University of The Gambia establishes Centre for Transitional Justice and Sustainable Peace
November 29, 2022
THE University of The Gambia (UTG) has established a Centre of Excellence for Transitional Justice and Sustainable Peace as part of its Governing Council’s approval of four Centres of Excellence:
- The Centre for Transitional Justice and Sustainable Peace;
- The Centre for Sustainable Development and Policy Studies;
- The Centre for Food Science & Nutrition; and
- The International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders (CIFAL Centre) in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
These Centres are intended to serve as citadels of knowledge in pursuit of the University’s strategic objectives anchored on key pillars: to produce knowledge; to inform teaching and learning; and to apply knowledge in specific areas to facilitate development through socio-economic and environmental transformation, working with various stakeholders such as government, the private sector, civil society and national and international development partners.
The country’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC), which was established by an act of the National Assembly and launched in October 2018, has gained international acclaim and recognition as an exemplary model for Transitional Justice.
Following the submission of the TRRC’s final report, the government published a White Paper in response to the recommendations of the report, and is seeking partnership to follow through on the commitments in the White Paper, as part of the Transitional Justice and Sustainable Peace process.
It is in response to the government’s call for partnership and to leverage The Gambia’s leading role in operationalising the relatively new concept of Transitional Justice that the University of The Gambia has established the Centre of Excellence in Transitional Justice and Sustainable Peace.
The Centre will work with government and other stakeholders to contribute to the human and institutional capacity development and the formulation of policies and strategies to support the government’s framework for Transitional Justice and sustainable peace, as a principal pillar for political stability and social cohesion to facilitate inclusive development.
The specific objectives of The Centre for Transitional Justice and Sustainable Peace are:
- To offer courses and short, medium- and long-term training to students and other stakeholders in collaboration with partner universities, and institutes in Africa and around the world;
- To conduct research to generate knowledge, and offer policy and strategic advice to government, other partners and countries in the sub-region and the African Continent,
- To become a regional thought leadership centre for transitional justice and sustainable peace that will attract students, scholars and practitioners from The Gambia and around the world.
“The Office of the Vice Chancellor is working closely with several partners and takes this opportunity to solicit support from development partners to ensure the full operationalisation of the Centre by the early part of 2023,” a statement from the UTG said.
Hits: 0