It gives me the greatest pleasure to join you at the validation of a Capacity Assessment Report on Conflict Early warning and early response systems in The Gambia intended towards understanding the capacity requirements aimed at strengthening conflict early warning and early response systems in the Gambia.  

Distinguish ladies and Gentlemen, strengthening the Conflict Early warning and early response systems is a timely initiative towards the consolidation of The Gambia’s peace building efforts that is worth of investment especially when The Gambia, through the support of development partners has taken step to establish and operationalize an infrastructure for peace, which is one of the TRRC recommendations. This singular recommendation remains the impetus for the   PBF support project titled “Strengthening National Infrastructure for Peace to promote social cohesion in the Gambia” 2023-2025; currently being implementing by UNDP, UNSECO and ITC.  

Distinguish ladies and Gentlemen, Conflict Early Warning and Response Systems (EWRS) are an important tool within the spectrum of actions for conflict prevention, management and resolution. While most of these conflict prevention systems have been implemented in Africa, in recent years increased interest in the development and design of such mechanisms, both at the level of the state as well as in the civil society, has been seen across Africa and even around the world, particularly to mitigate the effects of social conflicts  

Against this backdrop, UNDP with support from the Peace Building Fund have identified the Ministry of Interior (MoI), WANEP and the National Centre for the Coordination of Early warning and Early Response Mechanism as implementing partners to assess and strengthen the capacity of conflict early warning system in The Gambia. The capacity assessment report, it is my hope will focus on strengthening conflict early warning systems that will produce verifiable data that feeds into the UNDP Crisis Risk Dashboard (CRD), and its contribution to the emerging infrastructure for peace in The Gambia. The drive or motivation for strengthening conflict early warning system in The Gambia aptly corresponds to bolstering the early warning infrastructures, coordination system and processes during the country’s consolidation of peace. 

Distinguish ladies and Gentlemen, it is our hope that the recommendations contained in this report will enhance national capacity to identify and analyze conflict trends, alert to conflict risk, inform decision-making and initiate timely responses to prevent violent conflict. While Early warning usually consists of data collection, verification and risk analysis to identify conflict trends and dynamics at various levels, the recommendations derive from the risk analysis in most cases trigger timely and appropriate preventive action, or early response options, to targeted stakeholders. Each early warning and early response (EWER) system has a specific mandate, organizational set-up, information sources, analytical methods and links to decision-making. At its core, EWER is a mechanism not only for the prevention, or reduction of the impact of conflicts, it can also serve as a more local-level warning mechanism that enables communities and local authorities to seek safety or prevent the outbreak of violence; or as a platform for local actors to monitor and analyze sub-national conflicts and initiate programmes to address the causes of violence. 

Distinguish ladies and Gentlemen, as I look forwards to successful validation of the assessment report and implementation of actionable recommendations aimed at strengthening the capacity of EWER system in The Gambia.