11 Gambian ambassadors ask Jammeh to quit

Eleven serving ambassadors of The Gambia have called on President Yahya Jammeh to quit and hand over power to President-elect Adama Barrow.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, revealed this to UN correspondents during a press briefing.

Haq said Mamadou Tangara, the permanent representative of The Gambia to the UN, was among the Gambian envoys, who appealed to Jammeh to peacefully transit power.

“The secretary-general met today with the outgoing permanent representative of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia to the United Nations, Mamadou Tangara, to discuss the deteriorating political situation in the country,” Haq said.

“The secretary-general commended Ambassador Tangara for his appeal to President Yahya Jammeh.

“This is along with 10 other Gambian diplomats serving overseas, to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power to the President-elect, Adama Barrow.”

He said Ban expressed deep concern about Jammeh’s refusal to hand over power, in accordance with the Gambian constitution.

The spokesman said the secretary-general reiterated the commitment of the UN to support efforts for a peaceful, timely and orderly transfer of power from Jammeh to Barrow.

According to him, the commitment of the UN is in full respect of the will of the Gambian people, working closely with all regional and international partners.

Haq said he could not explain the reasons for Tangara’s status as outgoing and could not say if he had been recalled by Jammeh.

He said the Gambian permanent representative represented himself at the meeting as “outgoing”.