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Ban's envoy for West Africa holds peace talks with Gambian leader

Xinhua, January 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's special representative for West Africa Mohammed Ibn Chambas arrived in Banjul on Wednesday and held peace talks with Gambian President Yahya Jammeh.

The bilateral discussion focused on the recent military coup attempt and how to bring lasting peace in the West African nation which has been facing umpteenth military coup in recent years.

"I am here as a special envoy of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to extend his felicitation to the Gambian leader and UN condemnation of the Dec. 30 coup attempt in which four people were killed. We discussed on a wide range of issue that will bring lasting peace in Gambia," Chambas said.

"I am very happy with the opportunity to be received in audience by His Excellency the president. My visit here is to consult the president on a number of issues affecting peace and security in the Gambia and the continent as a whole", he continued.

"We all know that any attempt to overthrow the legitimate government is against the United Nations agreements and will not be acceptable by the UN, and the secretary-general has urged respect for the rule of law," he noted.

The UN envoy explained that his Banjul visit was part of the consultation requested to be undertaken on behalf of the secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon on a number of issues affecting the stability in the Gambia.

"On all these issues, I was able to get the views and expectations of the president. And of course, I was able to explain the role the United Nations is to play which he was very pleased with the explanations provided."

Chambas will have final discussion with the Gambian leader on Thursday, and message will be delivered to the UN secretary-general at the end the discussion. Endi