The European Union Ambassador to the Gambia, Atila Lajos, has assured President Adama Barrow that his government can count on the support of the European Union so long as it remains on this democratic and the transition path.
Ambassador Lajos was at the State House on Monday to hold what he described as “very constructive and very friendly meeting” with the Gambian leader.
The EU has been a strong supporter of the Gambian transition and it made and fulfilled various promises, which were subject of review during the meeting.
The envoy said he has no doubt that the Gambia remains committed to democracy and the transition process. The meeting availed the two leaders to review the processes and achievements that the Gambia achieved in the past two-and-a-half years as part of the transition process. Other national issues and interests to the EU-Gambia partnership agenda were also put on the table.
“The Gambia has embarked on a journey that was not known in advance how it will look like,” Ambassador Lajos said after the meeting with President Barrow.
“I think successes achieved in areas such as TRRC that is to facilitate national reconciliation, the Constitutional Review to draft a new constitution, or the establishment of a National Human Rights Commission are very good examples of achievements the government and the country can be very proud of.”
He added: “We have also discussed issues related to overall fiscal situation in the country, the budgetary discipline, the indebtedness of the country and issues of potential future bottlenecks in national development. These discussions also include what can be done individually by each, individually and jointly.
“We talked in detail the reform processes to be continued in the country, and especially those in the security sector. We touched on other areas of importance for both sides such as migration, which is linked to the Gambia needing all its boys and girls to build up this country. These are areas of national interest and of great importance to the European Union.”
“The Gambia has embarked on a journey that was not known in advance how it will look like.”!
Then i think ambassador Lajos might have known the journey Gambia had embarked on well in advance.
Africa is yet to face more challenges if her nations’ leaders are not well alert with there senses of reasoning and awaken to global geopolitical politicking. Oh, didn’t Putin actually said he is willing to support a Biafra independence struggle … or what I read was a total False News junk?
The world in my opinion has taken a very depressed turn in this decade for whatever reasons and Africa this time, should be at the receiving end of it all at the end of the day as usual. African leaders should cease from being power hungry and corrupt destroyers of their nations and future generations. They (African leaders) should be able to lead in the way and not clinch to power, in order to establish formidable sustainable democracies in their various nations, to impress the nations’ political dispensations with a seal of a better sense security, peace, infrastructural and human capital development. A matured leadership in African nations will prevent African children from [embarking on journeys that are not known in advance how they will look like]. Many African leaders and politicians should qualify from making themselves out like clueless and aimless dummies who would take all the gold and diamonds to Swiss banks, and sell out their citizens lives in titanium and lithium holes etc., where earth would sometimes collapse on child laborers many meters down in those networks of underground holes and bury them permanently. In most cases they would be working for less than $7 for more than
12 hrs a day’s labour! Some get sick and die to illnesses contracted for the toxic mining process and toxicity of the substances they mine. African leaders including Barrow, are witnesses more than anyone else, of the horrific kind of struggles their citizens beat through apart from those countless young Africans whose lives are sacrificed along the way in their frivolous journeys in search of safety or better living across the Mediterranean. But a lot of them (leaders) rather turn their gaze the other way just not to be distracted from the total comfort and ease they find in state house. They would love to make a state house a family house to die in. Just follow myths about African leaders of history and tell me why a lot among them even today will prove to be fools of themselves and their populations. I mean, how does it go down with an E.U member state when an AU ambassador directly or even indirectly interferes in an E.U member state’s sensitive political debate or its apparent political fall out?
Once I heard an old wise Gambian say: “just help me build a good strong barn, my plan, and don’t sweat much over where I will be getting the grain from.”
Gambia knew in advance how she will look like because they will vote Barrow out as he is not trustworthy and has all the unwanted potential of selling Gambia out before Gambians even know. Gambians want to avoid that as that will tear the country apart in civil war that we pray everyday that God forbid. The Gambian and African ‘backway’ or ‘frontway’ asylum seekers are now ashamed and tired of themselves being at the mercy of immigration authorities of other countries and what they go throw or have gone through, thanks to the snoring of untrustworthy, corrupt, clueless and power hungry leaders like Yaya, Barrow, Obiang, Bia and count on from the 54 or 55 African leaders. Barrow happens to be a good example among as he dares look at Gambians in their eyes to tell them a coalition MOU didn’t make him president in less that two years through the transition period. He is a terrible shameless liar and already a scar on the country democratic efforts and aspirations. I think the E.U should reflect on the fact that the coalition were their constitutional development partner and not Barrow. Even if that coalition doesn’t exist right now, I guess the is a great deal of value in that MOU as well as the Gambia constitution and the thought of the Gambian masses. Why would anyone bear the demoralization and sometimes the psychologic hardship in being a refugee in other peoples’ country if his/her own country is not a total wreck of embezzlers and power hungry dummies. I think wary Gambians and Europeans should be at ease that, their is not a dearth of capable citizens who have the political prowess, enlightened democratic mindsets, education and honesty to lead by far better than Barrow but he will however stubbornly try to glue himself in that chair.
African leaders, if I were one, could be jumping awake from nightmares of the war in Libya and her likes where outsiders are hassling and ravaging within and around warring citizens in the name of those countries’ national interests. You might even think those asteroids that keep NASA worrying about a possible cosmic doom on earth is nothing but merely a distraction from the actual smoking man-made ticking-time doom. Why should one care about 10s of billion miles of doomsday away when there is always one a few hundred or thousand kilometers away.
Development partners should help Gambia and other African nations, mount motors on their nations’ democracy chassis and not help nations to get stuck at one place with it again.
*…. an Africa this time, shouldn’t be ..
My most sincere condolences to the entire Jawara family on the demise of the first Chief Minister, Premier, Prime Minister and President, Alhagie Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara.
May The Almighty Allah bless and honour him in the highest place in Janatul Firdaus.
Babu, Ameen Allah; this is probably the best of words I’ve heard from you so far in this year….
May Almighty bless Jawara & us all in eternity; & grant the country, the family in particular & love ones, the strength to come to terms with the loss; Ameen …
Sir Dawda Kairaba’s life will be celebrated forever by masses by generations to come. He was poorest African president clearly in our minds ..? Generally, his family and relatives are humble and have always lived the humblest of lifestyles while Sir Dawda was president. He has passed away with grace. May his soul rest in eternal peace.