ECOWAS DEPLOYS A PRE-ELECTORAL FACT-FINDING MISSION TO THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA

The ECOWAS Commission, through its Political Affairs Directorate, is deploying a pre-election mission in Banjul, Republic of The Gambia from 14 to 21 June 2026, in collaboration with the African Union (UA) and the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).

This high-level technical mission is led by Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Former Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana and supported by Madam Miatta Lily French, ECOWAS Resident Representative in The Gambia, and a Technical Team from the Commission, led by Dr. Babatunde Tolu Afolabi, Director of Political Affairs.

The African Union delegation is led by Mr. Samuel Atuobi, while UNOWAS is represented by Ms Falmata Liman, Political Adviser. The mission aims to assess the level of readiness for the presidential election on December 5, 2026 and initiatives that ECOWAS, the EU and UNOWAS could implement in order to build confidence among stakeholders and ensure free, transparent and credible elections.

The mission will therefore be brought to examine the legal, constitutional and institutional framework of the Gambian electoral process, to measure the dynamics of political coexistence between institutions and political actors, as well as potential risks and other early warning signs.

The delegation began its work on 15 June with a briefing on the country’s political situation with the ECOWAS Resident Representative in The Gambia, Her Excellency Ms Miatta Lily French, and subsequently held a working session with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, His Excellency Mr Sering Modou Njie, who, on behalf of the Gambian government, warmly thanked the ECOWAS Commission, the African Union and UNOWAS for their continued support in consolidating democratic governance in The Gambia. He also expressed the Gambian government’s determination to ensure the smooth conduct of the presidential election on 5 December 2026.

“The Gambian government remains fully committed to strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring that the forthcoming elections take place in a climate of peace, transparency and credibility,” he said.

The mission then met with the Minister of Justice of The Gambia, the Honourable Dawda A. Jallow, who provided clarification on the legal, constitutional and institutional framework governing elections in The Gambia. He also made a series of recommendations to the ECOWAS Commission with a view to facilitating the implementation of certain reforms relating to the Additional Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

The team from the ECOWAS, AU and UNOWAS pre-election mission concluded this first day’s work with a working session at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of The Gambia, where Mr Joseph Colley, Chair of the Electoral Commission, accompanied by his Deputy Chair, Mr Cherno M. Jallow, and other Commissioners, outlined all the initiatives put in place by the Electoral Commission to ensure the smooth conduct of the presidential election on 5 December 2026, as well as the challenges facing the Independent Electoral Commission.

The head of the pre-election mission deployed to The Gambia and the ECOWAS Director of Political Affairs have reassured stakeholders in The Gambia’s electoral process that the various recommendations made during the mission will be given priority by the ECOWAS Commission in order to support the smooth running of the presidential election on 5 December 2026.