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| The Gambia's new president Adama Barrow returns home | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Gambia’s new president, Adama Barrow, has returned home, ending a prolonged political crisis sparked by disputed elections that forced him to flee to neighbouring Senegal. | |
| Dressed in flowing white robes and cap, Barrow stepped off the plane as heavily-armed troops from Senegal and Nigeria stood by. He was accompanied by his two wives and some of his children, and welcomed by military officials and senior members of his coalition government. | |
| Barrow’s return ends days of anxious waiting in the small former British colony, which was thrown into chaos when the long-time president, Yahya Jammeh, refused to step down after losing elections last month. | |
| Jammeh left the Gambia, which he had ruled for 22 years, for exile in Equatorial Guinea at the weekend after a last-minute deal and under massive pressure from regional powers. Several thousand west African troops were poised to oust Jammeh if diplomatic talks failed. | Jammeh left the Gambia, which he had ruled for 22 years, for exile in Equatorial Guinea at the weekend after a last-minute deal and under massive pressure from regional powers. Several thousand west African troops were poised to oust Jammeh if diplomatic talks failed. |
| A senior government official in Banjul said it was important for Barrow “to come to avoid the void”. The official said the priority would be “putting into place the pillars of reform and human rights”, adding: “People are very happy.” | A senior government official in Banjul said it was important for Barrow “to come to avoid the void”. The official said the priority would be “putting into place the pillars of reform and human rights”, adding: “People are very happy.” |
| Barrow has promised to reverse many of the authoritarian policies of Jammeh, who was accused of imprisoning, torturing and killing his political opponents. | Barrow has promised to reverse many of the authoritarian policies of Jammeh, who was accused of imprisoning, torturing and killing his political opponents. |
| “I’m 100% a Barrow supporter and I’m more happy than I can say,” said Kanamo Sansou, sitting with his friends at Serrekunda market close to the capital, Banjul. | “I’m 100% a Barrow supporter and I’m more happy than I can say,” said Kanamo Sansou, sitting with his friends at Serrekunda market close to the capital, Banjul. |
| “He will be different in all aspects … we have been living under dictatorship for 22 years,” added a pensioner, Ibrahima Gaye. “You can go home at night and sleep without worrying you will be arrested before daybreak.” | “He will be different in all aspects … we have been living under dictatorship for 22 years,” added a pensioner, Ibrahima Gaye. “You can go home at night and sleep without worrying you will be arrested before daybreak.” |
| Around 4,000 west African troops remain in the Gambia charged with ensuring safety, as it is believed rogue pro-Jammeh elements remain in the security forces that were once under his personal control. | Around 4,000 west African troops remain in the Gambia charged with ensuring safety, as it is believed rogue pro-Jammeh elements remain in the security forces that were once under his personal control. |
| Barrow has asked the force, which had moved into the country to pressure his predecessor to go into exile after he refused to accept his election defeat, to remain in the Gambia for six months, a UN official said on Thursday. | Barrow has asked the force, which had moved into the country to pressure his predecessor to go into exile after he refused to accept his election defeat, to remain in the Gambia for six months, a UN official said on Thursday. |
| “The president of the Gambia asked for the mission to remain for six months, and it’s up to [the regional bloc] Ecowas to decide,” Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the UN’s most senior official in west Africa, told a news conference in Senegal. | “The president of the Gambia asked for the mission to remain for six months, and it’s up to [the regional bloc] Ecowas to decide,” Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the UN’s most senior official in west Africa, told a news conference in Senegal. |
| Diplomats had urged Barrow to return quickly to curb the impact of the political crisis on the tourist-reliant economy, which is already in a fragile state. | Diplomats had urged Barrow to return quickly to curb the impact of the political crisis on the tourist-reliant economy, which is already in a fragile state. |
| In New York, Chambas, the UN envoy for west Africa, briefed the security council on the Gambia during a closed session and stressed that the United Nations was working to bolster stability. | In New York, Chambas, the UN envoy for west Africa, briefed the security council on the Gambia during a closed session and stressed that the United Nations was working to bolster stability. |
| The Swedish UN ambassador, Olof Skoog, who holds the security council’s presidency, said: “We shouldn’t just turn our back on the Gambia now and walk away to the next situation but really make sure that we stay the course and support democracy.” | The Swedish UN ambassador, Olof Skoog, who holds the security council’s presidency, said: “We shouldn’t just turn our back on the Gambia now and walk away to the next situation but really make sure that we stay the course and support democracy.” |
| Barrow will be staying at his own residence until further notice while the State House, Jammeh’s former seat of power, is assessed for potential risks. | Barrow will be staying at his own residence until further notice while the State House, Jammeh’s former seat of power, is assessed for potential risks. |
| His first job is to deal with an internal crisis after it emerged that his pick for vice-president, Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, may be constitutionally too old for the role. | His first job is to deal with an internal crisis after it emerged that his pick for vice-president, Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, may be constitutionally too old for the role. |
| Barrow must also deal with latent ethnic tensions between Jammeh’s minority Jola people and the majority Mandinkas, to whom Barrow belongs. | Barrow must also deal with latent ethnic tensions between Jammeh’s minority Jola people and the majority Mandinkas, to whom Barrow belongs. |
| There is some controversy over the relatively lenient terms under which Jammeh departed. | There is some controversy over the relatively lenient terms under which Jammeh departed. |
| Barrow has assured the former ruler he will have all the legal rights given to an ex-president, which under Gambian law include immunity from prosecution, barring a vote by two-thirds of the national assembly. | Barrow has assured the former ruler he will have all the legal rights given to an ex-president, which under Gambian law include immunity from prosecution, barring a vote by two-thirds of the national assembly. |
| The new government has also confirmed Jammeh will be permitted to keep a fleet of luxury cars, despite the accusation by authorities that he looted $11.4m (£9m) from state coffers before his departure. | The new government has also confirmed Jammeh will be permitted to keep a fleet of luxury cars, despite the accusation by authorities that he looted $11.4m (£9m) from state coffers before his departure. |