By Alieu Ceesay
The Foreign Minister, Dr. Momodou Tangara, declared that although the OIC Banjul resolution demands an immediate cessation of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, the Gambia remains dedicated to upholding its bilateral ties with Israel.
However, on Tuesday, the Gambian government declared its decision to uphold its relationship with Israel during a news conference at the OIC in the Sir Dawda Jawara Kairaba International Conference Centre.
“We don’t intend to impose any sanctions on anyone. This resolution is a call, but we will remain a sovereign state guided by our policy of non-alignment and neutrality. Diplomacy involves engaging parties behind closed doors, and we are mindful of the intricacies of imposing sanctions and taking clear positions,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs said.
The OIC Summit recently held in Banjul, The Gambia, concluded with resolutions urging member states to sanction Israel due to its continued incursion into Palestine, which has led to many injuries and deaths.
The resolutions call on OIC member states to apply diplomatic, political, and legal pressure, which includes enacting sanctions at different international levels, removing Israel from international bodies, not supporting its bids for global roles, and seizing assets of those involved in offenses against the Palestinian populace.
Yankuba Dibba, the Chief Executive Officer of OIC Gambia, characterized the summit as a success despite certain challenges, including unfinished road projects.
“We have had a very successful summit by all counts. Summits are evaluated not by the beauty of the road but by the quality of the declaration and communique that arise from the summit. We have come out with the best outcome that any summit can expect,” said Dibba.
Dr. Ismaila Ceesay congratulated President Barrow Gambia for assuming the chairmanship of the OIC. He highlighted The Gambia’s proactive stance on global issues and advocating for humanitarian aid.
Naflly Fadera, Branding and Communication officer of OIC, emphasized the economic impact on the Gambian economy.
“More than 90% of the contracts issued as part of our event planning went to Gambian companies, many of which are owned by locals,” Fadera noted.
The summit marks a historic moment for The Gambia, which has held the chairmanship of the OIC for three years. However, the completion of specific projects, such as roads and a five-star hotel, remains pending. CEO Dibba assured that these projects would be completed.
