The
Government of The Gambia and the European Union on Thursday signed a Memorandum
of Understanding to facilitate an EU Election Observer Mission to The Gambia
for the upcoming 2017 parliamentary elections.
The
Gambia’s parliamentary election is slated for 6 April and nomination opened
Thursday 9 March 2017 countrywide.
EU
Ambassador to the Gambia Attila Lajos signed on behalf of the European Union,
while Ousainou Darboe, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation
and Gambians Abroad, signed on behalf of the Gambia government.
Speaking
at the ceremony, Ambassador Lajos said the signing is another milestone in the
EU’s relations with The Gambia. He said
the EU has continued to support the democratization process of The Gambia.
According
to him, the visit by the top EU diplomat to The Gambia in February 2017 was a
symbolic event and shows the EU’s readiness to continue to support The Gambia.
“Today,
what we signing is to enhance what we agreed on during the February visit of
the EU Commissioner. This is the first time we will have a full fledge EU
Observation Mission in The Gambia,” he said.
Ousainou
Darboe, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians
Abroad, who signed on behalf of the Gambia government, confirmed that since
February 2017, the EU has gone big way in establishing engagements with The
Gambia.
According
to him, as a government, they are committed to ensuring a free, fair and
credible election. “We don’t want to attest to our own election, but others
should do it for us,” he said.
Minister
Darboe assured that the Gambia government will give full and free access to the
EU Observer Mission to monitor the parliamentary election.
