Information minister Sillah made the remarks while speaking to ‘Coffee with Peter Gomez’ on West Coast Radio Tuesday.
“The ECOMIG presence is temporal, their presence here is temporal. According to the arrangements with ECOWAS countries, they are not supposed to be in this country permanently,” Minister Sillah said.
Four years after the Barrow led government came to power, the minister said the regional forces’ presence is part of the country’s transitional process.
“The presence of ECOMIG in this country is part of that transitional arrangement that was reached following the impasse.
“A time frame that was prepared was supposed to be in line with the transition arrangements. The transitional arrangements are still here and ECOMIG’s presence should be seen as those things that are adding value to our overall security sector reform process.”
ECOWAS has extended the mandate of the regional forces after President Barrow requested during a meeting in Niamey Niger.
The Gambian leader claimed the presence of the forces is important in what he described as “the critical” stage of the Security Sector Reform process.
The presence of ECOMIG continues to be a public debate among the public.
A recent survey conducted by the Afrobarometer showed that 50% of Gambians agree that ECOMIG should leave while 44% disagree while the remaining 6% neither agree nor disagree.
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