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Wednesday, February 12, 2025
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Lebanon urges Gambia to intensify fight against corruption

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By Omar Bah

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Lebanon has called on The Gambia to, as a matter of urgency, intensify its anti-corruption efforts to address the menace.

The Gambia has recently made significant strides in addressing corruption, including passing the Anti-Corruption Act in December 2023.

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However, challenges remain, as governance across state institutions continues to be flawed.

In a statement delivered at Gambia’s Human Rights Universal Periodic Review on Tuesday in Geneva, the Lebanese government said: “In a constructive spirit, Lebanon would like to recommend to The Gambia to intensify efforts to fight corruption through the creation of relevant information and national commissions.

“We also note with interest the progress achieved since the UPR short cycle and note Gambia’s decision to impose a moratorium on the death penalty. We recommend that The Gambia continue efforts to combat torture, including rectifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, and fully enhance women’s access to justice, education, and decent work and to protect them from all forms of violence, including female genital mutilation,” it added.

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Liechtenstein

The delegation from Liechtenstein also recommends that The Gambia fully and effectively abolish the death penalty in all circumstances and rectify the Amendment to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

“We also urged The Gambia to increase efforts to address gender-based violence including by combating impunity and stigmatisation of victims as well as ensuring access to effective remedy and protection and prohibiting corporal punishment of children in all circumstances,” the delegation added.

Luxembourg

Luxembourg, a Western European country, welcomes Gambia’s commitment to the principle of the Human Rights Council and as well as its decision to set up with Ecowas a special Hybrid Court, which will prosecute crimes committed by the Yahya Jammeh regime.

“In a constructive spirit, Luxemburg recommends that a permanent standing invitation is addressed to the Special Procedure and a need to set up a criminal prosecution process within the mechanism of law enforcement to improve access to assistance services for victims of gender-based violence,” it added.

LGBT

Luxembourg also recommended the Gambia to decriminalise conceptual sexual acts between people of the same sex and adopt anti-discriminatory legislation that is comprehensive, outlawing explicitly any discrimination founded on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Several other countries, including Malta and the Maldives, have also recommended for the Gambia to decriminalise LGBTQ.

Republic Of Korea

The Republic Korea delegation recognised the Gambia’s preparatory work aimed at ushering in a new constitution and the publication of the report of the TRRC and the country’s decision to uphold the ban on female genital mutilation.

“The Republic of Korea recommends that The Gambia accelerate reparations for all victims of human rights violations as recommended by the TRRC and ensure the right to freedom of expression is guaranteed,” it noted.

Senegal

Gambia’s closest neighbour, Senegal also commended the country on its progress in implementing the recommendations of the previous UPR cycle.

“We commend the efforts made in implementing the main human rights instruments into domestic legislation and legislative measures taken on transitional justice in combating torture and ensuring freedom of expression and opinion.”

“In a constructive spirit, Senegal recommends that The Gambia continue efforts aimed at establishing robust and inclusive healthcare and education systems,” it stated.

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