The Gambia’s new president Adama Barrow will be staying at his own residence until further notice while State House, Yahya Jammeh’s former seat of power, is assessed for potential risks.
Barrow who was forced to flee to neighbouring Senegal is set to return to Gambia on Thursday his aides said. The announcement capped days of anxious waiting in the tiny West African country that was thrown into chaos when long-time president Yahya Jammeh refused to step down after losing elections.
Speaking to AFP in Dakar on Wednesday, Barrow’s aide Mai Fatty confirmed the president would be arriving home “tomorrow afternoon.”
A senior government official told AFP in Banjul. “New President Adama Barrow is coming “tomorrow at 16:00”, adding “it is important for him to come to avoid the void”.
The official said the priority would be “putting into place the pillars of reform and human rights”, adding “people are very happy and it’s elating”.
Barrow had been urged by diplomats to return quickly to curb the impact of the political crisis on the tourist-reliant economy, already in a fragile state.
In New York, the UN envoy for West Africa, Mohamed ibn Chambas, briefed the Security Council on The Gambia during a closed session and stressed that the United Nations was working to bolster stability.
Chambas is due to accompany Barrow on Thursday when he returns to Banjul.
Swedish Ambassador Olof Skoog, who holds the Security Council’s presidency, said: “We shouldn’t just turn our back on Gambia now and walk away to the next situation but really make sure that we stay the course and support democracy.”
