UN experts urge The Gambia to address past rights violations to avoid recurrence

BANJUL / GENEVA (19 June 2017) – The Gambia is witnessing encouraging signs in moves to shed light on past human rights violations, including enforced disappearances, but must involve families fully in the process, a delegation of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances said today.

“We welcome the commitments made by the Government of The Gambia to embark on comprehensive reforms, including measures to ensure truth, justice and reparation for victims, as well as prevent any recurrence of disappearances in the future,” said the Group’s Chair Houria Es-Slami and fellow delegation member Henrikas Mickevicius at the end of an official visit* to the country.

President Barrow inaugurates Joint Transition Team

President Adama Barrow and his Joint Transition Team

The President of the Republic of The Gambia, His Excellency Adama Barrow today, February 15, 2017, inaugurated a ‘Joint Transition Team’ at a ceremony held at his temporal office at the Kairaba Beach Hotel in Senegambia.

The Joint Transition team comprises of current and former Ministers and Vice Presidents. The ceremony brought together dignitaries from the UNDP, Transition Expert, Secretary General, Permanent Secretaries, Executive Members of the Coalition 2016, Media and among a host of others.

“As you know, on 19^th January, I had the honour to be sworn in as the President of the Republic of the Gambia, reflecting the will of the people expressed in free elections,” President Barrow reminded the gathering as he launches the Joint Transition Team.

“We are assembled here today for an important step on our democratic agenda- the inauguration of a Joint Transition Team.”

ECOWAS Heads of State Summit: FAO and ECOWAS promote initiative toward achieving Zero Hunger Challenge

Agricultural growth and transformation must fully benefit and empower women

Bukar Tijani, FAO Assistant Director-General

16 December 2016, Accra - FAO and ECOWAS have demonstrated strong commitment towards meeting the Zero Hunger Challenge in the West Africa region by implementing a joint project on gender-responsive regional and National Agricultural Investment Plans (NAIPs) for meeting the Zero Hunger Challenge in the ECOWAS region. 

The project responds in concrete terms to women’s constraints, needs and priorities in agricultural production, value chain development, food security and nutrition.

At Poultry for Prosperity launching, officials calls for ‘self-reliant’

The Poultry for Prosperity with the acronym P4P has officially been launched at the Department of Livestock Services in Abuko on the 8^th November, 2016.

The project is jointly funded by the Food and Agriculture Sector Development Project (FASDEP) under the Ministry of Agriculture and SAADIS Group Limited. The project will be implemented by the National Enterprise Development Initiative (NEDI).

FASDEP through its sub-component will provide 60 per cent funding for the establishment of 150 backyard poultry schemes for youth and women under the P4P, while SAADI Group Limited contributes 40 per cent.

In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Landing B. Sanneh, general manager, NEDI said the project is intended to benefit 1000 young people across the country.

Banjul: GIABA trains West African accountants on AML/CFT requirements

The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) will organize a regional training on anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) requirements for accountants from the five English-speaking countries in West Africa. The workshop will hold from 11 to 12 September, 2013 in Banjul, The Gambia.

AU Dept. of Political Affairs, ACDHRS meets with Gambian press

For Immediate Release 10 April 2013:  To All Media

Meeting with reporters and media editors in Banjul, The Gambia today, representatives of the Department of Political Affairs of the African Union and the African Centre for Democracy and Human RightsStudies shared their plans to engage citizens across Africa in public dialogue about human rights and the protection of personal freedoms at all levels of African societies.

Dr. Hannah Forster, Executive Director of the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, Dr. Salah HamnadSiddiq, human rights expert, Department of Political Affairs of the African Union,and Dr. AlieuBadaraSajaTaal, Senior Lecturer Department of Political Science University of the Gambia,  met with media representatives to discuss values critical to Africa’s integration and unity such as freedom of expression and freedom of association.

GYIN Gambia chapter participates in IFAD 7th regional forum

Banjul, 12 November, 2012-  Global Youth Innovation Network Gambia chapter took part in the 7th International Fund for Agricultural Development- IFAD regional forum in Banjul, The Gambia from 12th to 15th November, 2012.

The network is the legitimate national representation and chapter of the Global Youth Innovation Network International with headquarter in Washington, DC in United State of America.

The Banjul forum, is been Organised by IFAD in collaboration with the Gambian government. Held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel outskirts of Banjul.

Hannah Foster, ACDHRS

The North Bank Evening Standard- The Executive Director of the African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, ACDHRS, Mrs. Hannah Foster described the human rights situation in Africa as precarious. 

She said the recent coup in Mali and the continuing unrest perpetrated by the Tuareg rebels, the unrest inflicted by the Boko Haram sect in Nigeria, and the continuing repression of peaceful protests in Tunisia demonstrates a lack of respect for human rights.

Non-governmental organisations  from within and outside Africa converged in , 2012 to discuss the precarious human rights situation in the continent.

While remembering victims of human rights violations in Africa, Mrs. Foster implored on the Governments to practice what they preach in order to consolidate the gains registered against impunity. 

Children for Children Organisation Changes Name

Ibrahim Ceesay CAID Executive Director

Children for Children Organisation-CFCO has from 12 March, 2012 changed its name to be now called Children  and Community Initiative for Development-CAID.

This information was disclosed to youth leaders,including our reporter, through an email sent by  its Executive Director, Mr. Ibrahim Ceesay.

 In the said Ceesay stated that they have from 12 March, 2012 “changed the name of our organisation (CFCO) to CAID.  We wish to inform all youth leaders and to introduce you (youth leaders) that the new official identity of change explain the reasons for this positive change.

“We kindly ask that you update your records to reflect this name change effective from 12th March 2012, we become Children and Community Initiative for Development (CAID), a name that better encapsulates our vision, mission, primary objective and more accurate reflection of what we do: empowering children and marginalized communities.”

He added that the timing of this transition is deliberate, noting that there has been no change in management and they would continue to do their best to which, “we have built our reputation”.