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Jammeh affairs not discussed during Barrow's visit to Equatorial Guinea - Spokesperson  

Jun 3, 2022, 11:47 AM | Article By: Pa Modou Cham

In an interview with BBC Focus on Africa, the spokesperson of The Gambia Government, Ebrima G. Sankareh, has revealed that President Adama Barrow did not discuss any matter regarding the extradition of former President Yahya Jammeh during his visit to attend the African Union Summit in Equatorial Guinea.

President Barrow recently joined his counterparts at the summit during a pledging conference that gathered around 20 African leaders and donors looking to raise funds. The African Union's extraordinary humanitarian summit concluded on Saturday in Equatorial Guinea.

Instead of attending the two-day conference like his counterparts, President Barrow stayed another two days after the summit in order to avail him the opportunity to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries, thus signing a diplomatic and trade agreement.  

"He went to Guinea Equatorial as part of the African Summit and that was normal, nothing extraordinary. Prior to the summit, President Obiang extended an invitation to President Barrow for a state visit. After the conclusion of the two-day summit, he decided to stay for an extra two days. The issue of Yahya Jammeh was not discussed. However, President Barrow was very grateful to Obiang. He thanked him for assisting The Gambia when we needed it most. During the impasse, President Obiang was the person that was willing to accept Jammeh," Sankareh stated.

He said that was the only time when Jammeh issues were talked about.

Whether Equatorial Guinea will corporate in extraditing Jammeh to The Gambia, Sankareh said he does not know, adding that The Gambia remains a sovereign state as Equatorial Guinea. He said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the two countries signed is very clear and intends to extend their formal diplomatic relations. 

Dwelling on the TRRC report, Sankareh explained that at the conclusion of the Government White Paper, The Gambia Government contacted the expertise of some foreign legal luminaries and Gambians working together. 

"They have submitted the report to the Justice Ministry and the report will establish the concept of a Gambian hybrid court that will have both national and international jurisdiction for the subsequent prosecution of Yahya Jammeh and his accomplices," he also said.