D. Averting Constitutional Crisis Through Regional Preventive Diplomacy in
The Gambia (Lesson #2582)
Observation.
Regional diplomacy by political leaders can prevent armed conflict and avert escalation of a constitutional
crisis when coupled with investments in measures to sustain peace and strengthen institutions. This was
evident in The Gambia when long-term dictator Yahya Jammeh peacefully conceded power to his political
opponent who won the 2016 election after leaders in the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), and the United Nations (UN) mediated with unified political resolve.
Discussion.
The Gambia is a small country located in West Africa, lining the Gambia River and entirely surrounded by
Senegal. It gained its independence in 1965 from Britain, soon after Senegal gained its independence in
1960 from France. In 1994, Yahya Jammeh took power in a bloodless coup, and his authoritarian rule
extended for 22 years. Although Jammeh was subsequently re-elected in ‘democratic’ elections, he was
seen as a dictator since other political parties were often barred from elections. During his long rule, the
government reportedly repressed free speech/media and committed myriad human rights abuses.
The constitutional crisis in The Gambia began following the results of the 1 December 2016 presidential
elections. Earlier in 2016, the opposition leader for The Gambia’s United Democratic Party had been
detained and arrested. This led to the candidacy of Mr. Adama Barrow, a real estate developer who had
not previously held public office, to represent seven Gambian opposition parties in the election. In a shock
election outcome, Barrow won with over 45% of the vote.
Immediately following Barrow’s election, Jammeh conceded defeat, broadcast across the
country. International organizations such as the AU, UN, and ECOWAS expressed support for the
legitimacy of the election outcome. On 9 December, however, Jammeh reversed his initial acceptance of
defeat and rejected the results of the election, calling for a re-election due to ‘inconsistencies.’ He deployed
Gambian troops in the capital to take over the Independent Electoral Commission and later declared a 90-
day state of emergency to extend his term for an additional three months.
After Jammeh reversed his acceptance of defeat, there followed a multi-leveled, unified international
response. Several West African presidents embarked on diplomatic visits to attempt to resolve the crisis
and persuade Jammeh to leave office peacefully. Sustained efforts included those of Senegal’s President
Macky Sall. Mediation efforts, including visits to the capital of Banjul, were implemented under the
authority of ECOWAS by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, President Muhammadu Buhari of
Nigeria, former President John Mahama of Ghana, and President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone.
International organizations maintained support for the legitimacy of the election results, which Jammeh
himself had initially accepted, saying that they would no longer support Jammeh after 19 January 2017, the
date that Barrow was supposed to take office. However, as the January deadline approached, Jammeh did
not back down. At this point, ECOWAS deployed the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG),
stationing Senegalese troops at the border of The Gambia with troops from Ghana and naval/air elements
from Nigeria, giving Jammeh a deadline to leave on the day of the inauguration of Barrow.
Mr. Adama Barrow was inaugurated as president at the Gambian embassy in Dakar, Senegal, on 19 January
2017. The UN Security Council passed Resolution 2337 on 19 January, endorsing decisions of the AU and
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