Senegal and Gambia have a close relationship based on geography and history.President Faye is expected this morning in The Gambia, where « political domination » and diplomacy have reinforced Senegal’s economic clout in Banjul.The presence of the army and gendarmerie to protect President Barrow is eloquent proof of this.By Bocar SAKHO – 

After Nouakchott on Thursday, President Diomaye will be in Banjul today. It’s a visit to be decoded in the same way as his Mauritanian sojourn: for The Gambia, lodged in the heart of Senegal, is a geographical and human continuity of Senegal. Not to mention the economic weight of the Senegalese in this enclave. Even if there are no visible signs such as Auchan or Total, considered symbols of economic neo-colonialism here and which crystallize the resentment of certain activists, trade, handling and transport are among the sectors where the Senegalese presence is preponderant. Regardless of this economic weight, Dakar’s diplomatic influence in Banjul has become too strong since President Adama Barrow came to power in 2016. The fall of Yahya Jammeh, forced from power by a military threat after his electoral defeat, led to a redistribution of the cards. The former dictator had become too much of a nuisance, playing a double game which fuelled the periodic resurgence of the Casamance rebellion. This issue has been resolved since his departure into exile, with the destruction of all rebel bases.

Diomaye Launches the Machine for Audits

Today, the advent of President Adama Barrow, who was sworn in in Dakar in 2016, is seen as a further sign of political and diplomatic domination, after economic domination. It’s not uncommon to come across a blue National Gendarmerie vehicle in the heart of the capital’s ministerial and presidential district. A sign of the continued presence of the Ecowas forces who have « implanted » Barrow and are ensuring his security.

« A country that outsources its presidential security is not sovereign. It’s a president under trusteeship. This perception is very strong among young people, » says an activist from the citizen movement Occupy West Field. Echoing this, Yusuf Taylor, spokesman for Guem sa boppa and administrator of the Gainako onlines news website, adds in Le Quotidien: « The presence of Ecowas forces is seriously annoying people here. We are not at war, and their continued presence is unacceptable. Barrow has not yet succeeded in being the real « Commander in Chief » and this discredits his regime.  He has failed to establish total trust with the National Armed Forces. He has forgotten all his promises since he arrived. »

In September 2021, the fifth Senegalese detachment of the Ecowas Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG), comprising 625 military personnel, was again deployed to Banjul and elsewhere to continue their mission. It should be noted that in September 2020, on the side lines of a summit of the sub-regional organization in Niamey (Niger), the Gambian President had requested the extension of ECOMIG, « in view of the reforms underway and the need to protect the fragile democracy in his country ».  Ecowas had agreed to his request, as it coincided with a sensitive period: the organization of the Gambian presidential election on December 4, 2021. He was re-elected, but the situation has not changed. Gambia will host the 15th Summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

Senegal’s ambassador to The Gambia, Bassirou Sène, praised the professionalism of the Senegalese soldiers who are members of Ecomig, the Ecowas military mission in the country, saying that their presence reassures the Gambian population.

Relations with Nouakchott: Dakar Docks in the North

« The Senegalese contingent deployed in The Gambia reassures the population and brings honour to Senegal for the work they do discreetly and seriously. They don’t need to bring out their weapons. Their presence is synonymous with reassurance for the population », declared the diplomat in an interview with Aps, a few hours before President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s arrival in the country.

« What we have retained and the feedback we have received show that people appreciate the presence of this force, especially as their mission now includes a humanitarian component through the construction of health posts and support for the population in certain areas, » said Mr. Sène. « The behavior of Senegalese Ecomig soldiers is exemplary. It reflects the Senegalese Army as a whole. I know the professionalism and respect that the Senegalese military inspire », commented the former Permanent Representative of Senegal to the African Union. It is a new diplomatic force.

bsakho@lequotdien.sn