In recent weeks, some officials in The Gambia have claimed that “no previous government has accomplished as much as theirs.” Such claims are not only misleading but risk distorting the truth about our country’s journey to peace and stability. The reality is this: the peace and security Gambians enjoy today are not the product of recent slogans, but the lasting legacy of Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

From the earliest days of independence, Sir Dawda recognized an undeniable truth: The Gambia, as a small nation in a volatile region, could not guarantee its safety alone. His response was to champion regional cooperation. In 1975, The Gambia became a founding member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This strategic decision ensured that our country would always have allies to lean on during moments of crisis.

Sir Dawda’s vision was more than diplomacy on paper it came alive through bold actions that helped shape West Africa:

Addressing the Crisis in Liberia

During the Liberian civil war, he sounded the alarm, calling the situation a “slaughterhouse” and urging regional leaders to act.

In 1990, The Gambia hosted a peace conference in Banjul, bringing together Liberia’s warring factions and political leaders to chart a course for reconciliation.

That conference paved the way for ECOMOG (ECOWAS Monitoring Group), the region’s first peacekeeping force. Sir Dawda’s leadership and moral authority were central to rallying support for the mission.

The Gambia contributed troops and vital supplies to support ECOMOG, showing that even a small country could play a meaningful role in promoting stability.

Beyond sending troops, Sir Dawda pushed for ceasefires, transitional governments, and credible elections to ensure that peace would be sustainable.

When The Gambia faced its own crisis in 2017, it was ECOWAS — the very institution Sir Dawda helped build — that intervened to protect our sovereignty and ensure a peaceful transition of power. Even today, the Gambian government continues to extend ECOMOG (ECOMIG) mandates, demonstrating the enduring significance of a body established through the PPP’s visionary foreign policy.

Today’s government benefits from a security framework it did not create. The calm and stability we enjoy are the results of careful planning, diplomacy, and partnership set in motion by the PPP government.

True leadership demands humility — acknowledging that our security today is not the gift of one administration but the legacy of those who invested in long-term solutions.

The Gambia’s peace is Sir Dawda Jawara’s enduring gift to the nation. It is a legacy of vision, diplomacy, and unity that will continue to protect Gambians for generations to come.