By Yankuba Jallow
The United Nations (UN) has disclosed its commitment to continue supporting the Coalition Government if the progressive trajectory continues.
Seraphine Wakana, UN Resident Coordinator in the Gambia, said this in a statement read on her behalf at the round-table diplomatic briefing session on governance on 15th April 2019, at a local hotel.
Wakana said the present Government and partners has since it assumed office eight hundred and fourteen days ago, made significant strides and accomplishments in transparency, accountability and reciprocity, in the quest for a secure and stable Gambia, built on the foundation of tolerance, good governance and respect for human rights.
“Let me reiterate that embedded in the National Strategy for Transitional Justice in the Gambia due to be validated this month, is a Resource Mobilization Strategy developed by a national expert all with the support of the United Nations, and in frequent consultation with the various transitional justice and human rights institutions in the Gambia. This Strategy Document fully captures the holistic, yet bewildering nature and speed at which transitional justice and advancement of human rights is unfolding in the Gambia, all whilst making recommendations on the appropriate sequencing of initiatives, to avoid inter-institutional undermining,” she said.
She applauded the Justice Ministry for its engagement on transitional justice and the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) initiatives she said, are progressing parallel to the security sector reform and other legislative reforms. She said the Justice sector is a chain and each member of the chain needs to be strengthened and supported.
“Justice that is transparent, accessible, affordable and fair, is the cornerstone of a prosperous and peaceful country,” she said.
Speaking further, Wakana said sustaining peace approach, focuses not just on restoring stability but on investing in structures, attitudes and institutions associated with peaceful societies.
Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission whose statement was read on his behalf, said the Commission associate itself fully with the review process and looks forward to the outcome of the examination of the process and challenges of the different organs charged with the transition and transformation of Governance in the country.
“This is in line with international best practices and the aspirations of the AU Agenda 2063, which is the blueprint for Africa’s transformation as well as the African Chapter on Democracy, Elections and Governance,” he said.
He said Africa has paid dearly from the dilapidating effects of violent conflicts, and the depletion of its scarce resources that have further reduced the quality of lives of its citizens; that conflicts in Africa exposes its citizens of injustice, human rights abuses and dangerous lives as irregular migrants, refugees and displaced persons outside its shores. “It is fitting therefore that our leaders unanimously agreed to end all wars and silence the guns in Africa by 2020,” he said.
