European diplomat expelled from Gambia
(B2) The European diplomat Agnès Guillaud who is responsible for the European Union delegation in Gambia (*) was declared persona non grata by the Banjul government, announces AFP. No reason was given for this expulsion.
This departure was in any case planned as part of the usual rotation within the European Diplomatic Service (EEAS). Since the mandate of Agnès Guillaud, after 4 years of presence in Gambia, was to end within a few weeks. The business manager had also, on the occasion of the last Europe Day, bid farewell to the Gambian authorities, recalling the importance of defending the fundamental values of Europe.
A specialist in African and development issues
Of French nationality, the business manager, Agnès Guillaud, is a good connoisseur of African issues. She has worked for 20 years in European institutions on development issues. Prior to The Gambia, she was a political adviser to the EU delegation in Algeria and to DG AidCo in charge of operational aid.
Relations between the European Union and Gambia, headed by former officer Yahya Jammeh, who became President of the Republic, have sometimes been upset, particularly in terms of freedom of expression and the defense of the rights of homosexuals. But they seemed to have calmed down recently.
Gambian ambassador to Brussels summoned
On the side of the European diplomatic service (EEAS), there is no explanation for such a decision which occurs " without justification ". " We are surprised by this announcement which occurred without explanation explained the spokesperson for the High Representative to B2. The Gambian Ambassador to the EU was summoned today (Saturday) for an explanation. In the meantime, the spokesperson assured “ have full confidence in the work and commitment of our business manager in The Gambia ».
(NGV)
(*) The EU Delegation in The Gambia is a regionalized delegation which reports hierarchically to the Head of the Delegation of Senegal, currently Dominique Dellicour
