By: Kebba AF Touray
The Gambia’s National Assembly has on Monday 15th March 2021 ratified the agreement with the Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance (DCAF).
The agreement is aimed at improving human and state security through the strengthening of democratic governance, rule of law and respect for human rights. It also seeks to attain the said target by supporting states and societies to improve security sector governance, assist international actors that support states to improve their security sector governance, and contribute to good security sector governance policy and specialist knowledge.
Gambia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Momodou Tanagara, while tabling the motion before the assembly, said DCAF is a leading center of excellence in justice and security sector governance.
“It is dedicated to improving human and state security through the strengthening of democratic governance, rule of law and respect for human rights,” he said.
Tangara said the project, which will support the Security Sector Reform (SSR) process in The Gambia, is organized along two main line; namely, supporting the Gambia Government in its efforts to launch a deep and inclusive SSR process and to strengthen the civilian oversight of SSR through specific support to parliament, civil society organizations and the media.
He informed lawmakers that the current administration, as part of its wider inclusive reform, has launched the national development plan (2018-2021), Transitional Justice and Security Sector Reform Processes. These reforms, he said, aims to ensure inclusive reforms as part of government’s wider reform agenda to uphold the highest standards of democracy, good governance and rule of law.
Minister Tangara also told the assembly that the work of DCAF in The Gambia aims to support the global architecture of the SSR to support an inclusive SSR process that fully takes into account the concerns and needs of all Gambians.
He said it will also support the legal reform process by developing laws and policies governing security sector that are fully compliant with the rule of law and human rights principles.
“It also aims to support Gambia Government in making strategic decisions that are based on evidence, solid analysis and best practices in SSR, in order to restructure the security and defense apparatus and to adapt to its workforce according to the new vision of the security sector and to promote and strengthen democratic participation and oversight of the security sector by parliament,” he said.
“Ratifying the Agreement between the Government of the Gambia and DCAF, the Gambia commits to DCAF’s program in the Gambia, which seeks to contribute to meaningful security sector reform ad greater accountability leading to improved peace and security for the Gambian population.”
Lawmakers welcomed the agreement and stressed that the issue of security is everyone’s business.
