GAMBIA: DOES THE GAMBIA OWE ECOWAS ANY REAL GRATITUDE??

Gambia’s Foreign Affairs minister has asserted that his country would have descended into the unenviable status of a failed state if not for a timely intervention by the West African regional grouping Ecowas.Mamadou Tanagra said the regional bloc had played the solely decisive role in diffusing a potentially explosive political crisis in The Gambia caused by the disputed outcome of a 2016 presidential election which long-term strongman Yahya Jammeh had lost to current President Adama Barrow .

Speaking on behalf of Gambian leader Adama Barrow at the 43rd anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Banjul on Tuesday, Tangara poured effusive praises on the regional body, saying his country has every reason to be proud of the bloc over its recent achievements which sprang from its handling of the crisis.

“Undoubtedly, we have become a beneficiary of the many areas of support and assistance provided by ECOWAS. Not least is the area of peace that was restored in the wake of the political impasse in 2016. Through the intervention of ECOMIG, we have witnessed and enjoyed significant peace dividends without which The Gambia could have been another example of chaos and instability and possibly a failed state” he said.

Tangara expressed Banjul’s gratitude to all its member states for standing resolutely behind The Gambia as she tottered precariously on the precipice of a violent internal strife.

“My government will forever remain grateful. We will ensure that the dividends from ECOWAS actions are sustained, and here I want to make particular reference to the comprehensive security sector reform that my government is embarking on with the view to build greater professionalism in, as well as the requisite capacity in our security sector” he said.

Expounding on the value of regional partnership, he assured the bloc that his government will continue to work in close concert with all member states to ensure that not only is the threat of insecurity banished for good in any one country in the sub-region but in all its territory.

According to him, since it came into being ECOWAS through its very many initiatives has been championing progressives causes in virtually every sphere of human endeavour to better millions of lives in West Africa.