By Mariam Williams
The Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) together with all the United Nation (UN) agencies in The Gambia, recently concluded a two-day tour in commemoration of the UN day celebration, held in North Bank Region (NBR) and Lower River Region (LRR) of the country.
This year’s commemoration took place in different forms, as series of activities were conducted in the rural Gambia, inter alia site visit of feeder roads rehabilitation programme in Alkali kunda in (Baddibu) NBR, fruit tree-planting at Chamen Songhai Gambia Initiative, blood donation, HIV counselling and testing, dignity kits distribution to create access to menstrual hygiene information and products for adolescents as a pathway to achieving sexual and reproductive health in Soma Upper and Senior Secondary Schools, and cowpea harvesting in Jarra Madina-LRR.
The tour was purposely meant to decentralise their work as well as to have engagements with communities benefiting from UN projects across the country.
The theme for this year’s commemoration was, “Achieving Sustainable Peace through Dialogue “.
Speaking to members of the press on hand, the UN Resident Coordinator in The Gambia, Saraphine Wakana, reasoned that the cited theme was chosen considering the situation in the Gambia, but also the mandate for the UN’s support to all countries in that situation.
Reminding that The Gambia is under a transitional period, the UN top diplomat in Banjul told the newspeople that UN had a lot to do to get where they are today.
“We think that we need to remain committed, that’s why we said throughout next year is going to be a busy year because we will be preparing for 2021. For us, we want to work on prevention and this can only be done by Gambians”.
Madam Wakana catalogued that, they are trying to see how Gambians could come together as one and start dialogue within themselves, to talk about what is happening, what should be The Gambia tomorrow and what is The Gambia they actually want. She believed that when that’s done from the root to the Central Government, it’s going to be good for The Gambia, and that the UN would be happy to see that happening.
The Resident Coordinator pointed out that peace is not only based on war situations in different places, noting that they see things getting bad without being in a war situation. This, she reasoned, is because maybe people are not talking to each other.
She informed the press: “We assume that there is peace but somehow, there are some issues in between. That’s why some time back last year, the UN conducted conflict in development analysis and issues were really brought up, showing issues we should be dealing with to build peace in the Gambia.”
She disclosed also that there are a lot of questions around the land {issue} and they also know that Gambians are coming from a long period of dictatorship rule; that people were not used to talk to each other.
She noted that what is happening at the TRRC is based on what happened in the past, cautioning that if they don’t deal with these issues now, it can bring in {other} issues later.
The UN Resident boss pointed out that the UN is made up of different agencies which is based on implementing the SDGs {Sustainable Development Goals} and no one could do it alone.
“We need to do it together, that’s why I am here as the Coordinator because I love to see my agencies work together,” the top UN envoy to Banjul, stated.
She said celebrating the UN day is important to everybody; that as members of the UN system, they should be happy to see that everybody is celebrating with them. Wakana held that it’s important at least, one day in a year, to reflect on what they do and for them it’s also important to come closer to people that “we serve and that’s why we decided to come to these two regions in commemorating such a great day”.
Madam Aissata De, UNDP Country Representative, explained that the UN Day is not only for UN works but is a day of celebration for all UN member states, all people who share community together as UN.
According to her, this was not their first time to be in these areas, adding that UNDP has been here since 1975, describing it as “a long partnership”.
Deputy Governor of LRR, Mr. Kebba Darboe, said this day is a symbol of cultural diversity which is manifested at country level. “I am reliably informed about the activities to be observed in the region and the involvement of the grassroot is appreciated”.
Darboe said he’s highly confident that the cordial relationship between the UN family and the government of the Gambia would continue to grow from strength to strength.
“As we celebrate this important day, I wish to encourage all partners to take advantage of the enabling environment created in the new Gambia to promote peace,” the Number 2 head of LRR remarked.
He assured their continuous collaboration at all times, especially in LRR.
Alhagie Jarjusey, Chief Jarra West, thanked UN family for helping in maintaining peace in the world, at large. He hailed the efforts of UN System in The Gambia, adding that UN has been sponsoring peace keeping in the entire world.
Other speakers included: Saikou Kawsu Gassama, PS Office of the President (OP); Ebrima Dampha, Governor of NBR; Alh. Fabala Fadia Kinteh, Chief of Lower Baddibu; Ebrima Jammeh-Chief of Baddibu Iliassa; Haruna Kuyateh, Wanep Focal Point person in NBR; and Lamin Keita, Head boy of Mbamoi kunda Lower Basic School in NBR.
