UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a resolution expressing "full support" to Gambia's new President Adama Barrow and calling on ex-leader Yahya Jammeh to step down, condemning his attempts to usurp power.
A last-minute revision to the resolution after Barrow took the oath of office today backed efforts by the regional bloc ECOWAS to ensure that Barrow's election victory on Dec. 1 is respected, using "political means first."
Council diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because negotiations were private, said an initial reference to ECOWAS' use of "all necessary measures" was dropped and the political reference was added because some members objected to backing military action.
The deputy ambassadors of Russia and Britain said now that Barrow is president he can ask ECOWAS for military action to oust Jammeh.