Bensouda Pledges to End ECOMIG Presence, Return Security Operations to Gambian Forces

By Staff Writer

Talib Ahmed Bensouda, leader of UNITE and Coalition 2026, has pledged to end the presence of ECOMIG forces in The Gambia and close their military bases, including the one in Bwiam, if elected president in the Dec. 5 presidential election.

Speaking to supporters during an outreach meeting in Bwiam, Foni, over the weekend, Bensouda said responsibility for safeguarding the country should rest primarily with Gambian security forces.

Addressing longstanding concerns among some Foni residents over the presence of ECOMIG troops in the region, Bensouda said his administration would bring the mission to an end and place national security firmly under Gambian control.

“Under President Talib Bensouda, the security of The Gambia will be in the hands of Gambians,” he said, adding that under his leadership, the country would “say bye-bye to ECOMIG.”

Bensouda also presented UNITE and Coalition 2026 as the strongest political alternative to President Adama Barrow, telling supporters that the movement was capable of defeating the incumbent in December.

His remarks place the future of ECOMIG, which has maintained a presence in The Gambia since the political crisis that followed the 2016 presidential election, among the issues emerging in the campaign ahead of the December vote.