ECOWAS to launch National Peace Campaign and Dialogue on Democratic Reforms and Youth Participation  in The Gambia

Abuja, Nigeria, 24^th October 2021. As part of its preventive diplomacy activities in support of peaceful presidential election scheduled for 4^th December 2021 in The Gambia, the Directorate of Political Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission will launch a National Peace Campaign and Dialogue on Democratic Reforms aimed at promoting Youth Participation in Political Processes in The Gambia.

This activity will take place in Banjul from 25^th to 27^th October 2021, in collaboration with the African Union Secretariat of the African Governance Architecture (AU-AGA) and the National Youth Council of The Gambia (NYC). The programme will bring together youths from all the administrative regions of The Gambia. It will be facilitated by the Directorate of Political Affairs, with support from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), through its African Peace Programme (APP).

It may be recalled that from 26^th to 31^st August 2019, the African Governance Architecture (AGA) Secretariat and the Directorate of Political Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission jointly conducted a Technical Assessment mission in response to the request made by the Government of The Gambia, to assess the status of youth participation in political processes in the country, with a view to making recommendations aimed at enhancing youth  participation and engagement in the ongoing political processes in the country.  The multi-sectoral team was composed of AGA Secretariat, ECOWAS, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), and the African Union Commission (AUC) – DPA, as well as two independent experts and a representative of the German International Development Cooperation (GIZ).

Pursuant to the outcome of the technical assessment mission, especially as The Gambia is preparing for its first cycle of elections under the new political dispensation in December 2021, the ECOWAS Directorate of Political Affairs, in collaboration with the African Union, has planned a workshop on National Peace Campaign and Dialogue on Democratic Reforms and Youth Participation in Political Processes in The Gambia. This activity is in line with the joint action plan that was defined at the end of the technical assessment mission conducted in August 2019 in The Gambia.

Discussions at the meeting will consider, among others, the ongoing transitional reform processes in The Gambia, the identification of innovative ideas and programs for youth participation in the political processes in the Gambia, and make recommendations to the relevant stakeholders in this regard.