The Gambia government has dismissed as “erroneous claims” that President Adama Barrow was humiliated by his Malian counterpart, Assimi Goïta.

Report emerged on social media that Goita told Barrow during his visit to Mali last week that he betrayed his three years promise to handover power and used tear gas and live bullets on unarmed civilians.

President Barrow and Ghanian President Nana Akufo Ado accompanied by a team of Ecowas diplomats were in Mali on a mediation trip. 

“Ever since President Adama Barrow and a delegation of West African statesmen returned from an ECOWAS Mediation Mission to Mali recently, erroneous claims emerged that the Gambian leader was terribly humiliated by his Malian colleague, interim President, Colonel Assimi Goïta. 

“Contrary to this false claim trending across social media, The Gambia Government wishes to clarify that it is a shameful fabrication by some enemies of progress determined to sabotage every success story under President Barrow’s visionary leadership,” Ebrima G Sankareh, spokesman of The Gambia Government said 

 “While the misleading report alleges that President Barrow angered his Malian host by advising him to relinquish power for a peaceful transition to democratic civilian rule, President Barrow’s delegation never discussed transition as that was not their Mission to Mali. 

“In fact, the military authorities in Mali had long assured ECOWAS, the African Union and the international community of their commitment to peaceful transition to democratic rule,” Sankareh added.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba