Salutations

• Honourable Minister Baboucarr Bouy - Ministry of Public Service, Administrative Reform, Policy Coordination and Delivery

• Senior Government Officials here present

• The UN Resident Coordinator – Karl Frederick Paul

• The Director of the UNDP Sub‑Regional Office for West and Central Africa and Resident Representative UNDP Senegal – Njoya Tikum

• Distinguished Governance and Peacebuilding Team Leaders, Peace and Development Advisors, Chief Technical Advisors on Elections, and Rule of Law Advisors

• UNDP The Gambia Colleagues

• Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning,

1. It is my profound honour to welcome you all to the 2026 Governance and Peacebuilding Community of Practice (CoP) here in Banjul, The Gambia – the Smiling Coast of Africa. We are grateful for the presence of the Government of The Gambia – under whose leadership, we as UNDP and the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation co-hosted the successful Sahel Governance Forum here in Banjul last year. 

2. Thank you, Hon. Minister Bouy, for your presence and the continued commitment of The Gambia in being a beacon and solid partner in collectively promoting south south cooperation to inspire re-imaging governance solutions, resilience, prevention, and peacebuilding efforts into actions and transformative results with and for the people we serve. 

3. This year’s Community of Practice brings together 60–70 participants representing UNDP governance, peacebuilding, rule of law, elections, and human rights portfolios from across the Regional Bureau for Africa.

4. The theme for this year — “Digital Governance for Inclusive, Transparent, and Accountable Societies” — reflects one of the most pressing and transformational governance opportunities of our time. Digital transformation is reshaping governance, expanding access to services, strengthening transparency, and opening new spaces for participation.

5. At the same time, it brings new challenges: digital divides, misinformation, cyber vulnerabilities, and evolving threats to human rights. This CoP is therefore designed as a space to jointly analyze these opportunities and risks, and to craft shared solutions that position UNDP and its partners at the forefront of effective, inclusive, and rights-based digital governance.

6. Hosting this CoP in The Gambia now - is particularly befitting as we commemorate International Women’s Month and Day – under the theme RIGHTS. JUSTICE. ACTION – For All Women and Girls. The Gambia’s population consist of 51% women and yet we know more can be done for this to be translated into economic empowerment, leadership, and decision-making roles. We are aware of the significant role of digitalisation and artificial intelligence as accelerators in implementation of the SDGs but also aware of the importance of digital safety as a critical component of gender equality and women’s rights. 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

7. The country has embraced the importance of digitalisation and digital governance in accelerating implementation of Agenda 2063, the development goals, and its national development plan – the YIRIWAA. This also includes important initiatives such as its National Action Plan for Youth, Peace and Security 2025-2030 and the recent multi-stakeholder dialogue on the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation grounded in strengthening national ownership; development results; inclusive partnerships; and transparency and accountability – for overall development financing including government development financing. The country’s emerging commitment to digital governance — as part of its continued democratic renewal — creates a powerful platform for peer learning. The recent hosting of the Sahel Governance Forum positioned the country as an influential convener in regional governance conversations building on its role within the regional and global arena – through ECOWAS, the African Union, and the United Nations. And as the nation moves towards the 2026–2027 electoral cycle, the CoP offers an important moment to reflect on lessons from across Africa.

8. This Community of Practice is not just a meeting; it is a working platform with a clear purpose:

• Knowledge exchange and innovation on digital governance.

• Capacity building for digital reforms, transparency systems, civic participation, and human rights protection.

• Strengthened partnerships and South–South collaboration.

• Enhanced alignment with our UNDP Strategic Plan 2026-2029 that was developed through extensive consultations with our partners with a key pillar on “effective governance”.

• Producing an actionable CoP Action Plan or Communiqué to guide our collective engagement, partnerships and thought leadership during this critical time for development.

9. Over the next three days, the CoP will include high‑level plenaries, breakout discussions, marketplace innovations, interactive exercises, and a field visit — all designed to foster practical insights and actionable solutions.

10. I extend sincere appreciation to the Government of The Gambia, our regional partners, and all UNDP colleagues for your passion and commitment for the people we serve.

11. As we embark on these three days of reflection, collaboration, and innovation, let us re-commit to strengthening the social contract, deepening democracy, advancing peace, and ensuring that digital transformation serves every citizen, safely, inclusively, and equitably.

12. Let us use these three days not only to exchange knowledge, but to reimagine what governance can become across our continent. Digital transformation gives us a real chance to build institutions that are more transparent, more inclusive, and more accountable – to leave no-one behind starting with the furthest.

13. The ideas we share here, the innovations we test, and the partnerships we strengthen will shape how citizens experience democracy, justice, and opportunity. 

14. In conclusion, let us move forward with confidence, knowing that together, we can help Africa lead in building governance systems that are both people‑centred and future‑ready.

Thank you.

ABARAKAH. JERE JEFF. JARAMA.

Mandisa Mashologu

Resident Representative

The Gambia