The
21 reinstated Gambian ambassadors to various countries yesterday met with
President Adama Barrow, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International
Cooperation Gambians Abroad, ahead of their departure to their various
missions, after attending the country’s 52nd independence anniversary
celebration and inauguration of President Adama Barrow.
Speaking
on the occasion, President Barrow said all the ambassadors are welcomed to the
new Gambia, after 22 years of APRC rule.
He
said The Gambia has changed from a dictatorship to a democracy.
With
that positive change, The Gambia has a lot of goodwill around the world and
they happened to be the ambassadors representing The Gambia around the world at
this crucial time.
“We
came to government not to have anything personal against anybody. The
government has changed, but The Gambia has to continue working under the Gambia
Government, and you ambassadors are part of that. You were appointed by the
APRC under Jammeh’s government and you have the right to work under the government,”
Barrow continued.
President
Barrow further stated that his government would encourage the ambassadors to
continue doing the good job they were doing for the past years, and to work
even harder because The Gambia is a young democracy, and all hands must be on
deck to move the country forward.
He
reiterated that The Gambia has come out from a very difficult time, and the
Gambia government became a complete liability, as the country was isolated
under the previous regime.
The
country should have benefited a lot, but because of the previous government,
which were not respecting democratic principles; but some of the ambassadors
took the bull by the horn and called on Jammeh to step down, even though it was
a risky move.
Also
speaking at the meeting was Ousainou Darboe, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, who thanked the ambassadors for
their courtesy call on President Barrow, because it would help him to
familiarise himself with his ambassadors.
Minister
Darboe added that the constitutional responsibilities of shaping and
implementing the foreign policy of the country rests clearly on the shoulders
of the President, and the rest of them are delegated to function within that
foreign policy.
“It
is, therefore, very important that the President knows and familiarizes himself
with those ambassadors who are entrusted with the responsibilities of
implementing Gambia’s foreign policy, because they are the one representing
Gambians aboard.”
Lamin
Faati, permanent secretary 2 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said there is
a new government in place, and it was important for the diplomats to use the
opportunity to meet the new minister.
He
recalled that during the impasse, the ambassadors put pressure on the former
government to relinquish power.
“They
were invited to come and attend the inauguration of President Barrow, as well
as the Independence festivities.
“As
ministry of Foreign Affairs, we decided for them to have an interaction with
the minister, since they are at the forefront of diplomacy and foreign policy.”
Also
speaking was Dembo Badjie, dean of Gambian diplomats and the country’s
ambassador to the Peoples’ Republic of China.
Badjie
said some months back the ambassadors articulated their views on the prevailing
circumstances in the country at the time, because they felt that diplomacy is
about image.
He
said on 2 December 2016, The Gambia was on the world map for all the right
reasons and, again on 9 December, the country was on the world map for all the
wrong reasons.
“As
the representatives of the country abroad we felt that it is our professional
duty to speak out on the issues and ask the former government to step down, and
to ensure the peaceful transfer of power to the president-elect at the time,
Adama Barrow, in accordance with the will of the Gambian people.”
He
thanked the government for reinstating them in their positions, after the
decision was made by the former president for their jobs to be terminated.
He
assured the new Gambian authorities that they would “remain resolutely
committed to supporting the new government, and would continue to do our job
professionally in the best interest of the Government of The Gambia and
Gambians.”
