Title
AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA
AND THE REPUBLIC OF SENEGAL
CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
THE SENEGAMBIA CONFEDERATION
Preamble
THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA and THE REPUBLIC OF SENEGAL
Aware that they constitute a single people divided into two States by the vicissitudes of History; Taking due account of the geographical fact of their ties; Conscious of the historical, moral and material imperatives, which unite the two countries; Considering the many past and present experiments made with a view to rapprochement, solidarity and sub-regional and regional cooperation; Respectful of the Charter of the United Nations, the Charter of the Organisation of African Unity and the Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States; Affirming their devotion to the rights of their peoples declared in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948; in the United Nations Covenants on Human Rights; and in the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights of 1981; Intending to strengthen the unity of their defence and their economies and the coordination of their policies in other fields; Resolved to establish an institutional framework, consistent with national sovereignty and democratic principles, within which these intentions may be gradually realized; HAVE DECIDED to create a Confederation and have agreed as follows:
Provisions
SECTION I: PRINCIPLES
Clause 1
By this Agreement a Confederation of the Republic of The Gambia and the Republic of Senegal is constituted with the name of the Senegambia Confederation.
Clause 2
The Republic of The Gambia and the Republic of Senegal shall constitute the Confederation known as Senegambia; each State maintaining its independence and sovereignty. The Confederation shall be based on: the integration of the armed forces and of the security forces of the Republic of The Gambia and the Republic of Senegal, to defend their sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence; the development of an economic and monetary union; the coordination of policy in the field of external relations; the coordination of policy in the field of communications and Clause in all other fields where the Confederated States may agree to exercise their jurisdiction jointly; and joint institutions.
Clause 3
The institutions of the Confederation shall be as follows: The President and Vice-President of the Confederation; The Council of Ministers of the Confederation; and The Confederal Parliament.
Clause 4
The Official languages of the Confederation shall be such African languages as are specified by the President and Vice-President of the Confederation; English and French.
Clause 5
Within the framework of this Agreement the Confederated States shall enter into protocols of implementation for the realization of the purposes set out in Clause 2.
SECTION II: THE PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE CONFEDERATION
Clause 6
The President of the Republic of Senegal shall be the President of the Confederation. The President of the Republic of The Gambia shall be the Vice-President of the Confederation.
Clause 7
In agreement with the Vice-President, the President shall decide on the policy of the Confederation on matters of Defence and Security. He shall co-ordinate the policies of the Confederated States on matters within the responsibilities of the Confederation.
In agreement with the Vice-President, the President of the Confederation shall make appointments to all confederal posts.
Clause 8
The President of the Confederation shall command the Armed Forces and
the Security Forces of the Confederation. He shall be responsible for
the Defence and Security of the Confederation. A Protocol shall establish the modalities of implementation of the provision in accordance with the constitutional requirements of each State. The President of the Republic of The Gambia shall continue to be Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of The Gambia in accordance with its constitutional requirements.
Clause 9
The President of the Confederation shall preside over the Defence and
Security Council of the Confederation. The Defence Council shall comprise the President and Vice-President of the Confederation and such other persons as the President, in agreement with the Vice-President of the Confederation, may determine.