By Edrissa Jallow
The Gambia’s Inter-Party Committee (IPC) held a press conference to announce that another six (6) political parties have signed the Janjanbureh Peace Accord after twelve (12) parties were announced to have signed the Peace Pledge on 26th October 2021. The IPC made this announcement on Saturday 6th November 2021 on the same day that the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced that only six (6) Presidential Candidates qualified for the 4th December 2021 Presidential Elections.
Gainako had published the entire Janjanbureh Peace Accord online and informed its readers that the six parties which failed to sign the Peace Accord were the UDP, GPDP, NRP, GDC, NPP and GANU. However, the remaining six have now signed, meaning that they have all pledged to uphold the principles of “peaceful election campaigns ahead of the December 2021 Presidential election and subsequent elections in The Gambia”.
The IPC Co-Chairperson, Hon. Amul Nyassi told journalists at the press briefing that all the parties they spoke with had signed the peace pledge including President Adama Barrow, meaning that all 18 political parties have signed the Janjanbureh Peace Accord.
“All parties have signed prior to the nomination because our target was before the nomination commences, all political party leaders must append their signatures on the peace pledge and the IPC achieved that,” said Hon. Nyassi.
Explaining how the first twelve signed the Peace Accord Hon. Nyassi detailed that although all political parties attended the breakfast meeting in Janjanbureh, only five party leaders actually attended the meeting.
However, the target of all parties signing was achieved after the IPC followed the remaining six outstanding parties “up to their respective locations be it in their offices or their political bureaus,” said Hon Nyassi.
The IPC was established by political parties as a forum for dialogue and cooperation to promote adherence to the Memorandum of Understanding and Code of Conduct, promote National Reconciliation and ensure consensus building amongst political parties on contested political and electoral issues.
The signing ceremonies for the peace pledge was witnessed by the IEC and the initiative was supported by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Below are the signatures of all 18 parties.
