Stakeholders in The Gambia have held a round table discussion on conflict prevention for both national and international partners aimed at promoting and strengthening peace in the country.

The forum was organised by the West African Network for Peacebuilding brought together top government officials and development partners.

Speaking at the forum the permanent secretary Ministry of Interior, Assan Tangara, said the two years in the transition process of the Gambia under President Adama Barrow in partnership with International bodies like UN, ECOWAS and EU has made “significant strides to protecting the country new found democracy”.

“The peaceful change of government and the increased international support, the legacy of the former authoritarian regime posed challenges to a peaceful transition towards democratic governance and respect for the rule of law,” he said.

Also speaking on behalf of WANEP at the forum, Momodou B. Bah described the forum as a clear expression of commitment to deepening meaningful collaboration, adding that “the establishment of Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, National Human Rights Council and Constitutional Review Commission as well as the Security Sector Reform are concrete steps to address a legacy of human rights violation and instruments dysfunction.”

He added that the current political climate provide the right timing to deepen collaboration between national and international partners to addressing Gambians desire for peace, justice and consolidation of democratic governance following two decades of authoritarian rule of the former regime.

He said WANEP Gambia have been working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to enhance national capacities for collaboration, peacebuilding and conflict prevention.

Mr. Jallow said in 2018 under the Peace and Social Cohesion Output of the UNDP consolidating Democratic Governance for Development in the Gambia conducted the conflict and development analysis in The Gambia.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba