiss the specious charges against Ms. Jawara, release her, and allow her to return to her family in Maryland without delay.

This 17-Year-Old Refugee Just Signed for Hamburg Only One Year After Arriving in Germany

Bakery Jatta is about to complete one of the most inspirational football stories of the year.

The 17-year-old arrived in Germany from Gambia as a refugee in 2015 and in just one year, he’s turned himself into a professional football player standing on the brink of signing a deal with Hamburg SV worth £100,000 per year.

Jatta was one of thousands of Gambians to flee the regime of president Yahya Jammeh, and after spending his early months in Germany between welfare and educational institutions in Rothenburg, he reportedly persuaded Hamburg to give him a trial.

Jatta persuaded Hamburg to give him a trial at the start of the year.

After impressing in training with his pace and crossing ability, it’s reported that Jatta will be offered a professional contract at Hamburg once he turns 18-years-old, in time for the 2016/17 season.

Jatta’s talent was recognised by Hamburg coach Bruno Labaddia, and he’s been training with the first team ever since.

BY COREY PELLATT
Sports Editor at Complex UK.

Women protest sing for the release of Solo Sendeng death or alive and co

0



Gambian protesters still missing after demanding for electoral reforms.

Looming Genocide Over the Gambia

From the Manifesto of the People

 

In the run-up to and during the Rwanda Genocide, elements in the Hutu-led government including the military, the ruling party and their youth thugs coined and propelled words such as cockroaches, vermins, rats, tall trees, long necks among other phrases to refer to the Tutsi. These words and phrases were the code words used to direct the youths to identify and kill the Tutsi in the world’s worst genocide since the 2nd World War. Within a space of three months, more than 800, 000 to 1 million people were massacred across the country.

 

The recent remarks by Yaya Jammeh in his rallies in the Gambia have brought back these same words and phrases as he refers to the majority ethnic Mandinka as enemies, foreigners, destroyers, ants, vermins and such other words and phrases. If the Rwanda Genocide is to serve as a useful lesson, then Gambians and the world must stop Yaya Jammeh right now as he has set himself on the path of genocide in that tiny country of 1.9 million people. All ethnic groups in the Gambia share the same life, relationships and destiny, and therefore genocide would be the annihilation of the entire country.

 

The only reason Yaya Jammeh is embarking on this genocidal project is simply because the man is corrupt and incompetent yet wants to remain forever the ruler of the Gambia. His tirade against the Mandinka is not because of what he says about the Mandinka. It is because he has seen clear and direct efforts and initiatives that seek to put a stop to his criminality and evilness. If the Wolof were the majority, or the Fula or the Aku were in the majority, he would have said the same thing about them. The fact remains that the very pillars of support for Jammeh since 1994 were the Mandinka people simply because the Mandinka are the majority group. More Mandinka support Jammeh than oppose him. In all the elections in the Gambia, he has won hands down in all Mandinka constituencies expect Kiang West. In all Jola constituencies in the Foni, he and his parliamentarians won the elections unopposed. Yaya Jammeh has gained unbridled and passionate support from Mandinka individuals, chiefs, imams, youths, professionals, soldiers and women. During Jawara’s era, the majority opposition were the Mandinka. Thus the idea that the Mandinka are against him stands against facts and figures.

 

Yaya Jammeh is not the Gambia. Those who oppose Yaya Jammeh cannot be equated with being an enemy of the Gambia. But he has been cleverly playing with facts and reality to confuse naïve-minded people and unconscious sections of the society just to entrench himself in power to continue to loot our treasury, personalize our lands and legitimize his atrocious misrule while projecting himself as a victim. Dictators have always employed brute violent and deception to fool the people. This is what Yaya Jammeh is exactly doing.

 

For example, the claim that the Mandinka came to the Gambia is not only false and criminal, but also irrelevant. By law, even if a Chinese assumes Gambian citizenship today, his non-Gambian history is no more relevant than any Mandinka or Fula or Jola Gambian for the past seven generations. Secondly, the Manding Empire stretched from the Gambia to Niger covering the majority of states in West Africa. Thus the Mandinka have been indigenous in all the nations in the region including the Gambia, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Mauritania and Niger. Thus to claim that the Mandinka are not indigenous to the Gambia is criminally false and dishonest. The Mandinka or Jahanka are called other names such as Jula or Djula in Ivory Coast, Malinke in Guinea, Mandingo in Sierra Leone and Liberia or Bambara in Mali and Senegal are one people across the sub-region. To therefore claim that the Mandinka came from outside to the Gambia is to claim that the Wolof or the Jola are also foreigners in the Gambia. That is false. These are all indigenous peoples of the Gambia.

 

For any Gambian citizen to claim even in your bedroom that any particular tribe of the country is non-Gambian and describe them as vermins and enemies would constitute a severe violation of the constitution and the laws of the land. Such a remark would be unpatriotic and a threat to national security. If such statements become known, such a person would have been subjected to arrest and prosecution for hate speech, sedition and a violation of the constitution. Thus to have such a statement come out of the mouth of the head of state in a public event constitutes treason for which such a president must face impeachment proceedings immediately or outright arrest and prosecution.

 

Where such action is not possible as in the Gambia right now, all well meaning political leaders and parties must come out openly and in unison to condemn such a statement and its producer and demand that the president resigns. Thus this statement by Yaya Jammeh is a direct test to the leadership and patriotism of Hamat Bah and his party, Halifa Sallah and his party, Mai Fatty and his party, Mama Kandeh and his party, Henry Gomez and his party, OJ Jallow and his party and Ousainou Darboe and his party. If these individuals and parties will prove their patriotism and honesty with the Gambia, here is a classic and non-controversial challenge before them that requires an outright and direct attention. Failure to take such a stand is to abet tyranny and complicit in genocide that is to unfold in the Gambia.

 

At the same time, the ICC in an attempt to curtail impunity in the world has a responsibility to respond to the systematic history and practice of human rights violations and atrocities in the Gambia. While the ICC focuses on war crimes, crime against humanity and genocide, however the body bears responsibility to also deter the occurrence of these heinous crimes where it detects a trend that will produce them. The ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has made statements in other countries were these ICC crimes were not yet committed, but she gave a warning to stakeholders to bear in mind that they are being watched. Yet in the Gambia, the prosecutor is yet to make a statement when the Gambian leadership is the first in Africa since the Rwanda genocide to issue genocidal statements. If this were not enough to warrant an ICC warning statement, then the ICC would be complicit if genocide erupts in the Gambia. It is clear to all and sundry that Yaya Jammeh and his regime have a targeted policy of abuse against the ethnic Mandinka since 1994.

 

Not only the ICC, but also all African and European governments, ECOWAS, AU, EU, US and UN and indeed all stakeholders need to urgently address the uncontrolled vitriol of this despot. Africa, and indeed the world cannot afford to witness yet another genocide or senseless bloodbath. It is clear for all to see that there is a consistent trend of atrocities and human rights violations in the Gambia perpetuated by this regime since 1994. The number of Gambian victims of summary execution, torture, rape and enforced disappearance continue to rise. Currently tens of Gambians are languishing in jail for merely staging a peaceful protest. These people have been refused bail for more than a month in detention. Already no one can account for how many have been killed. In the ongoing court appearances, two elderly women Nogoi Njie and Fatoumata Jawara gave details of their detention during which they were subjected to severe torture and rape.

 

For all Gambians, no one should brush aside these violent statements as ranting of a deranged and paranoid tyrant. Only tyrants in their imbecility cause genocides. No Gambian must perceive this matter as an issue for the Mandinka people. No Gambian must seek to detach oneself from this terrible issue because it is about politics. All Gambians must realize that the country faces an existential threat that will not spare anyone. Thus all Gambians regardless of ethnicity and religion and region must become alert and vigilant to ensure that the Yaya Jammeh regime is removed from the country because it is a direct threat to our existence and all we stand for. All efforts and initiatives must speak to each other to ensure that this regime is kicked out so that a new Gambia could be built on the foundations of respect, tolerance, democracy and human rights.

 

All Gambians need to ask themselves if this is the kind of leader and government they deserve. How would you feel if Nogoi or Fatoumatta were your mother, sister, wife or aunt? Should any human being be subjected to such inhumanity?

 

Forward to the Gambia.

Extending the Depression of Gambia with Yaya Jammeh

Society and conventional wisdom tells us buying something without knowledge of the price is foolish. Yaya Jammeh sold himself to Gambia through coup d’etat by hiding the price tag of his regime, and 22 years later it’s clear that there’s still no such— post partisan tribalism, or freedom, either. Many people take him at his word that— he wants to move the nation beyond what is seen on TV’s in the west about poverty in Africa and that he wants to return the Gambia to that company of nations committed to development and human rights. We are now paying for our mistake dearly and price tag of this regime with — our lives, blood, money, our heritage, our traditions, our dignity, some compromising their faith, trafficking women for domestic slaves, our women preyed upon and sacrificing babies. It seems as if Gambians are still simply covering their eyes and ears and ignoring reality. In pledging to unite us back in 1994, not divide us, Yaya Jammeh promised— to find common ground on cultural issues, especially to search for ways to provide prosperous life for everyone. Today, citizens, societies and communities whom disagree with his brutal rule are paying price with economic discrimination even though they pay taxes.

 

Yaya Jammeh, 22-years is a long time to live on hope. Each of the 22 years, you embark on a tour on and promised to fix the fundamentals of statehood once and for all. When Gambians legitimately expressed their concerns about your temperament, craftsmanship and direction of our country, you respond by — bullying the citizens and insulting the nation with tribal slurs. And this is not the first time. Even some of his establishment worries that he tilts too far to the left when it comes to his tribal views. Instead of providing the leadership the country and telling us your plans to fix economic, electricity problems, ferries, education system, replenishing social security accounts for Gambian baby boomers, healthcare facilities drug issues, you — have adopted a default campaign mode of blind folding and regaling the public with tales of false history of tribal origins. These outlandish remarks manifest the lack of appropriate leadership restraint to be leader of Gambia.

 

Yaya Jammeh has boldly abandoned publicly all pretense of being the first minority post-partisan tribal president. While he may like to think of himself as a thoughtful — greatest tribal color blind native Gambian son, soaring above the issues that divide Gambia, his actions and guilty conscience reveals what hides under that hopeful lining. Regardless of the hatred he is trying to espouse, his tribesmen –Jola whom are good people, notably speak is Mandinka mostly as their second most fluent language. We refused to be divided. Almost all his usually job offers, close confidents, nominations of – security heads, top service hires, NIA personnel’s etc local government job hires all espouses his tribal mental philosophy. So what does this tell us about Yaya Jammeh’s true colors?

 

Yaya Jammeh is where he is today because he secured the Mandinka vote, many of whom are staunchly his supporters. Yet, the president is very unfair to them. They have fought for Yaya Jammeh for more than 20 years and now Yaya Jammeh has declared a culture war on them right from the outset of his presidency— an act of pure political folly as he squanders much goodwill he receives from them. Where is the outrage among the Yaya Jammeh supporters about his killing of solo, jailing UDP executives, torturing of women, discrimination that Yaya deserved their support? Just for sheep to feast on, some were ready to kill solo and other.

 

After 50 years of independence, we are allowing a bandit regime to keep ruling us despite — of all the brutality, banditry, no coherent policies for Gambia, high unemployment, rampant corruption, economic discrimination, bureaucratic incompetence and economic paralysis which are the bane of this regime. Desperate youth with education are all heading to high seas through backway journey. We lost everything. Production of Gambian valuable products kept on plunging and unemployment kept on rising, extending the Depression. What have we learnt after 50 years of independence? Where are our values and cultural responsibilities as Gambians? The problem is Gambians don’t ask relevant questions about this regime. We don’t we surgically looked at our flaws and try to fix it. The once — power hungry, disrespectful soldier who knew nothing life and armed— only with high school education, keep on deceiving and leading a nation like Gambia for 22 years. All our prestige institutions have collapsed under the regime. Our legends are dying left and right.

 

Certainly, the Gambians now understands full well the meaning of Mr. Yaya Jammeh’s latest maneuver. He is now realizing he is on thin ice because— the nation despised his arrogance of deciding between life and death of Gambians without answering to no one. We— the native good sons and daughters of Gambia are not known to back down from a confrontation on issues so vital to the well-being of our fellow countrymen — and, not to mention the lives of innocents. He is not the promised leader who will work towards a kinder, gentler, more unified Gambia. We will not go silently into the night. The reality of Gambians being killed is not a minor matter that can be ignored anymore. Yaya Jammeh’s regime have created a moral imperative for us to fight it— from which there will be no relenting. The battle continues because we are on the right side of history.

 

By Habib ( A Concern Gambian)

For The Gambia Our Homeland

By Sheriff Kora

 

To every action is a reaction, and this article is in reaction to the speech delivered in Talinding Kunjang by the president during his recent Meet The People tour. Listening to an audio recording of his ranting that lasted 22 minutes and directed against the Mandinkas is not only denigrating, dehumanizing, tribalist and incendiary, but should be very disturbing to every patriotic Gambian with a genuine interest of the peace and stability of the country at heart. African history is full of stories of leaders who fell from grace because of hubris, obliviousness to the disaffection of their people, concentration on self-aggrandizement, and the illusion of their invulnerable status. One would like to think that in this day and age, African leaders would be wiser and smarter not to repeat those blunders from the past that has plunged countries like Rwanda, Burundi and most recently Central African Republic into chaos, but sadly as manifested in president Jammeh’s speech that is evidently not the case. As my grandmother taught me, “knowledge is not guarantee of good behavior, but ignorance is a virtual guarantee of bad behavior.” We judge leaders by the specific expectations they ask to be measured against: inspiration, competence, integrity, kindness, benevolence, empathy and unshakable resolve. One can hardly treat the intellectual capacity or behavior of a leader respectfully unless one tries to understand what events or life experiences influenced it.

 

 

 

Before I go further, I just want to make a point of correction here. Foday Kaba Dumbuya was born in 1818 and died in 1901. Although, there are varying accounts about his actual place of birth; some claim he was born in Niani, and later settled in Kerawan Dumbokono around Bansang in the Central River Region. What is certainly true is that he was born in the Senegambia region. What is utterly wrong and untrue about the President’s speech is that Foday Kaba was an emissary of Mansa Musa. Mansa Musa ruled Mali around 1312, which is 500 before the birth of Foday Kaba – go figure.

 

 

 

What Gambians expect from their leaders is not flexing muscles but political integrity, inspiration and motivation. Gambians do not deserve threats and intimidation. What Gambians need is love. A leader that shows compassion to his people is not only bound to court the love of his followers, but their loyalty as well. What will spur economic growth and sustain our national development is certainly not the castigation and mischaracterization of Mandinkas, the majority ethnic group in the country. Our national development agenda should rather be hitched on building public cohesion, trust and creating a sound political and socio-economic environment that will educate Gambian citizens, empower them with skills, improve their innovative capabilities to be competitive in the global market. The Gambia is not a private real estate property endowed to one family by birthright; every Gambian regardless of tribe, ethnicity, sex, creed, religion or sexuality should be given the constitutional right and opportunity to contribute towards national development according their capacity and to receive from the state according to their needs.

 

 

 

There’s an old African saying that says if you want to eat honey, you don’t kick over the hive. Condemning the tribalism and bigotry of a group and vowing to politically disenfranchising that same group a minute later on the same podium is not only contradictory but also unconstitutional and an incendiary statement that could lead to undesirable political behavior. What should be of concern at this crucial juncture in our national debate is doing the right things that will take us forward as a nation: freeing Lawyer Ousainou Darboe and other political detainees languishing in illegal detention; investigating the death of Solo Sandeng and ensuring justice is given its due; paving the path towards national dialogue and reconciliation. In the position of effective leadership, a leader should always be conscious of not letting emotions betray his or her conscience. Instead of chastising Mandinkas with all sorts of vulgarities in the books, our attention should be focused on how we can exert our collective efforts towards tackling the enormous challenges that confront us as a nation: the unsustainable domestic debt that confronts our economy, mounting youth unemployment, declining educational standards, rapid urbanization, climate change and its impact on our agrarian economy etc.

 

 

 

Enough is indeed enough. Anyone who thinks one tribe should be singled out and shamed out in public is certainly ignorant of the interwoven nature of the tribes that form our national tapestry. The tribes of The Gambia have lived harmoniously for centuries. The pride of our nation is hinged on the short linguistic distance, religious harmony, and cultural similarity that define us as Gambians. I implore every Gambian not to bite into the bait of tribalism and division that is in the works. We should all uphold peace and jealousy guard the sanctity of the Smiling Coast – that Gambian national identity which underpins our peace, progress and prosperity. I am because you are, you are because we are all Gambians. Gambia shall be liberated.

 

 

 

 

The Controversy of President Yaya Jammeh in The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

By Professor Binneh s Minteh

As Heads of States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) converged for their annual meeting at the Senegalese capital, Dakar, one controversial, but familiar leader was noticeably absent from the colorful occasion. This controversial leader was no one else than the flamboyant and megalomaniac Gambian Leader, President Yaya Jammeh.

 

 

The historic meeting convened at a time, when the Government of President Jammeh is faced with mounting national and international pressure for deteriorating civil and political liberties. In the past month, the main opposition party, the United Democratic Party(UDP) in collaboration with other opposition and civil society groups embarked on weekly protests, demanding the unconditional release of detained opposition leader, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe and other detained political activists: dead or alive.

 

 

Throughout his two decades of iron fist rule, President Jammeh notoriously cracked down on dissent, burning media houses, arresting, torturing, murdering opponents, including journalists. Today, most of the country’s prominent journalists have fled for fear of persecution.

 

 

Nonetheless, controversy is not new about the Gambian leader. He claimed to have a cure for HIV /AIDS, withdrew The Gambia from the Commonwealth and intermittently threatens to bury his opponents 6 -9 feet deep while vowing to rule for a billion years. Similarly, he repeatedly bashes at the “West” as enemies working to destabilize his rule. For example following a press release from the United Nations Secretary General expressing concerns about the detention and torture of peaceful protesters, and an Amnesty International report on the appalling human rights situation in the Gambia, President Jammeh responded by saying ” the UN Secretary General and Amnesty International can go to hell “.

 

 

Similarly, as preparations for ECOWAS heads of states were well underway, President Jammeh once again, at a political rally in the Gambia, threatened to kill members of the ethnic Mandinka group like ants. Throughout his two decades rule, President Jammeh has repeatedly used such divisive political strategies by specifically singling out, threatening and using abusive language against ethnic Mandinkas. This threat came at a time when the Gambian born International Criminal Court ( ICC ) Chief Prosecutor, Mrs Bensouda during an interview with the West Africa Democracy Radio ( WADR), irresponsibly outlined that political violence in The Gambia is not grave enough for ICC intervention through investigation or the form of expressing concerns.

 

 

Mrs Bensouda’s remarks were not the least surprising to most Gambians : she worked as a legal advisor to the Military Junta that brought President Jammeh to power in 1994 and served as Attorney General and Minister of Justice for President Jammeh at a time when grave violations of human rights took place in the Gambia, including the brutal murder of former Finance Minister, Ousman Koro Ceesay, whose charred remains was found in his burnt-out Mercedes Benz under a bridge, and the brutal shooting deaths of unarmed student demonstrators.

 

 

President Jammeh’s absence at the ECOWAS meeting did not come as a surprise either to most analysts and citizens in the region and across the world for two reasons. Firstly, the Criminal State in West Africa is defeated, and the Gambian leader is increasingly isolated, since all his former allies once heads of criminal states in the region are either ousted, dead or facing international prosecution. Secondly, ECOWAS has made considerable progress in promoting people centered governance within the framework of democratic tenets and principles, and President Jammeh’s view of governance is a stark contrast to that reality.

 

 

Perhaps the absence of President Yaya Jammeh at the ECOWAS meeting is another confirmation that the problems in the Gambia are largely caused by the controversial nature of the Gambian leader. ECOWAS must ask for the resignation of President Yaya Jammeh for the interest of peace and stability in the region.

 

Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh meeting in TANJI.

0



Yahya Jammeh and his subdued Gambians.

Gambian Peaceful protesters 02/06/02016

0



After the arrest, torture and death of peaceful protesters against Yaya Jammeh’s tyranny, Gambians took to the street to protest for their release and end to dictatorship in The Gambia.

Yahya Jammeh training his recruited henchmen and killers.

0



The Gambian leader created a death squad also documented by UN human rights watch and uses them to kill and suppress Gambians to cling to power.

“Punish The Gambia Government and ensure that impunity and violations of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance are halted”- rights groups appeal to ECOWAS

 

Dakar, 5 June 2016- A West African grouping of faith based, rights, academic, women and youth organisations have urged the ECOWAS heads of state and government to hold The Government of the Gambia, under the leadership of President Yaya Jammeh, to account over the systematic and wonton violations of the region’s democracy and governance principles. The group, led by the West African Civil Society Forum- WACSOF, stated that ECOWAS should not tolerate nor allow the government of the Gambia’s continued position to ignore the calls for reforms by its peers, civil society and the international community. They said that The Gambia government’s determination to continue to violate the rights of its own citizens through the rule of terror, and instilling fear within the general public, as well as the persistent and systematic infractions of rules of the institutions and protocols it has vowed to respect, including the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Good Governance and Democracy, must not go unpunished.

 

The call comes as the regional body is due to meet at its 49th Ordinary Session in Dakar, Senegal. The group stated that The Gambia is the only country within ECOWAS that has regressed drastically in its governance and rule of law- from the days of the 1980s when Gambia was seen as a bastion of democracy and rule of law on the whole continent to a point where it was rewarded with hosting the ACHPR, to now a pariah state where its citizen’s live in fear due to the unconscionable brutality meted out to its citizens on a daily basis, the most recent of which was on 14 and 16 April 2016.

 

The group raised the alarm over rapid deterioration of rule of law, further erosion of human rights, enforced disappearances, arrests of political party opposition, torture, illegal detention and extra judicial executions, rape and sexual violence against women, as well as wanton abuse of executive power in The Gambia. And said that this indicated that the country is presided over by an undemocratic regime, where impunity and terror are firmly entrenched.

 

In a strongly worded document titled: “CSF II: Resolution adopted at the WACSOF forum”, the group stated that the recent acts of illegal and arbitrary arrests, torture, physical and sexual violence against protesters including women, and continued threats by the Government of the Gambia on its population, were unacceptable and alien to ECOWAS’s aspirations of promoting and protecting the principles contained in the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance namely: Constitutional Convergence Principles; Free and Fair Elections; specifically- popular participation in decision-making, strict adherence to democratic principles and decentralization of power at all levels of governance. The group cited the recent Electoral Amendment Act, designed to price out political opposition from competing in elections which makes it cost prohibitive for aspiring candidates to compete for public office, especially the most vulnerable, youth and women.

 

They called on ECOWAS to: Call The Gambia to comply with its obligations as a member state and align with the normative regional frameworks and respect the ECOWAS Court rulings, and apply appropriate measures to state party violations, according to its own rules of membership and regional treaty, Article 77 of the ECOWAs Revised Treaty, and 45 of the Supplementary Protocol on Good Governance and Democracy.”

 

About:

 

Civil Society Forum II Gambia- CSF II is the second series of conferences on and about governance, rule of law and democracy in The Gambia. CSF II titled: Fading Fears and Rising Resistance was held on the 1-2 June 2016, in Dakar Senegal. Organizers are a coalition of non-state actors which include: African youth and gender activists; academics; lawyers; advocates; religious leaders; regional and international human rights organizations and other independent entities; parliamentarians. It is convened by the Coalition for Change Gambia-CCG and supported by Open Society Foundations’ Africa Regional Office.

 

West African Civil Society Forum- WACSOF serves as a receptacle for civil society organizations feeding in to the ECOWAS System processes, and empowers them to exploit the public space at the National and Regional levels, in order for civil society to contribute to an integrated, stable and developed regional community. WACSOF’s mission is therefore to create the avenues through which CSOs can more constructively engage with the authorities at the national levels as well as the Institutions of the ECOWAS System. WACSOF has membership and country representatives in: Benin; Burkina Faso; Cape Verde; Cote D’Voire; Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; and Liberia.

 

Coalition for Change Gambia-CCG – a civil, human and political rights organization which brings together a cross-section of the Gambian community at home and abroad, was launched in April 2011. The group is a non-partisan organization established to challenge the dictatorship and restore basic freedoms in The Gambia through non-violent action.

 

For more information please contact:

 

Dr. Amadou S Janneh (CCG) [email protected] +221 781280742

 

Sokhna Mame Diarra Bousso Ndiaye (WACSOF) [email protected] +221 775526577

Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is new ECOWAS chair

By Alhagie Jobe in Dakar

 

Liberia president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been appointed as new chair for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) replacing President Macky Sall of Senegal who’s term has ended.

 

The chair of the Commission is appointed by the Heads of State and Governments to manage the affairs of the sub-regional bloc for a period of one year. President Sall who’s mandate has ended was elected chairman of the sub-regional bloc at the 47th summit of the organization in Accra, Ghana on May 19, 2015.

 

Madam Sirleaf who is the 24th President of Liberia and in office since 2006, was unanimously elected at the end of the 49th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

 

According to ECOWAS rules, any country’s leader elected to this position will automatically make the Foreign Affairs minister of that country become the chairman of the Council of Ministers. Therefore, Liberia will now chair all other statutory meetings (ministerial, experts and technical committees) of the bloc during the year.

 

Summit agenda

Prior to the election of President Sirleaf, the leaders witnessed the swearing in ceremony of the new President of the ECOWAS Commission Marcel A. de Souza.

Among the issues discussed are the report of the 76th Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and 36th Ordinary Session of the Council on Mediation and Security.

 

They also reviewed the memorandum on the status of negotiations of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between West Africa and the European Union, as well as issues relating to the signing of a Memorandum of understanding (MOU) between ECOWAS and Turkey.

 

 

New ECOWAS president says peace & security are sine-qua-non to regional integration

By Alhagie Jobe in Dakar

 

The new President of the ECOWAS Commission Alain Marcel de Souza has said that “no real and lasting integration” is achievable, “without peace and sustainable security environment in the sub-region.  Souza was speaking Saturday after he was sworn-in as new president of the ECOWAS Commission at the 49th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held Saturday in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

 

 

A super economist and bureaucrat from Benin, Souza assumed duties on April 8th, 2016 at a handing over ceremony at the Commission headquarters in Abuja. He took over from Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo of Burkina Faso.

 

 

In his first address before Heads of States and Governments of ECOWAS member states, Mr Souza said the immediate role of ECOWAS under his presidency is to save Mali and Guinea Bissau. He said Mali is faced with routine terrorist attacks and an occupation of its northern part by Jihadist. He said Guinea Bissau too has for years now been suffering from political instability. He said the role of ECOWAS in Mali and Guinea Bissau is his priority and urged all member states to be vigilant especially at a time when all forms of violence and extremism is exacerbated. Mr Souza admitted that there are huge security challenges facing the sub-regional bloc and urged member states to share information, communicate, coordinate and harmonize efforts and mobilize resources to deal with the extremist groups to ensure regional stability. He then suggested the possibility of establishing a regional intervention force against terrorism.

 

 

 

Who is De Souza

De Souza was born on 20th of October 1953 at Pobè in the Republic of Benin. He holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Dakar as well as a specialized Master’s Degree in Management and Banking at the West African Training Centre for Banking Studies (COFEB) completing his training at the IMF Institute in Washington.

 

 

 

Mr. de Souza was formerly the Internal Controller at Banque Centrale des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest- Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) head office in Cotonou. He rose to become national Director and Director of Administration at the bank headquarters in Dakar.

 

 

 

President de Souza had also served as Head of Department of Economic and Financial Affairs in the Office of the President of the Republic of Benin before he was appointed as Special Adviser to the President of the Republic of Benin on Monetary and Banking Affairs and later the minister for Development, Economic Analysis and Forecast from 28 May 2011 to 15 June 2015.

 

 

 

Prior to his appointment as the President of the ECOWAS Commission, he has been a Member of Parliament of the Benin National Assembly since June 2015. Mr. de SOUZA is fluent in French and has knowledge of English and German. He is married with 7 children.

 

ECOWAS urges Gambia’s security forces to avoid using excessive force against citizens

By Alhagie Jobe in Dakar

 

West African leaders gathered for a regional summit in the Senegalese capital, Dakar have urged the Gambia’s security forces to avoid use of ‘excessive’ force against citizens and respect their democratic rights in the republic.

 

In a final communiqué issued at the end of the 49th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened Saturday in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, the leaders called on the Gambia government and the opposition to engage in a frank dialogue without delay and encouraged the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to develop a roadmap that will be agreed by all stakeholders in the electoral process.

 

ECOWAS leaders also instructed the Commission to deploy a pre-election technical mission to The Gambia as soon as possible to assess the electoral process. “We also call on the government and the National Assembly of the Gambia to engage in reforms and organize an inclusive election that will be free and credible” the communiqué stated.

 

The ECOWAS Heads of State further welcomed the opening of the borders between The Gambia and Senegal, inviting the two countries to continue dialogue while adhering strictly to the principles of free movement of people and goods.

 

Tribalism: Jammeh’s Worst Nightmare

 

By Lamin Gano

 

In a recent meeting in Talinding during his meet the peoples’ tour, President Jammeh warned Gambians against tribalism. In his own words, “I will not accept tribalism anymore in this country and I don’t want to hear this tribal talk again because they are just diversionary, misguiding, and anti-development and totally a result of negative and backward ideological mentality.”

 

 

Anyone who knows the Gambia will attest to the fact that the dozen of tribes inhabiting this beautiful country are perhaps the most close-knitted society in the whole world. A classic example of Gambia’s positive tribal culture is that every tribe has two or more tribes that are its cousins. For example the Serrer, Jahanka and some of the Jolas are my tribal cousins as a Fulani person and therefore all forms of jokes and name callings are acceptable between us. For example I can call any Serrer person a slave, label all the Jahnkas as a bunch of lazy people and categorize all the members of the Jarjou families as monkeys and absolutely nothing will come out of it. And the same goes for all the rest of the tribes and even between regions. This is perhaps the greatest conflict prevention and conflict resolution innovation that our fore fathers ever came up with.

 

 

So why is Mr. President so worried about tribalism in the Gambia? The truth is that Jammeh is scared of Gambians resorting to tribal politics because that would be the fastest and surest way for him to lose power. Jammeh will be doomed in any election in which Gambians decide to vote along tribal lines. Here is how:

 

 

Out of the eight registered opposition parties in the Gambia, the leaders of all the seven parties are either Mandinkas or Fulas. And according to the recent census, more than 30% of the population are Mandinkas while more than 20% are Fulas. Only these two tribes comprise of over 60% of the population.

 

 

So Jammeh is clearly worried that the opposition parties could come together to form a coalition and then once they do, their tribes-people could also decide to vote along tribal lines. If that happens, then Jammeh would be out of the State House faster than it takes Usain Bolt to finish a 100m race!!!! However, since Gambians have never played the tribal card in politics and certainly never against each other, there is really no need for Jammeh’s tribal threats. After all there is no law banning tribal politics so how would the state stop Gambians if they chose to vote for the candidates of their tribes anyway?

 

 

To conclude, I do hope and pray that our opposition leaders would see the wisdom and urgency of coming together under one leadership to engage Jammeh on politics of maturity and common sense. This would also give Gambians one and only one option/platform to get rid of Jammeh in peace without resorting to any uprisings, violence or trials. Peace, religious tolerance and harmonious co-existence are some of our enviable trademarks which we must preserve at all cost.

George Christensen: The demise of an icon

 

By D. A. Jawo

 

With the untimely death of George Christensen, the Gambia, and indeed the entire African continent has lost not only a pioneering broadcaster but also an uncompromising defender of free expression.

 

 

George left a comfortable life in the United Kingdom to return to the Gambia to contribute his quota to national development. He shot to prominence in 1990 when he opened Radio 1FM, becoming the second private radio station after Radio Syd and the first of about 20 FM stations to operate in the country since then.

 
In addition to providing alternative source of information and entertainment from the monotony of Radio Gambia, Radio 1FM also became the most effective training institution for young Gambian broadcasters. Among those trained at Radio 1FM include Lamin Manga, who later became Director General of GRTS, Fatou Camara of Fatu Show fame, Harona Drammeh of MediaMatic/Paradise FM, Sidy Ceesay of Freedom Newspaper/Radio and Modou Thomas, anchorman of the famous Sunday News Hour, to name just a few.

 
George had also played quite an effective role in doing consultancy work both in the Gambia and other parts of Africa in helping to advance community broadcasting.

 
Even though he always insisted that he was a sound engineer instead of a journalist, George played an important role in the GPU training programme and he was also a founding member of the South Africa-based World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) in which he served as lead facilitator and training officer. In that role, he travelled all over Africa to help develop community radio broadcasting.

 
We can all vividly recall the effective role that Radio 1FM played in popularizing private broadcasting in the Gambia, with George himself taking part in many interactive programmes to which the telephone lines were open to the public to contribute. One of the most popular of such programmes was no doubt the weekly Sunday News Hour during which a panel discussed several issues of national currency, as well as opened the lines for public participation.

 
We can also recall the huge impact that a special programme George initiated during the April 10/11 student demonstrations in 2000 when the security forces shot dead several of them. The live phone-in programme had such an impact that the police forced it to be stopped.

 
Another programme that made much impact was the weekly discussion by Pa Dacosta in which he bluntly criticized the regime for its stance on many issues.

 
However, despite all the threats and harassments George had been subjected to by the authorities and their agents, including the arson attack on the radio in 2001 in which he suffered serious burns, he still refused to be intimidated and continued serving the information-hungry Gambians.

 
We can also recall that Radio 1FM was the one used by the “Soldiers with a difference” to announce their coup d’etat in 1994, and yet, they still went on to subject him to all sorts of harassment when he refused to toe their line.

 
We say adieu to George and sympathies to his wife Mary Samba as well as other members of his family and friends, and indeed to all Gambians to whom he served to the best of his ability.

Yahya Jammeh’s fine art of back-scratching for political advantage

 

In Gambia , many rightly wonder why every event of a serious matter of national disaster only blooms for couple days or a month and fade away quickly like a season except for cronyism persists throughout all season . With all the atrocities, brutality of UDP party members since its inception, exterminations, turmoil’s, diplomatic blunders , scandals , embarrassments and condemnation of the world, Conventional wisdom suggests that — people should distance themselves from such a person. Yaya Jammeh is bruised heavily but still stands politically in Gambia. That’s because he have been tolerated far too long by Gambians that either accepts the status quo or aren’t paying attention for 22 years. He has been allowed push his narrative unchallenged for two decades now until it becomes conventional wisdom.

 

Yahya Jammeh mastered the inside-outside power approach to trading favors in full swing early on since the dead of Koro Ceesay in 1995 — and many more— all the way to Solo Sandeng in 2016. Gambians still underestimate Yahya Jammeh. With prosecutorial discretion at the ICC in the hands of fellow Gambian ex minister of justice, huh ! The chances of an inquest about Yahya Jammeh human rights abuses are smaller than the likelihood or next to none. We keep repeating the same mistakes but Yahya Jammeh has perfected the fine art of back-scratching for political advantage and turns our problems into profit for his family. He acts with inexcusable disregard for human life. Everything about the Gambia is narrated with subsequent sensational and one-sided media coverage of his perspective only.

 

Yahya Jammeh has showed himself as a calculated manipulative individual who seize opportunity — upon— opportunity and use it to his advantage. His irresponsible perception of things nevertheless becomes reality and fear fester. 30th December heroes were betrayed by their fellow Gambian counter parts; he sold them to the world as terrorists and refused to hand over the bodies to families to this day. His narrative is wrong and deceptive. After they killed solo and jailed the UDP executives, he is out there preaching tribalism from every corner of Gambia to confused Gambians to prevent much bigger uprising. This big cry baby is encouraging the impression that UDP is a tribalism party. Again, his narrative is wrong because he is trying to cover up the fact that he responded with unrestrained violence to electoral reform request. The sad thing is that some Gambians bought it and some are siting home doing nothing about it.

 

When any good ideas surfaces and crisis of enormous proportion occurs, the Jammeh’s will find a way and turn it into a broad boulevard of personal gain. When Europeans closed your check books, he ran to Arabs and changes The Gambia to— Islamic state of Gambia. Political opportunism is now the new rule of Yahya Jammeh. He expects Gambians to stand by him in his quest to rule for many years — come hell or high water notwithstanding — cashing the favors given to the few whom he gave stolen properties ceased through eminent domain. One torturer was quoted in Fatoumata Jawara’s affidavit “you want to spoil our enjoyment “. Like the loyal soldiers, they will fall inline no matter what wrong he does and do all the dirty job of killing, raping, torturing for him.

 

The most vociferous opposition is coming from the Diaspora but every year, someone whom is granted political asylum — as a result of their testimonial about the regime, cross carpets and creates just as much of a strain on the credibility of our struggle. Recent examples of those who show solidarity with Yahya Jammeh along with all his embarrassments, got rewarded ambassadorial or diplomatic jobs in critical positions such as UN. The world gets confused and gets eggs thrown on their faces.

 

Yahya Jammeh has successfully confused the local Gambian population by redefining cronyism— with loyalty. Many feel that Loyalty is standing by ones political allies regardless of — and sometimes especially if — they’ve done wrong. Unfortunately, cronyism appears all too often to be the glue bonding together political alliances and nationalism. Never has the regime been used so extensively as a vehicle for benefiting political cronies at the expense of the rest of us. Given the regime’s rampant favoritism, special treatment and using— families, religious leaders, community elders ties to silence opponent, the chance of fighting for one’s conviction gets very difficult. Let’s be honest! Those whom are engage in politics are regarded as aimless or have too much time on their hands. If we want to regain our freedom, perpetual local practice of cronyism must end, and we all must demand more of our elected officials.

 

New revelations have surfaced from Panama papers of hidden wealth than previously known existed in Gambia but nothing came out of it so far. Jammeh clearly warded off the threat of investigations because a he ensures no paper trail documents bears his name. His supporters say — there is no smoking gun that betrays illegal activity just to kill this scandalous issue once and all. Well to many Gambians, It simply confirms what the public already knows about Gambia’s quintessential political families— Amadou samba and the Jammeh family. With no serious opposition in the parliament and mercenary judges as Chief Justice, DDP and his tribe’s men as heads of security, he is comfortable dictating everything because he doesn’t get the plain talk advice.

 

Yahya Jammeh have showed a generation of Gambians how to seize upon disaster and use it to his advantage. Dictator Jammeh understands few party militants and some party supporters are infatuated with wealth, women and cars since their childhood —growing up in poverty. He exchanged their unflinching opposition to his rule with those sweet heart deals. Hence the wollof proverb “When day light falls, we see all those with ugly face”. Yahya Jammeh— a corrupt leader will go to any lengths to protect his position with control the media, intimidation, lies, exploitation of Gambian nationalism, manipulation of people’s religious beliefs, use of people as scapegoats and novice security services to his advantage. The struggle will be very difficult atimes , but it is with hope that our dedication, endurance, and comrades whom had fallen will keep us going and ensure we don’t turn our backs on Gambia. We need to fact check Yahya Jammeh daily before he pollutes the minds of Gambia’s to the point of no return. I encourage someone to start the #Factchecking-Yaya Jammeh.

 

By Habib ( A Concerned Gambian)

Yahya Jammeh boycotts ECOWAS Summit in Dakar

By Alhagie Jobe in Dakar

 

Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh has once again boycotted the ongoing 49th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Governments of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which opened Saturday in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

 

President Jammeh instead sends a delegation led by Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment minister Abdou Jobe accompanied by other ministers. It is not clear why President Jammeh is not attending despite the neighborliness between The Gambia and Senegal but many believe it might be due to tensed relations between the two countries over the past months.

 

Though it is not only President Jammeh who is absent from the summit but the situation between The Gambia and Senegal over the past months makes his absence a major concern. Other Presidents of Guinea Bissau, Nigeria and Togo are also absent but does not raise much attention like Jammeh’s.

 

Ailing relations

Over the past four months, relation between The Gambia and Senegal are not smooth following a four-month long border impasse. The border was shut down following a boycott by Senegalese drivers after the levy they have to pay to cross The Gambia was increased 100 times – from CFA4,000 per truck to CFA400,000 (£500; $700; a unilateral move taken by President Jammeh.

 

The truck drivers refused to pay the high fee unilaterally imposed on trucks heading to Southern region crossing into The Gambia, forcing them to a 10-hour detour to Senegal’s Southern region of Cassamance.

By far the shortest route between the southern Senegalese region of Cassamance and the capital, Dakar, goes through The Gambia but since the border is currently closed, meaning the 420km (260-mile) journey is now twice as long as travelers and Lorries are driving all the way round The Gambia, via Tambacounda.

 

Several attempts were made at the community, transport union and diplomatic levels as well as at sub-regional bloc, ECOWAS, to find a solution but all proved futile throughout the over-three month border impasse.

 

Earlier, a joint mission by ECOWAS, African Union and the United Nation sent to Banjul called on the two governments to ensure dialogue and reach a lasting solution to the frequent border crisis.

 

Prior to that, Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh filed a complainant to ECOWAS but was rubbished by the sub-regional bloc, urging him to its neighbor, Senegal, as well as regional and international agreements.

 

A concession for the venue of negotiation was one time the problem to discuss the impasse and find a lasting solution. On May 15th, Gambia agreed to send a delegation to Senegal headed by Foreign Minister Neneh MacDouall-Gaye. The talks failed though the two delegations agreed on some points but failed to agree on what Senegal called ‘key points’.

 

Despite the disagreement over certain points, the over 3-month long border stand-off finally ended on Tuesday, May 24 at 8:00hrs GMT, following the May 15th negotiations in Dakar and other follow up diplomatic meetings.

 

 

49th ECOWAS Summit opens in Dakar

 

The 49th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) opened Saturday in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.  Leaders got together to discuss pertinent sub-regional issues key among them the political situations in many countries, peace and security, pre and post election violence and The Gambia-Senegal routine border issue among others.

 

All West African Heads of States are attending the summit except Gambia’s Yahya Jammeh, José Mário Vaz of Guinea Bissau, Muhammadou Buhari of Nigeria and Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé of Togo.

 

Welcoming delegates at the summit, President Macky Sall of Senegal congratulated the new president of the commission, the vice president and the seven other commissioners who assumed duties and assured them of all Heads of State and Government support.

 

He implored on them to work harder towards achieving the goal of ECOIWAS of the people and ensure a more integrated, peaceful and prosperous West Africa. He also paid tribute to former Commission president Kadré Désiré Ouedraogo for the valuable work he has done for the entire community. He said over the years, ECOWAS has patiently forged its integration tools, as evidenced by the entry into force on January 12015, of the Common External Tariff (ECOWAS-CET), currently been implemented by nine member states. He called on the remaining six countries to support the aim of the commission in fulfilling this essential formality for the establishment of the large West African market.

 

This according to President Sall, will help in the realization of the liberalization of intra-community trade. He quickly urged the Task Force on Free Movement of People and Goods that was established by the commission to urgently work towards the lifting of many barriers within member states which is affecting the mobility of people and goods in the region. “We will achieve our goal of integration when every citizen of the community can move freely and go about his or her dail business. This is the very purpose of the ECOWAS biometric identity card whose circulation is expected to start this year. In Senegal, we have begun the process with the adoption of the law establishing this card” HE SAID.

 

On the signing of the Memorandum on the Economic Partnership Agreement between West Africa and the European Union – WA-EU EPA which is still unfinished, President Sall reminded member states of the deadline of October 1, 2016 which is fast approaching. He called on member states to work towards meeting the deadline saying in order to preserve the assets and maintain cohesion and solidarity of the community, it is highly important that all member states support the agreement.

 

On political issues in the region, President Sall congratulated the elected and re-elected leaders after recent electoral polls across the region. He said during his mandate as chairman of the ECOWAS Commission, he has been closely monitoring developments especially in the Republic of Guinea Bissau and called on politicians there to show restrain and preserve the democratic gains of the country and to avoid any uncertain future.

 

On the security front, President Sall welcomed the significant progress made by the Republic of Nigeria in the fight against the terrorist group Boko Haram, thanks to the unwavering determination of President Muhammadu Buhari. “To him and to all the colleagues involved in the daily fight against terrorism, I renew our solidarity and support” President Sall said. Despite these successes, President Sall said the attacks in northern Mali, the Splendid Hotel attacks in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Grand Bassam in Ivory Coast clearly show that the treat of terrorist remains a major concern to the sub-region. According to him, to face and eliminate these deadly groups, member states must combine all resources and efforts in a comprehensive long term perspective. “We must at the same time raise the confusion in the terminology used to name these terrorist groups. Islam has nothing to do with terrorism and its murderous folly.

 

There is no Islamic State supporting Boko Harama or any group” he said. He said the political, security and economical challenges facing the region shows the magnitude and ever increasing challenges the sub-regional bloc has and needs to do more in meeting its goals. He quickly reminded member states that all efforts will prove futile without the mobilization of resources required and reiterated his appeal to all member states to fulfill their obligations by paying their subvention to the commission in full and on time. He also called on the Commission to continue streamlining its structures and expenses and refocusing its strategic objectives by better defining the priorities of the Community.

 

He welcomed the steps already taken by the President of the Commission in this direction and further called on the Commission and all the institutions to spend strategically in their operation and financing development projects so as to respond more to meet the goal of the common vision of ECOWAS of the people. President Sall then thanked member states and the commission for the support during his one-year mandate as chairman of the sub-regional bloc saying he has done his best over the past year to keep alive the objective of the founding fathers.

 

 

The new ECOWAS Commission President Marcel A. de Souza who was sworn-in at the start of the summit thanked member states for the trust and confidence bestowed upon him. He appealed for support in meeting the objectives of the sub-regional bloc. He assumed duties since April 8th, 2016 after a handing over ceremony at the Commission headquarters in Abuja.

 

 

Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the chairperson of the African Union Commission and the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in West Africa and the Sahel, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas also address the summit.

 

 

After the opening ceremony and inauguration of the head of the executive organ of the commission, West African leaders headed straight to business to review the Memorandum on the Status of negotiations of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between West Africa and the European Union, as well as the signed Memorandum of understanding (MOU) between ECOWAS and Turkey. The will also adopt the reports of the 76th Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and the 36th ordinary session of the Mediation and Security Council of the regional organization held recently.

 

 

Leaders are expected to conclude the summit with the election of new chairman as current holder Senegalese President Macky Sall’s term has ended, before setting the date and venue of the 50th Summit to be followed by an official communiqué.

 

By Alhagie Jobe in Dakar

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reset password

Enter your email address and we will send you a link to change your password.

Get started with your account

to save your favourite homes and more

Sign up with email

Get started with your account

to save your favourite homes and more

By clicking the «SIGN UP» button you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Powered by Estatik