Africa-Press – Gambia. Following their participation in the inaugural Sahel Governance Forum in The Gambia, the UNDP Assistant Secretary-General and the President of the Africa Women Leadership Network separately paid courtesy calls on President Adama Barrow at the State House.
Both leaders congratulated President Barrow on successfully hosting the first-ever Sahel Governance Forum and briefed him on key issues, opportunities, and strategic initiatives relevant to The Gambia.
Ahunna Eziakonwa, UNDP Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa, said her discussions with the President focused on domestic resource mobilization and innovative financing to address the fiscal challenges facing The Gambia. She noted that these gaps have widened following the withdrawal of some aid previously received by the country.
“So we are talking about how we can work together to support Gambia in meeting those development gaps and financing gaps,” Ms. Eziakonwa told the press.
Bineta Diop, African Union’s Special Envoy on Women, Peace, and Security, said her meeting with President Barrow emphasized the need to prioritize gender equality and women’s empowerment not only in politics but also in economic affairs.
“We meet him, for him to put in his own agenda the gender equality agenda, the women’s empowerment agenda not just in the political affairs which is great, but also in the economic affairs as well,” Ms. Diop stated.
She further underscored the need to include women and youth—who constitute over 70% of the Sahel region’s population—in governance and development plans, especially in rebuilding the region’s governance structures.
Although press access was restricted during these meetings, the Statehouse released statements confirming that President Barrow apprised the UNDP of the challenges posed by funding gaps, which have slowed the implementation of the TRRC recommendations. Likewise, he reaffirmed his government’s commitment to gender parity and achieved the 30% gender representation target within governance frameworks to the Africa Women Leadership Network.
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