Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh, who
for weeks had refused to step down after losing the recent election, has
confirmed that he has decided to relinquish power.
"I have decided today in good
conscience to relinquish the mantle of leadership of this great nation with
infinite gratitude to all Gambians," he said in a statement broadcast on
state television early on Saturday.
The announcement came after
hours of last-ditch talks with regional leaders and the threat by a regional
military force to make him leave.
The new president, Adama Barrow, had
earlier declared that "the rule of fear" was over and that
Jammeh, who ruled the country for 22 years, had agreed to leave.
I would like to
inform you that Yahya Jammeh has agreed to step down. He is scheduled to depart
Gambia today. #NewGambia
— Adama Barrow (@adama_barrow) January 20, 2017
Barrow was sworn in at Gambia's
embassy in Dakar in neighboring Senegal on Thursday.
A State House official close to the
situation told the AFP news agency that Jammeh would leave within three days,
possibly on Saturday with Guinean President Alpha Conde, who had travelled
to Gambia's capital, Banjul, for negotiations.
Earlier on Friday, Gambia's chief of
defence forces Ousmane Badjie pledged his allegiance to the country's new
president, a major shift as mediation continued to persuade Jammeh to cede
power.
Jammeh had rejected Barrow's December
1 election win, despite significant pressure from regional powers and the UN,
sparking a major crisis.
Tags
Politics