The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has commenced a five-day training programme for Gambian peace actors and electoral stakeholders ahead of the country’s presidential election scheduled for December 5, 2026.

The training, organised by the ECOWAS Commission through its Directorate of Political Affairs, aims to strengthen national capacity to identify electoral risks, facilitate dialogue, mediate disputes and prevent violence before, during and after the election.

The training is expected to equip participants with practical skills to address emerging political tensions and promote a peaceful, inclusive and credible electoral process.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, ECOWAS resident representative in The Gambia, Namizata Meita Sangaré, said the electoral environment remained relatively peaceful but warned that emerging challenges require sustained vigilance and proactive engagement.

She identified political polarisation, hate speech, misinformation and disinformation, as well as the limited participation of women and young people, as potential threats to the electoral process.

Ms Sangaré stressed the importance of dialogue, mediation, and preventive diplomacy in protecting democratic stability, urging participants to translate their discussions into practical measures to prevent electoral conflicts.

“The ultimate victory must not belong to one political party or another; it must belong to the Gambian people, to democracy and to peace,” she said.

ECOWAS spokesperson Onyinye Onwuka reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to supporting The Gambia throughout the electoral process.

She said credible elections require more than restating the importance of public confidence in institutions, inclusive participation, peaceful political competition and effective resolution of disputes.

Participants at the training include political party representatives, electoral authorities, security agencies, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, women and youth groups, election observers and the media.

The initiative is anchored in ECOWAS regional frameworks on conflict prevention, democracy and good governance.

ECOWAS said the training was part of its broader efforts to help member states strengthen democratic institutions and promote lasting peace across West Africa.