On the 22nd of July 1994, at the backdrop of a cloud of uncertainty surrounding all sectors of our society, in terms of infrastructural development, education, health delivery system, etc., a group of military men, headed by a young Lieutenant Yahya Jammeh, took over the mantle of leadership of this country. The Revolution saw the commencement of reconstruction work in earnest, embarking on projects such as construction of roads, schools, the establishmentof the first university programme, and health facilities, among others.

Honouring its slogan ‘power to the people’ and ‘military with a difference’, the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council government swiftly embarked on one of its most remarkable and memorable undertakings during the transition period, seeking the consent of Gambians regarding the number of years they would want the AFPRC to govern the country. Individuals from diverse backgrounds were appointed as members of the National Consultative Committee (NCC). This body, headed by Dr Lenrie Peters, was tasked with the responsibility of traveling the length and breadth of the country to seek the desire of the people. The results, majority of Gambians decided that the AFPRC should be given two years transition period to civilian rule. Chairman Jammeh respected the will of the people, thus their timetable was reduced from four to two years.

The AFPRC established a Constitutional Review Committee, mandated with reviewing the 1970 First Republican Constitution. That committee invited suggestions from the public on issues relating to their work. At the end of the exercise, the resulting draft constitution was subjected to a nationwide referendum, and it ended up attracting massive yes votes. That referendum was conducted by an independent body called the Provisional Independent Electoral Commission (PIEC). It is worthy to note that this was the first time ever in The Gambia that an independent electoral commission was established. This will be discussed further in this special edition.

Towards the end of the transition, Chairman Jammeh, at the fervent request of prominent elders and community members across the country, resigned from the military to contest for the first presidential elections since the Revolution.

With the Independent Electoral Commission, the elections were conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner. This, of course, has been attested to by foreign observers, election officials and voters themselves. Jammeh won the elections, becoming the first president in the Second Republic. Work continued in earnest, resulting in numerous achievements.

The first two years of the Revolution

During the two-year transition from military to civilian rule, The Gambia realised numerous achievements in key development areas. The AFPRC focused on health, education, the economy, road network, communications and other areas. The significant achievements of the first two years of the Revolution were the construction and equipping of schools across the length and breadth of the country (lower, middle and senior); the establishment of a modern referral hospital in Farafenni; the upgrading of clinics and health centres; massive road reconstruction and rehabilitation, notably in Bundung, Bakau and Banjul, as well as embarking on major road projects all over the country; the establishment of a television station, and the building of a modern airport terminal and air traffic control tower.

The major achievements in the first two years attracted a school song, entitled ‘Gambia sunu reew’, a tribute to the Gambian leader:

Gambia our country

The Gambia, The Gambia our country

The Gambia, The Gambia our country

In The Gambia you establish the television

In The Gambia you built the airport

In The Gambia you built the hospitals

In The Gambia you increased the number of schools

In The Gambia, you built roads

In The Gambia, you revived the Jahali Pacharr project

Let’s farm because it is useful

Teachers teach the heroes, lawyers, doctors, ministers

Teachers teach the heroes, lawyers, doctors, ministers

Yahya Jammeh, the children are grateful to you

Jammeh Musa, the elders are praying for you

Jammeh Musa, the elders are praying for you

May the Almighty Allah empower us in our country for us to unite and develop our country

May the Almighty Allah empower us in our country for us to unite and develop our country

May the Almighty Allah empower us in our country for us to unite and develop our country.

The Gambia today

Good governance

As early as the transition period, the AFPRC/APRC government in its rectification programme established institutions to uphold the ethics of our good governance and democratisation process.

Separation of power

The Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary, each empowered in its own right to man the affairs of the nation.

The Independent Electoral Commission

Established for the first time in the history of The Gambia, the Independent Electoral Commission manages, regulates and conducts all elections in a free, fair and transparent manner. During election campaigns, the IEC allocates to all parties, including the ruling party, equal air time on the national radio and television. The IEC also supervises public meetings in respect of the location and time to prevent confrontation.

The Office of the Ombudsman

This is another independent body where parties as well as individuals can go to for redress, irrespective of their party affiliations, religious background or status. The Office of the Ombudsman can litigate between employers and employees in public institutions, in the event of disagreements over dismissals and other related issues.

The National Council for Civic Education

This institution is charged with the responsibility of educating the entire Gambian populace on their civic duties and rights.

The Supreme Court

Before the advent of the 1994 Revolution, the Privy Council in the United Kingdom was where litigants took their cases for final arbitration, now it can be done on the Gambian soil, saving cost and time.

The reduction of voting age from 21 to 18

This gave the wider population the opportunity to make its choices regarding who should govern them.

Demonstration of tolerance

Despite an opposition critical of Jammeh’s government, the atmosphere of tolerance has always prevailed. This has been demonstrated in a number of times when an event occurs that brings leaders of the opposing parties together. This also reminds of the various roles he plays in ensuring in advocating for international justice, for example the case of Cuba, Guinea Bissau and Guinea Conakry.

But the greatest demonstration of all, which serves as a shining example for the whole of Africa, is the extending of a branch of olive by President Jammeh to the former President of The Gambia, Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, which he honourably accepted. Since the reunion of Jawara and Jammeh, Gambians have witnessed the latter honouring the former during national events, a picture-pleasing to the eye for peace-loving people.

The Education sector

Several schools (lower, middle and senior) have been built throughout the country. A conducive environment was also created for private sector participation. Example by 2007, middle and senior secondary schools, both government and private, in Banjul and KMC, rose from a dozen to more than five dozens and these numbers keep increasing every year. This regime has also witnessed rapid increment of lower basic schools from 250 to 590; upper basic schools also increased from 22 to 196 and senior secondary schools from 12 to 103, while enrolment for students at lower basic schools to senior second ary schools increased from 132, 591 in 1994 to 411, 443 in 2014.

The impacts of the so many schools

➢ This has created greater access to education

➢ The proximity to schools has eased the burden of parents in finding schools and guardians in the urban area for their children

➢ Easy access to schools

➢ Promoted the enrolment of girls

➢ Brought about affordability

➢ Promoted the education-for-all policy

➢ Reduced overcrowding

➢ Offer equal opportunities for less privileged and privileged alike

University of The Gambia (UTG)

For the first time in the history of this country, Gambians have been given the opportunity to pursue degree courses at home. First it was the successful university extension programme under the transition period, which led to the establishment of a university, in 1999. This monumental achievement was of course championed by President Jammeh, popularly referred to as a visionary leader. Since inception to now, the university has produced a substantial number of graduates, most of them in active employment, others abroad on further studies.

Scholarships

Not only did it bring university education to Gambia, but the most major contribution to the success of the education sector by the Jammeh-led government is the provision of scholarships. With a strong desire to see Gambians educated, scholarship schemes were established. Notably among them, the Scholarship Trust Fund, Jammeh Foundation for Peace (JFP), President’s Empowerment for Girls Education Project (PEGEP), and the president’s personal support. And also the free-education for girls initiative, which has made it possible for thousands of less-privileged Gambians to attain high quality education. And not only that, the government in 2014 announced free education for all Gambian children irrespective of gender or political affiliation from primary to secondary and tertiary education by the year 2020.

The Health sector

Referral hospitals & health centres

With the advent of the Revolution, three more referral hospitals were built – the AFPRC General Hospital in Farafenni, the Sulayman Junkung Hospital in Bwiam, and the Serekunda General Hospital which is presently being equipped for active referral services. This, in addition to the colonial-era built referral hospitals (EFSTH and Bansang), now gives The Gambia five referral hospitals. More to this, a pediatric hospital has been built in Kanilai, plus more than 40 new health centres and more than five hundred village health posts.

Doctor/patient ratio

Significant in the health care delivery system is the bilateral cooperation The Gambia enjoys with Cuba, which provides us with hundreds of doctors deployed in all major and minor health centers across the country. This complements the deployment of doctors from other countries that we have bilateral cooperations with in this area, such as Egypt and Nigeria and Syria of recent.

Medical School

A great foresight has been the establishment of the medical school which is now graduating so many home-grown doctors.

Medical equipment

To enhance medical services and operations, President Jammeh saw the need to acquire state-of-the-earth medical equipment, significant among them: CT scanner, Endoscopic machine, Hemodialysis machine, Oxygen concentrator, and Laparoscopic machine. This equipment has improved diagnosis and they have also saved many Gambians the cost of going abroad for treatment or diagnosis.

The APRC crusade in the health sector has resulted in: Cheaper access to government medical services which has been just five Dalasis for almost twenty years per person, until late 2014 when it was increased to twenty five Dalasis only, and the reductions in maternal and child mortality, as well as improved life expectancy (44-57years)

The Agriculture sector

The agriculture sector has received no less attention by government since inception. With the back-to-the-land call by the Gambian leader himself, tremendous awareness rising has been registered about the significance of self-reliance.

While achievements are no doubt being registered in terms of the projects being initiated by government, the personal intervention of President Jammeh has impacted greatly on the sector, with regards to participation of the people. And also, over the years, government has provided hundreds of tractors to farmers, with a number of incentives. A number of new crop varieties aimed at improving the productive base of the farming community in the Gambia have also impacted greatly on the sector. But the most brilliant among the entire anti-hunger crusade was the sanctioning of the Vision 2016 initiative, which aims to put hunger at bay and make Gambia a food self-sufficient nation by 2016.

Women & youth empowerment

The APRC government was quick to realise the potentials of women and the key role they could play in national development. Women, therefore, enjoy equal opportunities since the advent of the Revolution. The Gambia can boast of key positions manned by women. Example, the vice presidency, the Office of the Secretary General was before manned by female, Office of the Speaker of the National Assembly has also been manned by women speakers for many years, coupled with many other ministerial positions, directors, permanent secretaries, village heads, national assembly members, the list goes on.

The empowerment is felt across the board as women at all levels, including grassroots, participate in national affairs. Today, The Gambian youth stands as one of the most empowered in the continent. This has ever been the goal of the government. This has been achieved thanks to the many youth development oriented projects government continues to undertake. The formation of the National Youth Council, run by youth and for the youth, serves as a strong base for these gains.

The formation of the National Youth Service Scheme also marked a turning point for the youth of the country, as it has been able to turn up hundreds of trained young Gambians in diverse fields, majority of whom are now self-employed.

Among other projects targeting the youth are the President International Award, National Enterprise for Development Initiatives, and Gamjobs. Like that of the women folk, government’s development agenda for the youth cuts across all sectors; from education, health, to sports, etc.

Energy sector

Before the birth of the July 22nd Revolution, Gambia’s utility institution was only able to provide electricity to most of its customers for only 12hrs or sometimes none at all, for days, due to low generating capacity. Even there, electricity supply was within a limited area. Today, energy is supplied throughout the country. This is made possible because of the increase in the number of generators, resulting in the construction of a new power plant in Brikama, under the watchful eyes of President Jammeh. That has resulted in the expansion of coverage to major coastal settlements such as Brufut, Sukuta, Sanyang, Tanji, Tujereng and Jambanjelly, and as well as the West Coast electrification project amongst others.

The rural electrification project has enabled 46 towns and villages in rural Gambia to benefit from electricity supply, with new power stations installed in Barra-Essau, Kerewan, Farafenni, Kaur, Bansang and Basse.Today, most rural villages, which were deserted due to the menace of rural-urban drift, are turning into financial centres due to the intensity of economic activities. This is as a result of accessibility to electricity supply.

Investment climate

The advent of July 22 Revolution has seen remarkable achievements in the country’s economic sector too. Seen as a country traditionally dependent on agriculture, The Gambia has over the past 2 decades been making promising strides towards industrialisation. And with the provision of the conducive environment, the private sector has been given the chance to explore all the available investment opportunities.

Sectors like tourism, trade and fisheries have seen significant improvement. The banking and financial sector is flourishing as attestable by the continuous inflow of financial institutions. It is good to note also that the performance of The Gambia’s economy has been so worthwhile that it has been mentioned in a number of reports by reputable international institutions like the IMF and, recently, at some point also the Economics magazine in London also rated the Gambia highly.

Telecommunication

The country’s booming telecommunication sector has also added impetus to the growing financial sector. This is also attributable to the sound ICT policies of government.

The telecommunication sector has seen the birth of four GSM service providers in the country – Gamcel, Africell, Comium and Qcell. This has been hailed as the beginning of the revolutionization of not only the GSM industry, but also the business and other sectors the technology is relevant to.

And also, experts believe that there are over 900,000 mobile phones in use; quite an impressive number for a country of this size in terms of population.

Road infrastructure

From the beginning of the Revolution, it had become a focus for government that existing roads are not only rehabilitated, but that new roads are also constructed to facilitate the much needed communication for continued development. A number of projects have been embarked upon by government in this regard. They include the 168km Kombo Coastal road; the rehabilitation and upgrading of the 20km Barra-Amdallai road, 13km Mandinaba-Seleti road, 193km Soma-Basse road, 23km Basse-Wellingara road, as well as the trans-Gambia Highway. Already the West Field-Mandinaba road has been fixed, added to the newly constructed Brikama-Dimbaya-Darsilami roads, has been completed and commissioned as part of activities marking the 20th anniversary celebrations of the great July 22nd Revolution.These are just some of the major achievements registered by the APRC government under the leadership of His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh.

The road to Vision 2020

The concept behind the goals of the Vision 2020 blueprint is to transform The Gambia into a paradise of some sort. Given the achievement realised within this short period of time, compared to what we had achieved as a nation from pre-independence to the end of the First Republic, there is every reason to rejoice the eminence of reaching the end on the onward journey to the Vision 2020.

It must, however, be reiterated that reaching this end is assured only with the concerted effort of every single Gambian.

Unarguably, the new order of the 21st Century development trajectory has been massive investments in public infrastructure, running into millions and billions of Dollars. The era has seen visionary governments around the world assigning huge chunks of their budgets to public infrastructure, premised on the fact that no sustainable development can take place without this in-dispensable necessity. But even at the level of regional groupings, enhanced infrastructure is a key item on the agenda. Such is the case at both the levels of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union – each has unit for infrastructural development and The Gambia under the Second Republic has an ambitious government under the watch of His Excellency Sheikh Prof. Alh. Dr. Yahya Jammeh. In this race to rapid modernization through enhanced infrastructure, his 20-yearold government is not trailing behind. Since the birth of a new Gambia in 1994, one of the hallmarks of the Revolution has been capital investments in public infrastructure across the board. It is best anchored on the glaring fact that infrastructural development is an indispensable investment need that any serious and responsible government would prioritize as far as meeting the targets is concerned.

Gambia’s participation in peace keeping missions since 1994

It’s no secret that since 1994, The Gambia, through The Gambia Armed Forces has been participating in a range of peacekeeping operations; from the woodland of Burma, the mountainous regions of Nepal, the forest region of Congo, Burundi to Angola, the sand storms of Darfur, Chad; the rainy region of Liberia, Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau, and Sierra Leone and to the mercurial region of Eritrea and Ethiopia. This has in one way or the other improved the lives of the personnel of The Gambia armed and security services, financially, and morally.

Gambian troops have been sent to East Timor and Kosovo; they formed part of the UN peace-keeping forces. In all these conflict areas, Gambians have in the image of their youthful, committed and peace-loving President, performed with distinction and honour.

The Gambia also participated in a 12-month peacekeeping mission in the Sudanese region of Darfur, the first to serve for that duration since that country began the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) in the year 2004.

Since The Gambia became independent in 1965 and joined the United Nations in that same year, it only became a member of the Security Council for the first time in 1999 under President Jammeh’s regime.

The Security Council being the organ of the United Nations charged with the responsibility for the maintenance of international peace, Gambian membership to this august body is an eloquent expression of the recognition of The Gambia’s exemplary record of peace, democracy and stability under the leadership of President Jammeh.

Settlement of disputes and conflicts

Cognizance of the importance he attached to peace, security and stability, the Gambian leader did not only advocate this, but has physically demonstrated it by playing a greater role in settling disputes between political opponents in countries such as Guinea Bissau when he gathered all of its stakeholders and political opponents in Banjul to an open dialogue as means to unite politicians in that former Portuguese colony.

That political forum was described by many as historic; that has provided the Gambian leader the opportunity to interact with major political party leaders of The Gambia such as Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, Hamat Bah and Lamin Waa Juwara, the party leaders of the UDP, NRP and NDAM respectively.

The presence of the Gambian opposition leaders in that forum clearly demonstrates President Jammeh’s commitment to unity and the promotion of peace and stability in the sub-region and Gambia in particular.

Jammeh always calls on the Guinea Bissau politicians to ensure political stability in their country and to distance themselves from politics of violence, abuses and castigations, which he said, would retard the country’s peace and reconstruction processes.

President Jammeh, in October 1998, succeeded in bringing to the negotiating table President Joa Bernardo Vieira and General Ansumane Mane for their first face-to-face meeting in Banjul since the two were locked in a fratricidal struggle for power in Guinea Bissau. From the Banjul meeting, President Jammeh flew with the two men to attend the 21st ECOWAS Summit in Abuja where the two men signed the Abuja Accord which called for the establishment of a government of National Unity, the withdrawal of foreign troops and the deployment of ECOMOG, the military intervention unit for ECOWAS.

Hosting of AU summit

For the first time in the history of the country, The Gambia hosted the 7th edition of the African Union summit in Banjul on 1st and 2nd July 2006, the largest diplomatic gathering in Banjul, which Jammeh’s government funded 98 percent.

Before the start of the summit in Banjul, the private sector also contributed towards its successful hosting. It was a golden opportunity for the private sector to showcase their business products and services to the wider international and local participants and delegates to the event.

Gambia’s participation at the international level

As a man of peace, President Yahya Jammeh continues to play a major role in peace making and peace keeping in West Africa, other parts of the Continent and in the World at large. His expressed commitment to the principle that “development on the Continent will never be possible without lasting peace and stability” is exemplified by the indefatigable efforts he deploys and his success achieved to this end.

In the West African sub-region, President Jammeh initiated the ECOWAS Mechanism for Conflict Resolution, which was formulated and designed in Banjul, which became designated as one of the peace observatories in he sub region.

The Historic Guinea-Bissau Handshake brokered by President Jammeh

President Jammeh, in October 1998, succeeded in bringing to the negotiating table President Joao Bernardo Vieira and General Ansumane Mane for their first face to face meeting in Banjul since the two were locked in a fratricidal struggle for power in Guinea Bissau. From Banjul, President Jammeh flew with the two men to attend the ongoing 21st ECOWAS Summit. In Abuja, the two men signed the Abuja Accord which called for the establishment of a Government of National Unity, the withdrawal of foreign troops and the deployment of ECOMOG, the military intervention unit for ECOWAS.

Significantly President Jammeh made sure that President Nino and General Mane travelled with him in the same special flight to the Abuja Meeting, and stayed an extra day to oversee the signature of the Agreement.

Although the Peace Accord was short-lived, President Jammeh continued in his efforts to avert the escalation of the conflict in Guinea Bissau. Accordingly when the deposed President Vieira was reported to be in poor health and under house arrest, the Gambian Leader intervened on humanitarian grounds for the Bissau authorities at the time to allow the ex-president to travel out of the country. The Gambia then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Lamin Sedat Jobe was sent to Bissau to accompany Vieira to Banjul in a special flight for medical treatment in the Gambia prior to proceeding to Portugal for asylum.

The Gambia was one of the first to send in February 1999 a Contingent to make up the 600 ECOMOG troops charged with the responsibility of enforcing the cease-fire agreed by the ECOWAS Heads of States.

President Jammeh’s peace initiatives and objective demarches contributed immensely to the restoration of democracy in Guinea Bissau through multi party general elections under the supervision of the United Nations and the assistance of friendly countries including The Gambia.

The mediation efforts of President Jammeh in the quest for a peaceful settlement of the conflict between the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) and the Government of Senegal brought new hope for peace to be enjoyed again by the population of the Southern Region of Senegal after nearly two decades of war and the loss of more than 1200 lives. Again Banjul was the platform in June 1999, for peace negotiations which President Jammeh facilitated and which was welcome and hailed by the two parties in conflict. Much progress was made and for the first time there was general optimism that peace and stability would return to Casamance.

Against this backdrop former Senegalese President Abdou Diouf and MFDC leaders agreed that The Gambia should continue to host subsequent meetings and negotiations until the conclusion of a lasting peace. The new Senegalese Head of State, President Abdoulaye Wade has equally recognised the need for Gambian mediation in the conflict. On his part, President Jammeh has express his willingness to join forces with others committed to the search for the rapid and lasting solution to the internecine conflict in Casamance.

President Jammeh is concerned about the conflict involving Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Republic of Guinea which is destroying the very foundation on which the Mano River Union was built with great expectations for their people, for sub regional integration and for African Unity. At the very early stage of the crisis The Gambian President played a very important role in bringing about direct talks in Abuja between the warring factions of Liberia. Spending 16 hours in non-stop dialogue with the Liberian warlords, the Gambian leader personally undertook the herculean task of convincing the Liberian warlords of the need to have direct dialogue. This marathon mediation effort led to the Liberian warlords embracing each other as brothers for the very first time since the Liberian civil war broke out. Battle hardened Liberian Generals broke down in tears on that day.

In 1999, the US Embassy compound was under siege by the Taylor regime and it was thanks to the mediation of President Jammeh that President Taylor allowed the Americans to evacuate Roosevelt Johnson and his militants from the US Embassy compound to Sierra Leone.

Early in the Sierra Leone conflict President Jammeh was the first leader to offer to mediate between the Sierra Leone Government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) led by Foday Sankoh. In the same vein the Gambian leader has played host to the respective leaders of the countries of the Mano River Union (Sierra Leone, Liberia and Republic of Guinea) on a number of occasions, and has he visited all three countries.

In pursuit of his historic mission for peace for all especially in neighboring countries and the ECOWAS sub-region President Jammeh, made a two- day visit to Sierra-Leone to give hope to and as a mark of solidarity with the Government and people of Sierra Leone who yearn so much for peace and stability. President Jammeh, who was visibly moved by the sight of the Sierra Leonean amputees, assured the people of Sierra Leone that he would forever be on a mission to ensure that such atrocities never occurred again in this world.

As recent as April 2001, President Charles Taylor paid a one-day visit to The Gambia at the end of which President Jammeh succeeded in eliciting from President Taylor a commitment to resolve the erstwhile problem between him and President Kabbah of Sierra Leone and President Conte of Guinea regarding the expulsion of the Ambassdors of Sierra Leone and Liberia in a fraternal manner. Furthermore The Gambian President is currently actively involved in the ongoing mediation efforts to forever silence the guns and restore lasting peace in the sub region.

The President’s efforts to restore regional peace has also been characterized by a humanitarian dimension as attested by the various refugee camps in The Gambia which have become safe havens for refugees fleeing violence and the ravages of war especially from Sierra Leone and Casamance and at one time Guinea Bissau. As part of its effort to improve conditions in camps, especially at the Kerr Alhassan Camp, A program of food-for-work has been instituted among other positive community schemes.

As a champion of African Unity, following the footsteps of the great pan Africanist the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, president Jammeh deployed every effort to solve the protracted Libyan-Western impasse following the Pan Am bombing. Thus the Gambian Leader who had sponsored during the Annual Meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Countries in 1997 the famous motion denouncing violence as a weapon of solving problems by the Islamic world, initiated the process to see to it that the whole truth about the alleged Pan Am bombing was brought out in the open to bring relief to the families of the victims as well as Libyan people who had for long suffered under the sanctions imposed because of the bombing allegations.

The courageous efforts of the Gambian Leader bore fruits with the Libyan Leader handing over the two suspects to the Netherlands Courts in the presence of a Gambian delegation led by the Gambian Foreign Minister Dr. Momodou Lamin Sedat Jobe. President Jammeh’s proactive diplomacy to establish the truth and thereby eliminate any excuse to continue to subject innocent people to exploitation and suffering has been widely hailed.

A major consequence of the conclusion of the Pan Am saga has been the redynamisation of the move towards African Unity with Libya now playing a major role in this historic process. This eloquently demonstrates the political foresight, sagacity and genuiness of President Jammeh in all his actions within his own country or abroad. Through such efforts the Gambian Leader is promoting a positive image of Africa not as a land of terrorists but a continent where if peace and stability were given a chance would develop its vast resources and eradicate poverty.

In the area of peace keeping, The Gambia’s record is exemplary and internationally recognised and appreciated. In Africa, Gambian troops have been sent to Sierra Leone and Ethiopia/Eritrea. In faraway East Timor and Kosovo Gambian troops form part of the UN as peace-keeping forces. In all these conflict areas, Gambians have, in the image of their youthful, committed and peace-loving President, performed with distinction and honour.

Since the Gambia became independent in 1965 and joined the United Nations in that same year, it only became a member of the Security Council for the first time in 1999.

The Security Council being the organ of the United Nations charged with the responsibility for the maintenance of international peace, Gambians membership to this august body is an eloquent expression of the recognition of The Gambia’s exemplary record of peace, democracy and stability under the leadership of President Jammeh.

For The Gambian President Dr Alhaji Yaya Jammeh, peace and stability are not mere slogans; rather they should constitute a better way of life not only for Gambians but also for all Africans struggling to escape from poverty and to humanity as whole