Liz McInnes MP, Shadow Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, has applauded the President of the Gambia Adama Barrow for his commitment to see Gambia re-join the Commonwealth and the International Criminal Court.
Speaking during the Westminster Hall debate recently on UK-West Africa Relations, Liz made clear that despite Gambia’s many challenges, the victory of President Barrow has been seen as a huge successes for Africa and a turning point for Gambia, a country that has not seen a democratic transfer of power since it gained independence in 1965.
Liz McInnes said: “President Barrow has been sworn in as the President of the Gambia. I am sure the whole House welcomes his succession. We also welcome his Vice-President Fatoumata Tambajang to her role in the new administration. I am pleased to see a woman in such an important role”.
Ms McInnes also hailed the diplomatic and regional efforts of neighboring countries, as well as the constant pressure from ECOWAS, AU, UN, and EU which helped to install President Barrow as the democratic choice of the Gambian people. President Jammeh was a dictator: he had oppressed, and brutalised his people for 22 years, after seizing power in a military coup in 1994. His time in power saw constant human rights abuses, including thousands of enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detention and torture for any political dissenters.
Meanwhile, Ms McInnes on Monday held a meeting with former Gambian Vice President Bakary Bunja Dabo, Alieu Badara Ceesay of Campaign for Human Rights in The Gambia UK, and Nicole Piche, the Coordinator of the APPG On Human Rights at the House of Commons, regarding the challenges of the new administration and what the UK and the international community can do to assist President Barrow and the country.
