By Ousman Saidykhan
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dawda A. Jallow, told the National Assembly on Tuesday that the government of The Gambia has no knowledge of any formal agreement between the 2016 Coalition and former President Yahya Jammeh regarding his exile. The statement came in response to a question posed by Kebba T. Sanneh, the National Assembly Member for Foni Jarrol, during a parliamentary session.
Sanneh pressed the minister for details about an alleged agreement between the 2016 Coalition—alongside the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), and the United Nations (UN)—and Jammeh, which he claimed facilitated the former president’s departure into exile in 2017. However, Minister Jallow refuted the existence of such an agreement, stating, “The Government is not aware of any agreement entered into by Coalition 2016 and the former President, Jammeh.”
Instead, Jallow pointed to a joint declaration issued on January 21, 2017, by ECOWAS, the AU, and the UN. The declaration outlined commitments to work with the Gambian government to ensure Jammeh’s dignity, security, and right to return to the country at any time, but Jallow emphasized that this was not an agreement involving The Gambia directly. “That is a joint declaration; it is not an agreement. A declaration is different from an agreement,” he clarified, noting that The Gambia was not a signatory to the document.
Undeterred, Sanneh presented what he described as a 14-point joint declaration from the ECOWAS website, dated January 6, 2017, and questioned why the government had not adhered to its terms. He argued that the declaration was intended to facilitate Jammeh’s exit and that the government had failed to uphold it, alleging violations of all 14 points. “Why was it not protected?” Sanneh asked.
Jallow responded, “That was for ECOWAS, African Union, and UN. I work for the Gambia Government; I do not know how to protect that declaration.”
The exchange sparked further questions from other lawmakers. Sulayman Saho, Member for Central Badibou, inquired whether the declaration addressed the prosecution of Jammeh for alleged crimes against Gambians, asking, “When shall Jammeh come to be prosecuted?” The Speaker dismissed Saho’s question as introducing a new topic beyond the scope of the original query.
Similarly, Almameh Gibba, a Member of Foni Kansala, sought clarification on whether the government had fulfilled the declaration’s eighth point, which promised to prevent the seizure of Jammeh’s lawfully owned assets, as well as those of his family, cabinet members, and supporters. The Speaker also ruled his question out of order.
Yahya Menteng Sanyang, Member for Latrikunda Sabiji, challenged the minister on the declaration’s legal weight, arguing that it reflected the intentions and positions of the involved parties and should be enforceable. Jallow countered that he had not claimed the declaration was unenforceable, leaving the matter unresolved.
The session highlighted ongoing tensions surrounding Jammeh’s exile and the government’s stance on international commitments made in 2017, with lawmakers pressing for accountability and clarity on the former president’s status.
