By: Binta Jaiteh
The Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (TANGO), in collaboration with the Country Coordinating Meeting (CCM) on Wednesday updated stakeholders comprised of Civil Society and Non- State actors on the CSO community dialogue process to prepare for the Global Fund Grant for HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria amounting over $17 Million.
Speaking at the press briefing held at the TANGO office Bakau, Mrs. NdeySireng Bakurin Executive Director of TANGO, said their main objectives as NGOs and CSOs include contributing towards national poverty reduction and attainment of The Gambia’s development agenda, and just democratic governance through effective coalition-building or advocacy and policy influencing programmes.
She added that their strategic plan seeks to solidify the shared vision and mission of TANGO for a successful implementation of the plan it builds as manifested in the all-inclusive approach throughout their development process.
TANGO, she said, will always make efforts and take the lead in bringing together CSOs and NGOs working with development partners and complimenting government efforts towards achieving the national development plan and the global Sustainable Development Goals.
“We believe real solutions exist to solving these challenges by working together with not only the government but local and international development partners. By avoiding duplication of efforts in maximizing output from our various interventions in achieving sustainable development,” she added.
Mariama Gibba, Communication Officer of Country Coordinating Meeting said “Media engagement is very crucial and CCM works in a very transparent way by the global fund principles. Global Fund chooses to fund these three diseases because they are very expensive to treat prevent or control.”
“We have a lot of media especially with the emergence of social media but is important to engage the maistream media mainly where people rely on to get information like the Radios and Newspapers credible media. I believe we engage them probably as colleagues give them with regards to what we think or how we think media should be engaged,” Muhammed MS Bah, President of the Gambia Press Union told the organisers.
