Resident Coordinator Karl Frederick Paul was speaking on Thursday at the Annual General Meeting of The Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (TANGO) held at its office along Bertil Harding Highway.
"The civil society are the core of human development and of social progress,” he stated. “Your voices amplify those who are often unheard. Your actions uplift the vulnerable and your courage challenges injustice. In every community, from rural villages to urban neighbourhoods, you can bring hope, accountability and empowerment."
Highlighting their critical role in shaping communities, the UN Resident Coordinator maintained that the role of the civil society is vital in strengthening democratic governance, protecting human rights and ensuring that national development policies and efforts respond to the real needs of the people.
"Civil society builds bridges between communities and institutions, promotes social cohesion and provides a vital platform for citizens to exercise agency,” Karl Frederick Paul noted, saying: “The United Nations deeply values its longstanding partnership with Tango and the civil society in general in the Gambia."
However, he reminded that true partnership is not measured by physical proximity or by budget, but the strength of the shared purpose and the clarity of a common vision.
In light of this fact, he challenged TANGO to continue supporting the people and the government of The Gambia. He equally called on them to help build bridges of understanding to foster common understanding of ‘our differences and act on the commonalities’ to break down barriers of exclusion and bring hope and opportunity to every corner of the Gambia.
He also praised them for their resilience and commitment to the people of The Gambia, something that “serves as a source of inspiration”.
He recognised civil society stance on maintaining development via collective efforts, saying: "You remind us that sustainable development cannot be delivered by governments or international organizations alone, but only through a genuine partnership with the people themselves that you represent, organized and mobilized through civil society."
