Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission has called on the African Union Peace and Security Council to be unambiguous & unequivocal in its message to resolve the current political crisis saying “If we fail the people of The Gambia, we will be failing Africa’.

Dr Zuma said the situation in The Gambia does not need long discussion because when the people have spoken, that should be respected.

Addressing the 647th meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council on Friday, 13th January 2017, in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, Dr Zuma insisted that the will of the Gambian people must be respected in this instance.

“We don’t need long discussions on this matter. The African Union Peace and Security Council must be unambiguous & unequivocal in its message to resolve this issue. The African Union is working with ECOWAS leaders and the stakeholders of The Gambia to ensure a smooth transition of authority on 19 Jan 2017. The Gambia voted, the president-elect was voted & he should be installed when the time comes” she insisted.

Dr Zuma said the will of the people must be respected saying “We’ve come a long way. Democracy in Africa is thriving… The ECOWAS region presents a good example of democracy in Africa… and when the people have spoken, that should be respected”.

Meanwhile, at the end of the meeting, the African Union has announced it will cease to recognise Yahya Jammeh as Gambia’s legitimate president as of January 19th, the date he is due to hand power to the winner of the December election, the AU’s Peace and Security Council said.

African Union Peace and Security Council also warned of “serious consequences in the event that his action causes any crisis that could lead to political disorder, humanitarian and human rights disaster, including loss of innocent lives and destruction of properties”.

It could be recalled that outgoing President Yahya Jammeh was defeated in December polls, conceded defeat and later reversed the decision prompting international condemnation. He has since been defiant and the sub-regional bloc, ECOWAS, has for the second time visited the Gambia without any deal. Mr Jammeh is still defiant and leaders may resort to military intervention to get rid of him.

The ECOWAS mediation team has decided to fly out with Gambia’s President-elect Barrow to talk to all ECOWAS Heads of States at an ongoing Summit in Bamako, Mali, following ‘failed’ talks to resolve the political crisis on Friday.

The ongoing 27th Africa-France Partnership, Peace and Emergence summit convened by French President Francois Hollande in Mali is aimed at strengthening cooperation between France and African countries in the areas of peace and security, economic partnership and development.

Speaking to journalist at a press briefing at the Coco Ocean after the end of the Banjul mediation, Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama confirmed the ECOWAS delegation will traveled together with President-elect Barrow to Mali to ensure that all the sub-regional Heads of States to hear from him directly for the first time.

“The ECOWAS Heads of States will for the first time hear from Barrow directly,” said Mr Onyeama.

Foreign Minister Onyeama said today’s talks were not conclusive, saying they will have to brief to sub-regional authorities before disclosing the specifics to the press.

He said they will brief other leaders about today’s talk, thereafter, they will make action plan to resolve the ongoing political crisis in the country.

Meanwhile, during today’s talks, the ECOWAS mediators met in a separate meeting, the outgoing President Yahya Jammeh, Incoming President Barrow with the coalition team, the Chief Justice of The Gambia Emmanuel Fagbenle and Deputy electoral Commission Chairman Malleh Sallah.

Since the talks have failed for the second time, the sub-regional body promised to come up with an action plan after the summit in Bamako.

The ECOWAS led talks to end the current political crisis in The Gambia has reportedly failed again as outgoing President Yahya Jammeh still remain defiant and refusing to hand over power to President-elect Adama Barrow who won the December presidential polls.

An ECOWAS mediation mission led by Nigerian President Muhammadou Buhari including Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama where in the Gambia on Friday for the second time to broker a deal to end the political crisis.

The delegation upon arrival in The Gambia, first met outgoing President Yahya Jammeh at the State House. Nothing official was announced after the meeting but leaked information confirmed that Mr Jammeh remained defiant and insisting that he will not step down as the election results petition is now at the Supreme Court and should be respected.

The Chief Justice Emmanuel Fagbenle last week announced that the Supreme Court cannot sit over the petition until May as there are no judges to preside over the petition. Yet still, Mr Jammeh remains defiant and with no hope on the petition and his term expiring on January 19^th, 2017,  Mr Jammeh ordered his Attorney Edward Gomez to filed an interlocutory Injunction at the Supreme Court to stop President-elect Barrow from been sworn-in, clearing showing his defiance not to hand over power.

Manwhile after meeting with the ECOWAS team, Coalition spokesperson Halifa Sallah told journalist that the mediation is still not conclusive but expressed beliefed that efforts will continue to resolve the crisis.

“The ECOWAS mediation is still not conclusive and the coalition beliefs that ECOWAS efforts will continue, since they have been able to meet both sides.The destiny of the Gambia is in the hands of Gambians. No president could claimed to be credible who will rule a country of dead bodies and destroy properties.The crisis has not been solved by today’s talks” Sallah said.

President Buhari who is the chief mediator could not meet President-elect Barrow because after meeting Jammeh, he left for Mali to participate in the 27th Africa-France Partnership, Peace and Emergence summit. He assigned his Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama to represent him while Liberian President Sirleaf and Ghana’s Mahama completed the mission in meeting President-elect Barrow.

Meanwhile, it is also confirmed that the ECOWAS delegation is travelling tonight with President-elect Barrow to Bamako, Mali, where he is expected to discuss face-to-face with other ECOWAS Heads of States at the ongoing 27th Africa-France Partnership, Peace and Emergence summit convened by French President Francois Hollande. The Summit is aimed at strengthening cooperation between France and African countries in the areas of peace and security, economic partnership and development.

The African Union has announced it will cease to recognise Yahya Jammeh as Gambia’s legitimate president as of January 19th, the date he is due to hand power to the winner of the December election, the AU’s Peace and Security Council said.

In a statement issued after its 647th meeting held on 13th January 2017, in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, the Council also warned of “serious consequences in the event that his action causes any crisis that could lead to political disorder, humanitarian and human rights disaster, including loss of innocent lives and destruction of properties”.

On the post-election situation in The Islamic Republic of The Gambia, the Peace and Security Council;

Takes note of the briefing made by the Chairperson of the Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, as well as the presentation made by the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Dr. Aisha Laraba Abdullahi, on the latest developments in the post-electoral situation in The Gambia, following the presidential election held in that country on 1 December 2016. Council also takes note of the statements made by the representatives of The Gambia, as well as of Liberia, in its capacity as Chair of the Authority of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Egypt, Ethiopia and Senegal, as African Members of the UN Security Council, and the United Nations (UN);

Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.