Government, UNDP and Partners Reaffirm Commitment to Peace and Reconciliation Efforts

9 October 2025: The Gambia Government officials, United Nations agencies, and civil society partners have reaffirmed their commitment to consolidating peace and national reconciliation during the third-quarter (Q3) Technical Committee meeting of the Infrastructure for Peace (I4P) Project, held at the Ocean Bay Hotel in Cape Point, Bakau.. Mr. Baboucarr Trawally, Project Manager at ITC chaired the meeting, which brought together representatives from the Ministry of Interior, UNDP, the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), and other stakeholders from the civil society organisations, including the Gambia Federation of the Disabled (GFD) to review project progress, challenges, and priorities for the final quarter of the year. In his opening remarks, Mr. Trawally said the gathering was aimed at sharing updates on the achievements of the I4P project and aligning strategies to strengthen social cohesion and stability across the country. Speaking on behalf of UNDP, Mr. Jira Mansare commended the Government and partners for their collaboration and emphasized that disability inclusion remains a core requirement for all peacebuilding interventions. He highlighted the completion of the third-generation Conflict Development Analysis Report (May 2024) and the ongoing efforts to fast-track the enactment of the Peace and Reconciliation Commission (PRC) Bill, which is currently awaiting Cabinet endorsement. “The validated scoping study on peace structures will guide the establishment of the PRC, marking a critical step in building a sustainable peace architecture for The Gambia,” Mr. Mansare said. Delivering remarks on behalf of the Government, Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS) at the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Kassama, reaffirmed the Ministry’s dedication to peacebuilding and democratic consolidation. He revealed that a Peacebuilding Unit is being established within the Ministry with UNDP support, describing it as “vital for promoting inclusive and resilient governance.” “Without a robust and inclusive national peace infrastructure, efforts towards national unity and sustainable development remain fragile,” DPS Kassama warned. Peacebuilding Fund Coordinator, Ms. Gola Keng, praised the I4P team for its field-level results, particularly linking job creation to peacebuilding in rural regions. She announced a Peacebuilding Fund Technical Committee retreat and a Civil Society Convening to be held later in October, as well as a high-level donor mission scheduled for December 8–12, which will bring 13 top international donors to The Gambia. “These visits show that global attention remains on The Gambia’s peace process,” she noted. “We must continue communicating achievements and identifying remaining gaps.” The meeting concluded with renewed pledges of collaboration among government, UN agencies, and civil society to strengthen national unity, promote inclusion, and consolidate The Gambia’s peacebuilding achievements.

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