The promotion, maintenance of peace and security are paramount to the development aspirations of any nation, a Gambian minister said on Thursday. The minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, Abdou Kolley, said without peace and security, it would be difficult to make any meaningful progress. He said it was for this reason that the Gambian government had embarked on continuous consultation with relevant stakeholders including council of elders and faith leaders towards the sustenance of the peace and security. Kolley made the remarks at the opening of the Council of the Wise Retreat with the theme, 'Towards Consolidating ECOWAS’s Preventive Diplomacy Efforts in the Region' in Banjul.

He noted that The Gambia’s preoccupation with peace and security stretched far beyond its borders as the country attached great importance to sub-regional and international approaches to addressing conflicts.

He recalled the initial idea of an ECOWAS peacekeeping mission, ECOMOG, was born in Banjul under the chairmanship of the country's former President Alhaji Sir Dawda Jawara.

According to him, ECOMOG was instrumental in bringing to an end the conflict that ravaged the Republic of Liberia in the 80s and early 90s, adding the Gambia, under the ECOWAS banner, continues to participate in various sub-regional peacekeeping mission to help bring and maintain peace in the sub-region.

ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Brigadier General Mahamane Toure, said Article 20 of the ECOWAS Protocol relating to the mechanism for conflict prevention, management, peacekeeping and security of 1999 established the Council of the Wise as part of innovative ways of tackling conflicts and the promotion of good governance in the region through the method of preventive diplomacy.

He noted that the retreat is taking place at a critical period of the development of the region and two of the Member States, Guinea Conakry followed by Niger, which emerged from a deep crisis, elected their leaders, through a process which was considered by observers as transparent, free and fair.

Pana 01/07/2011