Foreign Office regrets departure

GAMBIA’S decision to withdraw from the Commonwealth is something to “very much regret”, the Foreign Office said.

The African nation announced its departure on Wednesday, saying it would “never be a member of any neo-colonial institution”.

It was not immediately clear what triggered the decision to leave the association of 54 countries largely made up of former British colonies.

Though a popular destination for British tourists, The Gambia has been criticised in the past by the UK for human rights abuses, including when it executed nine death-row inmates by firing squad in August last year.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We would very much regret Gambia, or any other country, deciding to leave the Commonwealth.”

Bakary Dabo, former vicepresident of Gambia and chairman of the country’s campaign for democratic change, said the Gambian people were generally “very happy” to be part of the Commonwealth.

The Queen takes a keen interest in the Commonwealth and is likely to be following developments closely.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

Michael Lake, director of the Royal Commonwealth Society, said: “The unexpected announcement by President Yahya Jammeh was seemingly made without recourse to due democratic process and without consulting the Gambia’s people or diaspora.”