The Gambia Foreign Ministry has called for a speedy resolution of the deepening diplomatic rift between Qatar and some of her neighbours, principally Saudi Arabia.
Yesterday, Permanent Secretary Njogu Saer Bah, issued a press release stating: “Following the announcement on 5th June 2017 that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states plus Yemen, Egypt, etc. had severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, the government and the people of The Gambia and the Muslim ummah, were, to say the least, taken aback by the implication and no doubt worrisome nature of the situation and attendant regrettable consequences should restraint not prevail.
“For, at a time when the Middle East and the Gulf region are mired in interminable conflict in Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Iran, Bahrain, countries in which hydra-headed terrorism continues to inflict a tale of untold misery, death and destruction on the people of the area, the government of The Gambia wishes to call on all sides to the Gulf conflict to show restraint and to privilege dialogue and a negotiating settling so as to end a crisis whose elongation can only have a far-reaching and dire consequences for an entire region, moreso as it came like a tsunami at the very advent of the holy month of Ramadan! – a month of peace, sacrifice, reflection and especially forgiveness – in – Islam.
“And, at a time when our noble religion religion is being trampled upon, with scorn and disdain in some quarters, the ummah must be seen to be resolutely closing ranks in defence of their brothers of the region who are asking for nothing more than to be allowed to continue to live in peace, harmony and cooperation in Islamic brotherliness.
“The Republic of The Gambia therefore calls on the GCC, the UN, the OIC, the Arab League, and all men and women of goodwill to conjugate efforts to bring about a speedy resolution to the impasse between Qatar and her neighbours so that normalcy could once again reign in the region.”
