As the new Gambia government sets in motion its reform agenda after the election of new National Assembly members, the United Nations has advised stakeholders to put the national interests above all other issues.
“I
urge all Gambian stakeholders to put the national interests above all other
considerations as they move ahead with the national reform agenda,” said the UN
special representative of the UN Secretary General for West Africa and the
Sahel.
Mohamed
Ibn Chambas also have reiterated the commitment of the Office of the United
Nations for West Africa and the Sahel to continue supporting The Gambia in
consolidating democracy and promoting sustainable development.
Below
we reproduce the full statement of the UN special representative issued at the
end of his two-day visit to The Gambia.
I
have just concluded a two- day visit to The Gambia, during which I had the
opportunity to meet with the Independent Electoral Commission, election
observation missions deployed by the ECOWAS, the African Union and the European
Union, as well as representatives of civil society organizations and United
Nations entities. I was also received by HE Adama Barrow the President of the
Republic of The Gambia.
The
purpose of my visit was to congratulate the people and the Government of The
Gambia for the peaceful, inclusive, and well organized legislative elections of
6 April 2017. I applaud
Gambian political parties and candidates for their active participation in
these historic elections, as well as the Independent Electoral Commission for
its efforts in ensuring the people’s right to elect their compatriots who will
have the mandate to represent them in the National Assembly. I wholeheartedly
commend the progress achieved by the Gambians with the conduct of these
elections, which confirm the country’s steady march towards sustained peace,
democracy and stability.
Going
forward, I urge all Gambian stakeholders to put the national interests above
all other considerations as they move ahead with the national reform agenda,
responding to the legitimate expectations of the Gambian citizens.
To
all my interlocutors, I have reiterated the commitment of the Office of the
United Nations for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), - and of the
international community at large - to continue supporting The Gambia in
consolidating democracy and promoting
sustainable development for the benefit of its people.
I
thank you for your attention.
