Gambian leader, Adama Barrow has addressed the 5th Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security in Dakar, Senegal yesterday.
The Forum brought together Heads of States, government representatives, experts, and partners on peace and security. The theme of the forum was “Peace and Security in Africa: Stakes of Sustainable Stability and Development.”
He explained that the deep rooted threats to peace and stability, such as terrorism, radical extremism, the spread of small arms and dangerous drugs, cross border crimes, maritime piracy and human trafficking have increased with serious consequences. Worsened by poverty and youth unemployment, such social ills make the youth vulnerable to terrorist and criminal groups.
He pointed out that there are emerging threats to deal with as well. These include election-related violence, unregulated migration and abuse of new information technology, to name a few. This state of affairs has particularly made the West African sub-region highly vulnerable to terrorist violence.
The institutional and structural limitations to handle these vices required urgent attention and durable solutions. To this end, priority needs to be put on providing adequate resources, training and operational capabilities for law enforcement agents to effectively address all security threats.
Through peaceful coexistence, good governance and the creation of multiple avenues, and opportunities for employment, we can similarly enhance peace and cohesion in our member countries. Besides these, our economic policies need to absorb the influx of the youth, open up new sources of income for them and harness their potential to contribute to peace and stability.
At the national level, it is essential to refocus growth strategies on the labor-intensive sectors, and encourage the development of the informal sector through value-added production and international trade. Looking ahead, this is viewed as a window of hope for unskilled and low-skilled labor. Nonetheless, further research is needed into how public investment can be more labor-intensive, and the extent to which small businesses can be supported to flourish.
In Africa, we have committed ourselves to silencing the guns on the continent by 2020. Certainly, it is only by working together that we can achieve this difficult challenge. Thus, deliberations should continue to focus broadly on sustained peace and security, nationally, regionally and globally.
For us in The Gambia, the priorities of our National Development Plan (2018-2021) center on economic growth, transformation and development, with emphasis on peace building and sustaining peace and security. In this regard, as civil society we play a crucial role in peace building, institutional reforms and people-centered approaches will continue to inform our peace building efforts.
To revive our economy, we have successfully adopted efficient fiscal and macroeconomic policies and strategies. These are encouraging local businesses to borrow and invest without any fears.
The budget support agreements concluded with our development partners have accorded my government renewed optimism for economic growth and development. To cite an example, we have launched a joint youth empowerment project with the European Union. This project targets skills development and job creation for the youth, in addition to providing opportunities for start-ups in business. All these signify our commitment to democracy, good governance and economic growth and development as major priorities.
In our endeavor to administer justice and unify the nation, the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission established recently have commenced work. Also, the first phase of a major security sector reform program has been undertaken, and we are fully committed to scaling it up in the next phase.
Barrow indicated that a Constitution Review Commission has begun national consultations, as part of the process to draft a new national Constitution. Alongside all these endeavors, residents of The Gambia now enjoy their legal freedoms, liberties and independence as they had never done for more than two decades!
According to him, the Gambian experience underscores the importance of regional and international solidarity and cooperation, with sustained preventive diplomacy as important elements in peace building and sustaining peace.
