Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, THE GAMBIA) – The United Nations has expressed its full support for The Gambia’s electoral process and ongoing democratic consolidation ahead of the December 5 presidential election, as preparations intensify for the country’s polls.
The Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Barrie Freeman, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to President Adama Barrow at State House in Banjul.
Freeman is in The Gambia to support national preparations for the election in coordination with key stakeholders. Her visit will also include engagements with opposition political parties and other stakeholders to encourage dialogue, tolerance and respect for democratic principles throughout the electoral period.
She is also expected to attend the signing of a Peace Agreement and Peace Pact involving political parties and presidential candidates, aimed at securing commitments to a peaceful electoral process.
President Barrow, for his part, assured the UN envoy that the government would provide security for all presidential candidates to enable them to campaign without fear or intimidation.
He said the government was committed to ensuring that both candidates and voters felt safe throughout the electoral process, stressing that the outcome must reflect the will of the people.
“The Gambian people will make the decision,” Barrow said, adding that the nomination process had passed peacefully and that the government was engaging stakeholders to sustain the atmosphere of peace.
He reaffirmed his commitment to democratic governance and the rule of law, insisting that nobody was above the law.
The president also expressed appreciation for the longstanding relationship between The Gambia and the United Nations, acknowledging UNOWAS’s role during the 2016 political crisis in helping ensure that the outcome of the presidential election was respected.
That election, in which opposition candidate Adama Barrow defeated incumbent Yahya Jammeh, triggered a political standoff after Jammeh initially rejected the result, leading to regional and international intervention.
The UN’s renewed engagement comes as political parties and presidential candidates prepare for the December 5 election, with maintaining peace and preventing political intimidation expected to remain central challenges throughout the campaign.
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