By: Dawda M. Jallow & Isatou Sarr
The third edition of Gambia National Dialogue was Monday held with the Chief Justice Hassan B Jallow hailing the forum’s continued relevance in reaffirming national values, reviewing challenges, and charting a way forward.
The theme of this year’s dialogue is “Harnessing The Gambia’s Human Capital and Infrastructural Resources for an Inclusive Leap to Prosperity.”
Addressing the gathering, Justice Jallow emphasized the central role of human capital in national development. “No nation, regardless of its natural resources, can achieve sustained progress without harnessing its human capital. People must be the agents, catalysts, and beneficiaries of development. We must invest in our human resources, particularly the youth, to make them effective participants in national development,” he reiterated.
The Chief Justice also highlighted education, training, and capacity building as key priorities. “I look forward to the day when quality, relevant, and compulsory education will be accessible to all Gambians at every level – from nursery to university and professional training. For a nation with limited natural resources, human resource development is both a matter of human rights and the key to national progress,” he added.
He underscored the importance of democracy as government by the people, based on the sovereign and freely expressed consent of citizens through their elected representatives. He outlined the electoral calendar released by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC): Presidential elections – 5 December 2026; National Assembly elections – 10 April 2027; Local government councillorship elections – 22 May 2027; and Local government mayoral/chairmanship elections – 26 June 2027.
“Elections are the gateway to democracy, peace, and progress,” Justice Jallow said, urging all stakeholders – citizens, political parties, candidates, the IEC, the media, and the judiciary – to ensure the electoral process remains free, fair, peaceful, and in conformity with the law.
He called on political actors to maintain respectful campaign language, avoid tribal, ethnic, or religious divisions, and resolve disputes peacefully. “By assisting voters to make informed choices and focusing on relevant issues, we can navigate this gateway to democracy successfully, as we have done in the past, and advance national peace, progress, and prosperity,” Justice Jallow concluded.