The Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (TANGO) will this week hold a day-long seminar on civil-military relations which, among others, seeks to create the enabling environment for civil-military responses to security threats.
This followed the successful convening of a series of civil-military seminars in 2007 and 2010 organised by the Centre for Civil-Military Relations of the US Naval Postgraduate School in collaboration with the US Embassy in Banjul.
A dispatch from TANGO said yesterday that the association has been identified by participants to continue the seminars, aimed at strengthening cordial relations between the security and armed services and civilian population.
“It has been recognized that while the security and armed services are mandated to protect the life, property and territorial integrity of The Gambia, yet the civil population also has a major role in supporting this objective,” the dispatch said.
According to the dispatch, the seminar is coming against the backdrop of major and increasing incidents of crime and drugs-related activities, citing the number of cases registered by the National Drug Enforcement Agency in 2010, which involves cannabis, cocaine, heroin and hashish, among others.
The seminar, which is expected to bring together members of the security and armed forces, civil society, NGOs, political parties, religious bodies, judicial and legislative bodies, will cover topics including the role of civil population in the control of crime and drugs trade and abuse in The Gambia.
Also to be covered are topics such as National security and defence of territorial integrity: what role for civilians?; The role of the media in promoting accountability and peace-building for national development; and the significance of the rule of law and respect for human rights in the promotion of peace, stability and national development.
