Gambia welcomed back to Commonwealth ‘family’
GAMBIA was readmitted to the Commonwealth yesterday, five years after its now exiled former authoritarian leader withdrew his country from what he called a “neo-colonial institution”.
During his 23-year rule, Yahya Jammeh, who fled Gambia a year ago, repeatedly clashed with British authorities over criticisms of his government’s human rights record. He withdrew Gambia from the grouping, which includes Britain and most of its former colonies, in 2013.
President Adama Barrow, who won a December 2016 election that Mr Jammeh rejected, is attempting to reverse many of his predecessor’s most controversial decisions and rehabilitate Gam- bia’s image abroad. “Gambia is ready to regain its former glory on the international stage and reiterates its commitment to the fundamental values of the Commonwealth Charter,” a foreign ministry statement said.
Gambia’s re-entry means there are once again 53 member states in the Commonwealth, the voluntary association of mostly former British territories. Gambia will be among the countries attending the organisation’s biennial summit, to be held in London in April.
Boris Johnson, who visited Gambia to reset ties in February 2017, said: “This shows that when a country commits to strengthening democracy, governance and the rule of law, it is welcomed back to the international community and the Commonwealth family.”