Ecowas deploys a pre-election fact-finding mission to Gambia

The Ecowas Commission, through its Directorate of Political Affairs, is deploying a pre-election mission to Banjul, in the Republic of The Gambia, between the 14th and 21st of June 2026, in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).

This high-level technical mission is led by Mr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, former Chair of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC), and Mr Babatunde Tolu Afolabi, Director of Political Affairs at Ecowas.

The African Union delegation is led by Mr Samuel Atuobi, whilst UNOWAS is represented by Ms Falmata Liman, Political Adviser.

The mission aims to assess the level of preparedness for the presidential election on the 5th of December 2026 and the initiatives that Ecowas, the AU and UNOWAS could implement to build confidence among stakeholders and ensure free, transparent and credible elections.

The mission will therefore examine the legal, constitutional and institutional framework of the Gambian electoral process, assess the dynamics of political coexistence between institutions and political actors, and identify potential risks and other early warning signs.

Independent, Nigeria