By Lamin Kujabi
President Adama Barrow last week received the new UN Representative for West Africa and the Sahel H.E Leonardo Santos Simão at State House, Banjul.
Speaking to the waiting journalists shortly after his audience with President Barrow, Mr. Leonardo Santos Simao, a Mozambiquan, said he was at the Presidency to formally introduce himself as the new special UN Representative of Secretary General of United Nations for West Africa and Sahel, and also to convey greetings from the Secretary General of United Nations Mr. Antonio Guterres.
He thanked the President for supporting his candidacy and congratulated the government for the progress registered in the TRRC and citizen participation in democratic processes. He pledged to work with The Gambia to consolidate the peace.
He said terrorism, violence and humanitarian situations are negatively impacting on the region’s economy and increasing poverty, which affects the youth.
The UN diplomat added that the President shared with him concerns about the unconstitutional changes of government, some root causes associated with it, particularly the role of the United Nations to regulate some of the challenges.
In conclusion, he highlighted the need for addressing the issue of giving an assurance of a sitting President on their future once they leave power, so that they would not be afraid of leaving power and their future cannot be assurance and this issues has to be address by multi- sectoral bodies.
In a separate but similar engagement, the President received Sheikh Saleh Ahmed Banoon, Hajj Commission representative and proprietor of Manazil Group from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mr Sheikh Saleh Ahmed Banoon said that he was in the country come to greet the Gambian leader.
Mr Banoon, who hosted Gambian pilgrims in 2023, congratulated The Gambia on its achievements of first and third positions in Africa and globally in the 2023 Hajj performance.
He added that he was motivated by the fact that The Gambia, although a small country, was able to attain such achievements.
He committed to funding a National Hajj Commission permanent office to a tune of seventy thousand US Dollars ($70,000)
He said with the provision of an office space the commission will be able to do their work more efficiently.
Sheikh Saleh Ahmed Banoon also prayed for The Gambia for peace and prosperity to continue to prevail. He said the President expressed appreciation and gratitude for the gesture and thanked him for the support. He commended the Hajj Commission for supporting Gambians in performing their religious rites during the Hajj successfully.
He was accompanied to State House by members of the National Hajj Commission, Supreme Islamic Council, and the newly appointed Minister for Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs Hon. Ousman Sowe; and his Permanent Secretary, Saffie Sankareh.