By Sainabou Sambou
The United Nations and the Government of The Gambia marked the world body’s 80th anniversary on Wednesday with a high-level ceremony that reaffirmed the commitment to multilateral cooperation, sustainable development, and global peace under the theme “Building Our Future Together.”
Held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba International Convention Center in Bijilo, the event drew Vice President Muhammed B.S. Jallow, UN Resident Coordinator Karl-Frederick Paul, senior ministers, diplomats, civil society leaders, private sector representatives, and heads of UN agencies.
Mr Paul opened the proceedings by hailing the anniversary as both a celebration of eight decades of collective achievement and a sobering reminder of the principles forged in the ashes of World War II. “When humanity stands together, we can turn even the greatest challenges into opportunities,” he declared. “Eighty years ago, nations came together with courage and conviction to build a global system for peace and human dignity. Today, we must renew that spirit.”
The Resident Coordinator singled out The Gambia’s post-2017 democratic transition as proof that determined leadership and international partnership can overcome adversity. He cited advances in governance, economic reform, energy security, food systems, and the empowerment of women and youth, while praising Gambian peacekeepers deployed in UN missions worldwide as “true ambassadors of peace.”
Yet Mr Paul warned that wars, climate change, and widening inequalities are testing the UN Charter like never before. “The principles we hold dear are under strain,” he said, urging redoubled faith in multilateral institutions and deeper collaboration through the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, under which 17 UN entities currently support Gambian national priorities ranging from justice-sector reform to renewable energy and gender equality.
In a stirring keynote address, Vice President Jallow reaffirmed Banjul’s “unwavering commitment” to the UN Charter and to the ideal of nations working together to solve shared challenges. Recalling The Gambia’s admission to the organisation in 1965, he thanked UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, WFP, FAO, UNFPA, and UN Women for transformative work in health, education, agriculture, and climate resilience.
The Vice President, however, sounded a sharp note on global financial architecture. “We spend more on debt servicing than on health, education, and infrastructure combined,” he stated. “This is morally untenable and economically unsustainable.” He demanded urgent reform of international lending systems so that developing nations can meet the Sustainable Development Goals without being suffocated by debt burdens.
Mr Jallow also called for greater investment in Africa’s youth – “the architects and drivers of our development” – and reiterated Gambia’s long-standing demand for UN Security Council reform to give Africa and small states permanent representation.
Echoing the event’s theme, the Vice President insisted that “building our future together is not just a slogan – it is an imperative.” He pledged continued alignment of UN programmes with the National Development Plan and vowed to strengthen partnerships for peace, justice, and shared prosperity.
As the ceremony closed with the cutting of an anniversary cake, both leaders expressed confidence that the next 80 years could deliver a world where dignity and justice prevail for all.
The UN-Gambia partnership, they agreed, remains a living example that progress is possible when nations choose dialogue over division and solidarity over isolation.
