By Astou Jawara
The United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) has invested $26 Million from 2017 to 2021 in funding thirteen (13) projects in The Gambia.
The disclosure came on Wednesday, 30th March, 2022 at a two-day Review and Coordination workshop organized by the UN Peacebuilding Fund, in collaboration with the Office of the President, at a local hotel in Kotu.
With the theme: “Learning together to harmonize Peacebuilding initiative for better results”, the workshop was meant to discuss and review progress made towards project results and lessons learned to enhance synergy and coordination for greater peacebuilding effects and impacts. These projects focus on transitional justice, security sector reform, institutional strengthening, resolution of land conflict, women and youth participation in decision making, rule of law and community policing, youth against political violence, returning migrants, climate change, support to the implementation of post-TRRC recommendations, provision of mental health service and psycho-social wellbeing of sexual and gender based violence survivors and cross border cooperation between The Gambia and Senegal.
Out of the 13 projects, eight (8) are said to be active and ongoing, while five (5) are operationally closed. All PBF projects designed are informed by assessments and findings of the Conflict and Development Analysis (CDA) done in 2018 and updated in 2019, and an analysis of the emerging issues.
Ms. Saraphine Wakana, UN Resident Coordinator in The Gambia, in her remarks, outlined that the PBF programme is a critical component of the global UN support to the government and people of The Gambia as it continues to strengthen democracy in the world after years of autocratic rule.
She said since the dawn of the democratic transition in 2017, and with the support of the UN Country Team’s ongoing support to the Gambian people, “the UN Peacebuilding Fund was one of the first respondents to support the government in its aspirations towards democratic reforms and transitional justice”.
Ms. Wakana added that the PBF funded projects are designed annually and approved after consultative engagement with national partners and beneficiaries, to ensure that identified interventions are relevant with peacebuilding effects.
“I must say that the needs and aspirations of the country are broad across various sectors, but unfortunately, the PBF is not in position to support all the needs”, stressed the top UN diplomat in Banjul.
Mr. Noah Touray, Secretary General (SG) and Head of the Gambia’s Civil Service, noted that, following the historic election victory of (Adama Barrow in ) 2016 ending 22 years of dictatorship in the Gambia and making a new beginning of the country’s political history, the country set itself some milestones in the new democratic dispensation to safeguard freedom, security and safety of citizens.
“Achieving these milestones is no mean feat and, it is this reason that, the Government of the Gambia approached the UN-Peace Building Commission to support the maintenance of peace in The Gambia during its democratic transition and beyond.
“The UN PeaceBuilding Fund (PBF) has since responded with support that helped catalyze critical peace-building initiatives that have continued to help stabilize the country”, SG Touray highlighted.
