Caritas Gambia Concludes Three-Day Training in West Coast Region
Caritas Gambia Brikama Event © Caritas Gambia
By Fatoumata Jaiteh
As The Gambia moves towards another politically sensitive electoral period, Caritas Gambia concluded a three-day training in the West Coast Region (WRC) on 3rd September 2026, aimed at strengthening community capacity to prevent disputes from escalating into violence.
The training, which focused on mediation, dialogue and early conflict detection, brought together community leaders, women and youth leaders to develop practical skills for identifying tensions, managing disagreements and promoting peaceful coexistence within communities.
At the closing ceremony, speakers stressed that maintaining peace during an election season requires more than simply calling for calm. They said communities must be equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to recognise emerging conflicts, engage opposing sides and resolve disagreements before they become violent.
The Director of Caritas Gambia, John Mendy, strongly emphasised the need for vigilance as the country approaches elections. He told participants, “As we are going into elections, we will have disagreements, but we should not allow the disagreements to turn into conflict that would degenerate into violence.”
Additionally, he urged communities and stakeholders to embrace collaboration, which he said is “always the best” for building and preserving a peaceful society.
For Mendy, the importance of peacebuilding extends beyond election day. He told Gambians to “be mindful of conflicts as we approach elections, but [also] preserve peace so that even after elections we can live together in peace.”
His appeal reflects a fundamental challenge facing communities during election periods. While political campaigns and voting are temporary, the relationships between citizens continue long after the ballots have been counted.
The Deputy Governor of WCR, Musa Amul Nyassy, also used the occasion to caution citizens, particularly women and young people, against being manipulated during the electoral period. “Let us be guided by conscience,” Nyassy advised adding that “let no one influence you into taking a regrettable decision.”
His remarks placed particular emphasis on the vulnerability of women and youth to political mobilisation, noting that politicians can sometimes rely on these groups to advance political interests.
The Deputy Governor’s warning comes against the backdrop of the important role young people and women play in political and community life. While their participation is essential to a healthy democracy, Nyassy’s message was that such participation should not come at the expense of peace, personal responsibility or community cohesion.
The three-day engagement ended with a message that went beyond the completion of a capacity building exercise with the emphasis on mediation, dialogue and early conflict detection.
