By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
The Gambia Government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a press release condemning the Coup D’Etat in Guinea Conakry that has taken the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) by storm over the weekend. It can be recalled that President Adama Barrow visited Guinea’s President Alpha Condé between June 3rd and 5th 2021.
A press release from the Office of the President announcing his trip highlights that “President Condé was among the regional leaders of ECOWAS who played a significant role during the political impasse following the 2016 Presidential elections in the Gambia”.
The Presidential trip press briefing issued on 2nd June 2021 also states that “the visit will reinforce the ties between the two governments and the strong bond shared by Gambians and Guineans”.
Foriegn Affairs Condemns Guinea Coup D’Etat
Three months later Gambia issued a press release on 5th September 2021 via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which “noted with grave concern the coup d’état in the Republic of Guinea by elements of the Special Forces which resulted in the detention of President Alpha Condé and the dissolution of government, today 5 September 2021”.
“In reaffirming the African Union and ECOWAS positions and principles of the total rejection of all unconstitutional change of Government and putsch, the Government of The Gambia hereby condemns the coup d’état in the Republic of Guinea and calls for the restoration of the constitutional order and underlines the need for the rule of law.”
“The Gambia Government is following with keen interest the current developments in Conakry and once again entreats the military to uphold the rule of law in the country, to immediately and unconditionally release all detained civilian leaders and to preserve the physical integrity of President Alpha Condé” the press release ended.
Presidential Tete a Tete
On June 3rd 2021, EyeAfrica TV published a video of a discussion between President Adama Barrow and Guinean President Alpha Condé highlighting the relationship between the two.
President Barrow speaking via an interpreter told his counterpart that he travelled to Guinea “to discuss issues that will benefit our two countries. I want to discuss issues that will also benefit the subregion that is ECOWAS. And knowing very well that I am a young President and my brother here is a very experienced President. I’ve come here to discuss with you and learn a lot from you”.
President Adama Barrow is currently 56 years of age and has been in power since January 2017. Meanwhile, his Guinean counterpart has managed to change the Constitution to allow for 3 Presidential terms and has been in power since December 2010.
Continuing to highlight the seniority of President Alpha Condé, President Barrow claimed that “everybody knows that [President Alpha Condé] is highly educated, he is experienced and nobody can buy experience you have to go through it”.
President Barrow’s last words in the 1min 43 sec video ended with him applauding the meeting as “a great day in the history of this relationship” between the Gambia and Guinea Conakry.