New Gambia president inaugurated in Senegal

A new Gambian president has been sworn into office in neighboring Senegal, while Gambia's defeated longtime ruler refuses to step down from power, deepening a political crisis in the tiny West African country.
Adama Barrow was inaugurated today in a hastily arranged ceremony at Gambia's embassy in Senegal. The small embassy room held about 40 people, including Senegal's prime minister and the head of Gambia's electoral commission.
A jumbo TV screen broadcast the swearing in ceremony to several hundred watching outside the embassy. Also at the event were officials from West Africa's regional bloc, ECOWAS, which is threatening to invade Gambia to force outgoing president Yahya Jammeh to step down.

The UN Security Council was set to vote later today on a draft resolution endorsing the West African regional force's efforts to remove Jammeh.
"This is a day no Gambian will ever forget," said Barrow, dressed in a flowing white robe.
Barrow's inauguration took place in the Gambian embassy in Senegal's capital, Dakar. Senegalese police lined the embassy entrance. A large screen outside allowed hundreds to view the ceremony, which was being attended by Senegal's prime minister and other top officials and dignitaries.

Jammeh was at his official residence, State House, in Gambia's capital and intended to stay there, said an official close to the administration who was not authorized to speak to reporters. If the regional force is going to arrest Jammeh, it will have to be there, he said.

Many of Jammeh's loyalists at State House will resist, the official added. But Gambia's army, estimated at well below 5,000 troops, is divided over its loyalties to Jammeh, and those not sympathetic to him will not leave until they are invited by the new government, the official said.
The UN Security Council was set to vote today on a draft resolution endorsing the West African regional force's efforts to remove Jammeh.
Barrow won the December election, defeating Jammeh, who came to power in a coup in 1994. Jammeh initially conceded defeat but then changed his mind and said he would not accept the results, saying the election was marred by irregularities. Jammeh has resisted strong international pressure for him to step down. His mandate expired at midnight.

African nations began stepping away from Jammeh, with Botswana announcing it no longer recognized him as Gambia's president. His refusal to hand over power "undermines the ongoing efforts to consolidate democracy and good governance" in Gambia and Africa in general, it said.