The delegation hopes that Tuesday's talks will convince Mr. Jammeh to abide by the will of the Gambian people and allow for a smooth, peaceful transfer of power to the democratically-elected Adama Barrow.
An Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)/African Union/United Nations delegation consisting of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, and Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma landed in Banjul, capital of the Gambia, on Tuesday morning to ask Gambian President Yahya Jammeh to peacefully hand over power to the winner of the December 1, 2016 presidential election, Adama Barrow.
Mr. Jammeh, who has ruled the small West African nation for 22 years, shocked the world when he conceded defeat on December 2. He personally called President-Elect Barrow to congratulate him and agreed to hand over power. But just a week later, the Gambian leader went back on his word, stating that he did not accept the results of the election and therefore called for a new poll.
The delegation hopes that Tuesday's talks will convince Mr. Jammeh to abide by the will of the Gambian people and allow for a smooth, peaceful transfer of power to the democratically-elected Adama Barrow. The high-powered, multinational delegation will also meet with the president-elect later today.
View photos from the talks below:
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