The Daily Observer (Banjul)
Hatab Fadera
28 October 2008
Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, the vice president and secretary of state for Women's Affairs, yesterday, received in audience Abdou Guité Seck, a renowned Senegalese musician, who recently staged a major spectacular musical performance for the Women's Bureau.
Accompanied to the vice president's office by a delegation of prominent Gambian women, the Senegalese Mbalax super star's visit was meant to thank Dr Njie-Saidy for her strong support to the cause of women's empowerment.
Speaking to a group of reporters shortly after his audience with the vice-president, Abdou Guité Seck hailed Dr Njie-Saidy for her immense role in strengthening the ongoing fruitful relationship between The Gambia and Senegal.
While describing Dr Njie-Saidy as an exemplary woman in Africa, the Senegalese mbalax superstar also indicated that his musical performance in The Gambia had always been "very successful."
For his part, Bubakarr Jallow, fondly called DJ Bubs, working with the Senegalese national TV and radio services (RTS), told reporters that they were also at State House to familiarise themselves with The Gambia's vice president. He spoke at length about the good work of Dr Njie-Saidy, and noted that in Senegal she is well known for her devotion to work alongside President Jammeh on national development.
The Global Week of Action on Cluster Munitions kicked-off yesterday, 27th October, 2008. The week will end on 2nd November, 2008.
According to a press release issued by the West African Network for Peace Building (WANEP), this week is dedicated to a vigorous campaign to increase awareness on the newly negotiated legally binding treaty banning the use of cluster bombs/munitions.
Cluster munitions are large weapons which are deployed from the air and from the ground and release up to hundreds of smaller submunitions.
Air-dropped or ground-launched, they cause two major humanitarian problems and risks to civilians. First, their widespread dispersal means they cannot distinguish between military targets and civilians so the humanitarian impact can be extreme, especially when the weapon is used in or near populated areas. Many submunitions fail to detonate on impact and become de facto antipersonnel mines killing and maiming people long after the conflict has ended.
In February 2007, 46 governments met in Oslo to endorse a call to conclude a new legally binding treaty that prohibits the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions. Subsequent international Oslo process meetings were held in Peru (May 2007), Austria (December 2007), New Zealand (February 2008) and Zambia (March 2008).
On 30th May, 2008, 107 states negotiated and adopted at the Dublin diplomatic conference a legally binding international treaty that prohibits the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions and provides assistance to affected communities. In September 2008, The Gambia participated in a follow-up Oslo process conference held in Kampala, Uganda. The convention will be open for state signatures in Oslo on 3rd December, 2008.
The Gambia secretariat of the West Africa Network of Peace building, through the release, took the opportunity to inform the general public that it will be organising a number of radio programmes during the course of the week. The aim is to heighten public awareness on the dangerous use of cluster monitions and to urge the government to sign the convention in Oslo on the 3rd of December.
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