The awards of ECOWAS medals to the soldiers were the seventh Senegalese contingent in The Gambia. They were deployed in The Gambia in September 2023.
Speaking at the ceremony, resident representative of ECOWAS and Head of Mission for ECOMIG, Miatta Lily French, expressed appreciation to the 7th contingent for showing the principles of solidarity and sharing, which she said was important to ECOWAS.
Madam French alluded to the efforts and assistance the outgoing contingent contributed to The Gambia populace by opening doors of medical facilities to the citizens and also offering free medical services and medication.
“This posture is hardly surprising given the fraternal ties and good neighborliness between the brotherly peoples of The Gambia and Senegal,” ECOWAS Prexy added.
Madior Fall, the contingent commander, said since the deployment of the 7th Senegalese contingent soldiers on 21 September 2023, they have quickly grasped the importance of their assigned mission and have swiftly established connections with the local populations.
He added that the relationship between Senegal and Gambia perfectly embodied the fundamental principles of ECOWAS, focusing on the independence of member states, collective solidarity, and good neighbourly relations.
Mr Fall continued that Gambia and Senegal have shared destiny, adding that the two countries share beyond diplomatic and military relations. “We shared much more than a few lines from a fundamental text or some articles from bilateral and multilateral agreements.”
Fall, the 7th contingent commander pointed out that The Gambia without peace and stability also means a Senegal without peace and stability and an unstable and crisis-prone sub-region.
“This is why we place so much importance on the success of this mission, aiming for total and lasting success. Such ambition cannot be envisaged without close collaboration with the host authorities and those of the ECOWAS Mission. The trust they place in us facilitates the correct execution of our mandates’ tasks each day”, Commander Fall said.
Colonel Boubacar Toure, force commander of the ECOWAS mission in The Gambia, also recognised the contributions of the Senegalese contingent soldiers in The Gambia for working constantly to win the heart of the local populace and their commitment towards participating in the establishment of stability in The Gambia.
Colonel Toure congratulated Senegalese peacekeepers for receiving the ECOWAS peacekeeping medal in acknowledgment of their remarkable contribution to the mission.
Meanwhile, a side visit was made to the Bwiam General Hospital which was refurbished by the Senegalese Battalion at an amount worth over 1.2 million dalasis and they also provided medical supplies to the tune of over 121,900 dalasis.
The event was also attended by the ambassador of the Republic of Senegal to The Gambia, Bassirou Sene.
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