United Nations Security Council Resolution 2337

{{Main|2016–2017 Gambian constitutional crisis}}

The Gambia's presidential elections were held on 1 December 2016 with the Independent Electoral Commission previously accepting three nominees in November 2016{{Cite web|url=http://iec.gm/category/candidate-list/|title=Candidate List|publisher=Independent Electoral Commission|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224233913/http://iec.gm/category/candidate-list/|archive-date=24 December 2016|access-date=2017-01-22}} which included Yahya Jammeh of the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Reconstruction (APRC), Adama Barrow of Coalition 2016, and Mama Kandeh of the Gambia Democratic Congress, respectively.{{Cite web|url=https://jollofnews.com/2016/12/01/gambia-2016-polls-open-in-gambias-presidential-election/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202011941/https://jollofnews.com/2016/12/01/gambia-2016-polls-open-in-gambias-presidential-election/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=February 2, 2017|title=Gambia 2016: Polls Open In Gambia’s Presidential Election|last=Agencies|date=1 December 2016|website=Jollofnews|access-date=2017-01-22}}

On 2 December 2016, Yahya Jammeh conceded defeat to the electoral candidate Adama Barrow.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/02/the-gambia-president-jammeh-concede-defeat-in-election|title=The Gambia's President Jammeh concedes defeat in election|last=Maclean|first=Ruth|date=2 December 2016|last2=Graham-Harrison|first2=Emma|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=2017-01-22}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/02/world/africa/gambia-election.html|title=Gambia's President, in Power 22 Years, Loses Election|last=Barry|first=Jaime Yaya|date=2 December 2016|last2=Searcey|first2=Dionne|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2017-01-22}} However, on the 9 December, Yahya Jammeh rejected the election results, sparking the Gambian constitutional crisis.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gambia-election-idUSKBN13Y2QO|title=Gambia President Jammeh rejects outcome of Dec. 1 election|last=Farge|first=Emma|date=9 December 2016|newspaper=Reuters|access-date=2017-01-22}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/10/gambian-president-rejects-election-results-yahya-jammeh-adama-barrow|title=Gambian president Yahya Jammeh rejects election result|date=10 December 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=2017-01-23}} He refused to step down and allow Barrow to accede to the presidency, and demanded to remain in power until new elections could be organized and conducted.{{Cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/12/gambia-jammeh-rejects-result-presidential-election-161210034606068.html|title=Gambia's Jammeh rejects result of presidential election|date=10 December 2016|website=Aljazeera|access-date=2017-01-23}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38271480|title=Gambia leader Yahya Jammeh rejects election result|date=10 December 2016|newspaper=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-01-23}}

The situation in the Gambia had escalated to crisis proportions, including the displacement of about 46,000 people who had fled the Gambia to neighbouring Senegal and Guinea-Bissau.{{cite web|url=http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2017/1/5881deb74/senegal-around-45000-fled-political-uncertainty-gambia.html|title=Senegal: Around 45,000 have fled political uncertainty in The Gambia|last=Baloch|first=Babar|date=20 January 2017|publisher=United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|access-date=2017-01-20}} President-Elect Barrow himself had left for Senegal due to fear for this safety in the Gambia and had not even been able to return for the funeral of his 8-year-old son, who died unexpectedly during this period after being attacked by dogs.{{Cite news|url=http://www.newser.com/story/237005/dog-kills-son-of-gambian-president-elect.html|title=Political Unrest Keeps Gambian President-Elect From Attending Son's Funeral|last=Harthorne|first=Michael|date=17 January 2017|newspaper=Newser|language=en-US|access-date=2017-01-23}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/gambias-barrow-unable-to-attend-sons-funeral-7433078|title=Gambia's Barrow unable to attend son’s funeral|last=Frykberg|first=Mel|date=17 January 2017|work=IOL|access-date=2017-01-23}} More than 75% of the displaced people arriving in Senegal were children, accompanied primarily by women.

Earlier on the same day the resolution was passed,{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/01/gambia-president-adama-barrow-takes-oath-senegal-170119170745954.html|title=New Gambia President Adama Barrow takes oath in Senegal|date=19 January 2017|website=Al Jazeera|access-date=2017-01-19}} Barrow was sworn in as President of Gambia in the Gambian embassy in Dakar, Senegal.{{Cite news|url=https://qz.com/889272/gambias-new-president-adama-barrow-is-being-sworn-in-at-an-embassy-in-neighboring-senegal/|title=Gambia's new president has been sworn in at an embassy in Senegal because the old one won't leave|last=Kuo|first=Lily|date=19 January 2017|work=Quartz|last2=Latif Dahir|first2=Abdi|access-date=2017-01-23}}

The resolution did not endorse the ECOWAS military intervention in the Gambia, which also occurred on the same day the resolution was passed. Rather, it requested ECOWAS to pursue "political means first" in its efforts to resolve the crisis. In earlier proposed drafts, the council had considered alternative language endorsing ECOWAS in "all necessary measures", which would have been an endorsement for military action. However, some members of the council, including Egypt, Bolivia, and Russia, had objected to the stronger language. In its press release, the Council said that "A number of speakers ... said the adoption did not imply the Council's endorsement of possible military measures", and specifically mentioned that Egypt and Bolivia had expressed this view.

The resolution followed a previous unanimous United Nations Security Council statement issued on 10 December 2016 that had similarly called on Jammeh to "respect the choice of the sovereign people of The Gambia" and allow Barrow to accede to the presidency.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38275511|title=Gambia President Yahya Jammeh must step down – UN|date=10 December 2016|newspaper=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=2016-12-10}}{{cite news|url=https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=55776#.WIXl6sLTmUc|title=Gambia: UN calls on outgoing President to respect election results and to carry out a peaceful transition|date=10 December 2016|publisher=United Nations News Centre|access-date=2017-01-23}}{{cite news|url=http://www.unmultimedia.org/avlibrary/asset/1794/1794436/|title=UN/Gambia|date=12 December 2016|publisher=United Nations Audiovisual Library|access-date=2017-01-23}} The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also released a statement on 10 December expressing dismay at Jammeh's rejection of the results of the election.{{cite news|url=https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2016-12-10/statement-attributable-spokesman-secretary-general-gambia|title=Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on the Gambia|date=10 December 2016|publisher=Office of the United Nations Secretary-General|access-date=2017-01-23}} The Secretary-General had previously commended the peaceful election process in the Gambia, and had congratulated President-elect Adama Barrow on his victory on 2 December 2016.{{cite news|url=https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=55710#.WIXoGMLTmUc|title=UN chief commends peaceful polls in Gambia, congratulates President-elect Adama Barrow|date=2 December 2016|publisher=United Nations News Centre|access-date=2017-01-23}}

The resolution was passed by a vote of 15 supporting, none opposed, and none abstained.

{{Main|ECOWAS military intervention in the Gambia}}

On the same day the resolution was passed, armed forces from the ECOWAS countries of Senegal, Nigeria, and Ghana{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38682184|title=Gambia crisis: Senegal sends in troops to back elected leader|date=19 January 2017|newspaper=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-01-23}} cooperated to enter the Gambia with ground forces, a naval blockade, and air support in a military intervention to compel Jammeh's departure.{{Cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/01/gambia-jammeh-military-intervention-170119035928489.html|title=Military intervention looms as Jammeh clings to power|date=19 January 2017|website=Aljazeera|access-date=2017-01-23}} The army and navy of the Gambia did not resist, as the navy declared support for Barrow and the army said the matter was political in nature and it would stay neutral.{{Cite news|url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/breaking-gambian-navy-abandons-jammeh-declare-allegiance-barrow/|title=Gambian Navy abandons Jammeh, declare allegiance to Barrow|last=Ogbonna|first=Anthony|date=19 January 2017|newspaper=Vanguard News|language=en-US|access-date=2017-01-24}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.naij.com/1083603-gambian-navy-desert-jammeh-declare-allegiance-barrow.html|title=Gambian Navy desert Jammeh, declare allegiance to Barrow|last=Ewubare|first=Kess|date=19 January 2017|newspaper=Naij.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-01-24}} After a few hours and only minor clashes with pro-Jammeh MFDC forces near the border village of Kanilai, the home town of Yahya Jammeh, the incursion was halted to allow a final attempt to negotiate the peaceful departure of Jammeh.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/19/gambia-crisis-british-tourists-flee-west-african-forces-poised/|title=Gambia crisis: West African nations halt Gambia military operation to give Yahya Jammeh final chance to step down|last=Freeman|first=Colin|date=20 January 2017|newspaper=The Telegraph|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-01-23}}{{Cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-gambia-politics-idUKKBN1520NM|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118083046/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-gambia-politics-idUKKBN1520NM|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 18, 2017|title=West African military halt Gambia operation, issue Jammeh deadline|last=Cocks|first=Tim|date=20 January 2017|last2=Farge|first2=Emma|newspaper=Reuters UK|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-01-23}} Two days later, on 21 January 2017,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/20/world/africa/gambia-jammeh-president-barrow.html|title=Yahya Jammeh Agrees to Step Down, as 45,000 Flee Amid Gambia Standoff|last=Searcey|first=Dionne|date=20 January 2017|last2=Barry|first2=Jaime Yaya|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2017-01-23}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/20/yahya-jammeh-given-high-noon-deadline-relinquish-power-gambia/|title=Gambia's Yahya Jammeh agrees to step down peacefully|last=Freeman|first=Colin|date=21 January 2017|newspaper=The Telegraph|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-01-23}} Jammeh agreed to step down and left the Gambia for exile in Equatorial Guinea.{{Cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-gambia-politics-idUKKBN1540S3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170120083143/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-gambia-politics-idUKKBN1540S3|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 20, 2017|title=Gambia's former leader Jammeh flies into exile in Equatorial Guinea|last=Cocks|first=Tim|date=22 January 2017|last2=Jahateh|first2=Lamin|newspaper=Reuters UK|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-01-23}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/gambias-president-yahya-jammeh-steps-down-1484981837|title=Gambian Longtime Leader Jammeh Leaves Capital on Guinea President’s Plane|last=Stevis|first=Matina|date=22 January 2017|last2=Steinhauser|first2=Gabriele|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|issn=0099-9660|access-date=2017-01-23}} There were no reports of casualties. About 4,000 ECOWAS troops remained in the Gambia to establish order in preparation for Barrow to return and consolidate his presidency.{{Cite news|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/gambia-politics-idINKBN1540S9|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170122024321/http://in.reuters.com/article/gambia-politics-idINKBN1540S9|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 22, 2017|title=Gambia's former leader Jammeh flies into exile in Equatorial Guinea|last=Cocks|first=Tim|date=22 January 2017|last2=Jahateh|first2=Lamin|newspaper=Reuters India|language=en-IN|access-date=2017-01-23}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/gambia-leader-return-home-crisis-143455042.html|title=Gambia leader to return home after crisis|last=Ettaba|first=Selim Saheb|date=25 January 2017|work=Yahoo! News|last2=O'Mahony|first2=Jennifer|language=en-US|last3=Offner|first3=Fabien|access-date=2017-01-25}}

{{Portal|Politics}}

• History of the Gambia
• President of the Gambia
• List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2301 to 2400

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://undocs.org/S/RES/2337(2017) Text of the Resolution at undocs.org]

{{UNSCR 2017}}

Category:2016–2017 Gambian constitutional crisis

2337

Category:2017 in the Gambia

Category:January 2017

Category:United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning the Gambia