The Gambia has settled for membership in the African Union’s Peace and Security Council as President Yahya Jammeh pulled out from AU chairmanship bid to focus ‘on domestic politics’.
In a press statement, The Gambia’s foreign affairs ministry says the country has been elected from the West African region for the period 2012 to 2014.
Foreign ministry attributes the country’s successful election to AU PSC to President Jammeh’s “keen interest in fostering peace and stability for sustainable development throughout the continent and beyond.
This, according to the press statement is evidenced by President Jammeh’s mediation efforts in Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, and Senegal as well as troubled parts of the world where The Gambia commits peacekeeping troops.
Composed of 15 countries, of which five are elected by AU Assembly to three-year terms, and ten to two-year terms, African Union’s Peace and Security Council is the organ of the continental grouping in charge of enforcing the Union decisions.
The Gambia’s election was made at the recently concluded 18th Ordinary Session of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Alongside Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Lesotho, Egypt and Angola, the natural resource-poor tiniest country in mainland Africa assumes its mandate in the Council on April 1, 2012.
The new members replace Burundi, Chad, Mali, Namibia and Rwanda, joining five countries - Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria and Zimbabwe, who are currently serving in the Council for a three-year term.