By Zainab Jobarteh
The Minister of Information, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay recently attended the 5th edition of the West African Dialogue in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. The conference, which focused on the theme, ‘How the political environment in West Africa shapes regional security dynamics and impacts the mandates of international peace support operations on the African continent,’ brought together key stakeholders to discuss critical security challenges in the region.
In his speech, Dr. Ceesay highlighted the various security challenges West Africa faces, including violent extremism, organised crime, social unrest, transnational trafficking, as well as the political instability stemming from contested elections and military coups. He also stressed the need for stronger regional cooperation and international collaboration to address these issues, noting that no single country can tackle the region’s security challenges alone.
Despite these obstacles, Dr. Ceesay underscored the region’s progress in democratisation, economic growth, and regional cooperation, emphasising the importance of good governance and proactive measures to prevent further instability and encourage investment and development.
The Gambian Information Minister also served as the moderator for a high-level panel discussion that explored pressing issues such as the new challenges affecting governance in West Africa’s current security context, enhancing democratic oversight for improved security governance, and pathways to returning constitutional rule in countries currently governed by military regimes.
The Minister’s participation in this important dialogue underscores The Gambia’s commitment to addressing regional security challenges through governance reform and regional cooperation.
