Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma has expressed his regret at The Gambia’s October withdrawal from the Commonwealth.
He said: “This separation from the people of The Gambia is a disappointment for the Commonwealth family at large”, adding that he looked forward to The Gambia’s return to the organisation.
A statement from The Gambia’s government on 2 October announced its departure. “The government has withdrawn its membership of the British Commonwealth and decided that The Gambia will never be a member of any neo-colonial institution and will never be a party to any institution that represents an extension of colonialism.”
No other reason was given, but a further statement on the government website two days later complained of a “relentless smear campaign” by “some Western powers”, claiming that other countries want access to its natural resources in return for unacceptably low royalties.