The political parties involved in the proposed CHANGE Coalition have agreed to extend negotiations by two weeks to resolve outstanding issues in the draft coalition agreement.

In a statement signed by APeX Chairperson Dr Jaye Ceesay Krubally and APeX Outreach Lead Mr Demba Ali Jawo, the stakeholders said the decision followed extensive discussions involving APP Sobeyaa, GFA, Tabax Rewmi and UDP.

The parties agreed to hold informal bilateral consultations over the next two weeks to review and resolve the remaining issues in the draft coalition agreement.

The statement said UDP’s recently unveiled alliance is recognised and that bilateral discussions with other political stakeholders remain permissible.

The UDP also reaffirmed its commitment to a broad-based and inclusive coalition that benefits all participating parties, their alliance partners and the wider public.

The stakeholders will reconvene on Sunday, 30 August 2026, with the aim of concluding the APeX-facilitated negotiations.

APeX said it recognises the public interest in the process and thanked Gambians for their patience, understanding and continued support.

The initiative began engaging political stakeholders in early 2025, following preparatory work that started in April 2023.

The parties also acknowledged the recent withdrawal of the National Unity Party (NUP), which has chosen to pursue a different political path, while commending all stakeholders for their efforts throughout the negotiations.