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The Gambian government announced on Wednesday, announced its decision to pull out of the Commonwealth with immediate effect, saying it would "never be a member of any neo-colonial institution".
A statement released by the Gambia foreign Ministry said,"The general public is hereby informed that the government of the Gambia has left the Commonwealth of Nations with immediate effect"
"[The] government has withdrawn its membership of the British Commonwealth and decided that the Gambia will never be a member of any neo-colonial institution and will never be a party to any institution that represents an extension of colonialism".
An unnamed source in the foreign ministry claims that the decision came after the government rejected a proposal by the Commonwealth last year to create commissions in Banjul to protect human rights, media rights and fight against corruption.
Last year, the Gambian government warned the foreign diplomats that Gambia would not be "bribed" with aid to accept homosexuality.
"If you are to give us aid for men and men or for women and women to marry, leave it. We don't need your aid because as far as I am the president of the Gambia, you will never see that happen in this country".
A spokesperson at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said early on Thursday: "We would very much regret Gambia, or any other country, deciding to leave the Commonwealth."
He noted however that "decisions on Commonwealth membership are a matter for each member government".
Gambia is one of Africa's smallest and poorest nation and has been ruled by President Yahya Jammeh since 1994.(news24)
