POLITICAL AFFAIRS, PEACE & SECURITY NEWSLETTER Inside this issue: ECOWAS, EU LEAD INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES TO CONSOLIDATE GAMBIA'S POLITICAL TRANSITION July, 2019 VP URGES MORE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR GAMBIA'S POLITICAL TRANSITION SENIOR GAMBIAN OFFICIAL IDENTIFIES CHALLENGES TO COUNTRY'S POLITICAL TRANSITION Newsletter 005 ECOWAS RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE COMMENDS EU, OTHER PARTNERS FOR PEACE AND SECURITY INITIATIVES IN THE GAMBIA ECOWAS, EU LEAD INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES TO CONSOLIDATE GAMBIA'S POLITICAL TRANSITION Policy and Security Sector Reforms Strategies, part of the recently launched National Security Policy for the country. The policy, which provides “a robust, coherent and strategic approach to respond collectively to national security threats,” is supported by the UN, African Union, ECOWAS, an International Advisory Group and the European Union under the latter's wide-ranging Programme on Gen. Golau receiving the Certificate of Commendation from President Barrow Support to the Consolidation of Peace, Democracy and Governance in the Gambia. During the launch in Banjul on 10th June, The Gambia, after descending from the the European Union (EU) and other 2019, President Barrow assured that the status of a bastion of peace and stability in development partners, is also leading policy would address both traditional and West Africa to a notorious dictatorship is international interventions to return the new security threats facing the country, now undergoing a critical political Gambia on the path of national peace, from border management to climate transition. For its human rights record stability through elaborate peace building change, natural disasters, as well as Banjul, the Gambian capital was chosen by initiatives, capacity strengthening of economic, environmental and human the then Organization of African Unity (now national institutions and reforms in the security. He expressed his appreciation to all the African Union), to host the headquarters of security sector and electoral processes. partners that contributed to the develop- the African Human Rights and People's ment of the National Policy and awarded Commission. The ECOWAS/EU support to the Gambia is funded under the European Union Support Certificates of Commendation to their But all those glory days were blighted by to ECOWAS Regional Peace, Security and Representatives, including the ECOWAS more than 22 years of repressive dictator- Stability Mandate (EU-ECOWAS PSS) Security and Defence Adviser, Gen. Golau,. ship under the regime of former President Project. Gen. Golau explained that the new Yahya Jammeh. That his successor, National Security Policy seeks “to incumbent President Adama Barrow, had The project covers areas such as Security strengthen management and oversight to be sworn in in neighbouring Senegal sector and electoral reforms, capacity bodies of the Gambia's security institu- after defeating Jammeh in the hotly building for various national institutions, tions for a more coherent, organised and contested December 2016 presidential training of trainers workshops on peace transparent utilisation of resources and election, underlined the gravity of the building, mainstreaming and integrating monitoring of results” following 22 years of political tension and state of national peace building in public policy, practices former President Yahya Jammeh's insecurity to which the country had fallen. and delivery, and National civic education. The initiative also involved the deployment administration, criticised for widespread However, thanks to the Economic of a Defence and Security Adviser to the human rights violations. Community of West African States Gambian Government, Gen. Tijani Golau Meanwhile, the Gambia's Independent (ECOWAS), which deployed a military among other measures. Electoral Commission has also launched a mission, ECOMIG, to help maintain the national consultation on the electoral peace and stability in the Gambia. The Thus, the project supported the develop- reforms funded under the EU-ECOWAS PSS regional organisation in collaboration with ment of the Gambia's National Security Project. Published with the assistance of the "EU Support to ECOWAS Regional Peace, Security and Stability Mandate (EU-ECOWAS PSS) Project," funded by the European Union. The reforms will cover nominations, planned introduction of ballot paper to replace the marble balloting system, age limits for candidates, academic qualification and declaration of assets, among others. Gambian Officials and Partners at the Launch of the Retreat for drafting Participants at one of the workshops on the Gambia's Electoral Reforms of Gambia's National Security and Sector Reforms Strategies ECOWAS' commitment to accompany the country through the path of restoration of peace, stability, respect for human rights and democracy. The EU-ECOWAS support to the Gambia covers areas such as Security sector and electoral reforms, capacity building for various national institutions, training of trainers workshops on peace building, mainstreaming and integrating peace building in public policy, practices and delivery and National civic education. The initiative, which includes the recruitment of a Defence and Security Adviser to the Gambian government, Gen. Tijani Golau, are funded under the EU Support to ECOWAS Regional Peace, Security and Stability Mandate (ECOWAS-EU PSS) Project. Mr Vincent Okele, ECOWAS, EU & Gambian Officials with Gambian VP, Dr Touray, 3rd leader of the Project technical assistance team, explained that the from left, and ECOWAS Resident Rep. Amb. Gayflor to her right EU support seeks to strengthen the Gambia's security sector, improve democratic processes, support for national peace VP URGES MORE INTERNATIONAL building and coordination. SUPPORT FOR GAMBIA'S Speaking in an interview, Gen. Golau, who assumed office in POLITICAL TRANSITION January 2018, one year after the inauguration of President Adama Barrow following the departure of former President Yahya Jammeh he Vice president of the Gambia, Dr Isatou Touray has called expressed optimism that the completion of ongoing support for more international support for the country's on-going initiatives would contribute to pulling the Gambia out of the decay Tpolitical transition so as to consolidate the gains recorded of 22 years of dictatorship. after the end of a difficult 22 years of dictatorship in 2016. He however identified major national challenges such as weak “We are grateful to the ECOWAS, EU and other development national ownership, political instability, national capacity partners for their support, but there is need for continuity because deficiency, youth bulge and unemployment, poor management of Gambia is still fragile” the Vice President told a visiting delegation the stock piles of arms, ammunitions and explosives, equipment of of ECOWAS and EU officials, during a courtesy call in her office in infrastructure for the security agencies and the stunning revela- Banjul. tions emanating from the sessions of Truth, Reconciliation and Re “We are just starting the building block for peace, stability and Commission. good governance,” she said, adding that the country was ready for Also expressing a similar optimism, the Gambia's National Security engagement with development partners, especially in the areas of Adviser Momodou Badjie, a retired army colonel and Gambia's capacity building and strengthening for national institutions. former Ambassador to Mauritania, Venezuela and Turkey, said “security must be people-centred and not state-centric, and there The Vice president, who stressed the need for coordination of must be respect for human rights, the rule of law and in conformity support initiatives by donors and development partners for with international standards and best practices. effectiveness, expressed the country's gratitude to the EU and ECOWAS, particularly the ECOWAS Resident Representative Like Gen Golau, Col Badjie also noted that some of the major Ambassador Vabah Gayflor, who led the delegation. challenges faced by the Gambia included human capacity, dilapidated infrastructure and logistics gaps. The others, he said, On behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission's Dr. Jean- are funding, obsolete legal frameworks, political affiliation of Claude Kassi Brou, Ambassador Gayflor, who is also civilian head of some actors and poverty, adding that the Gambia would “say the ECOWAS military Mission to the Gambia, ECOMIG, reiterated farewell to authoritarian tendencies” if these issues are addressed. Peace, Democracy and Good Governance in The Gambia. In her remarks, the ECOWAS Resident Representative Ambassador Vabah Gayflor, who spoke on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, described the workshop as timely. “The Gambia is currently going through a transition process and therefore taking deliberate steps at the strategic level towards mainstreaming peace building in Mr Jallow, Perm. Sec. at the Gambian Presidency addressing participants at the workshop national development from the policy formulation to the implementation stage geared toward the consolidation of democratic governance,” she said, noting that “these are in consonance with the SENIOR GAMBIAN OFFICIAL IDENTIFIES aspirations of both the ECOWAS Conflict CHALLENGES TO COUNTRY'S POLITICAL Prevention Framework (ECPF) and the TRANSITION National Development Plan of The Gambia..” he Gambia is undergoing political transformation following the December 2016 The envoy, who is also civilian head of the presidential