Gambia's President-elect Barrow to stay in Senegal until inauguration

Per the direction of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Gambia’s President-elect Adama Barrow will stay in Senegal until his inauguration on January 19.

Senegalese authorities announced on Saturday night that they agreed to host Barrow after the request was made.

“Senegalese President Macky Sall agreed in Bamako on Saturday to host Gambian President-elect Adama Barrow in Dakar until his inauguration,” Senegalese news agency APS reported.

APS added that the request was made by the ECOWAS chairperson, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who advised that Barrow stays in Dakar until the inauguration day when he will be escorted to Banjul.

Adama Barrow is reported to have arrived in Dakar on Sunday from the 27th France-Africa summit in Mali which he attended with ECOWAS leaders on Friday evening after mediation talks with Yahya Jammeh ended inconclusively.

ECOWAS is expected to revisit talks with Jammeh who is seeking to mar the inauguration after a recent court application to place an injunction on the exercise which ends his term of office.

Thousands of Gambians have reportedly fled the country as the inauguration is getting close due to the heightened security situation in the country.

The army has pledged its support for President Jammeh who wants a reelection.