Your Excellency, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President of the Republic of Senegal, Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government present, Distinguished Representatives of France, Honourable Ministers and Members of the Senegalese National Assembly, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Descendants of the 1944 Senegalese Infantry, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with profound honour that I bring fraternal greetings from the people of The Gambia to our Senegalese brothers and sisters and to all African patriots present here. We join you all in commemorating what is obviously a dark chapter in our shared history, which we can never forget or ignore. It is regrettable that, exactly eighty-one years ago today, the sacred blood of Africa's sons was mercilessly shed on this very soil. The cries of unarmed heroes who had travelled across oceans were silenced by the very forces they had served with courage and dignity. Today, Africa mourns and condemns the events of that gloomy day. Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, we continue to recognise that the citizens of The Gambia and the Republic of Senegal are one people with the same ancestry. Our division and differences stem from the boundaries drawn by the very powers that subjected our ancestors to unspeakable exploitation. As evidence of this, the River Gambia flows through our two territories, and we share the same family ties. Our histories are inseparable, and our cultures and destinies are closely linked.

When the Senegalese Infantry marched to war, they did not march from Senegal alone. They came from across French West Africa. Gambians, although under British colonial rule at the time, also sent their sons to fight in Burma, as part of the Gambia Regiment. Amongst them was my maternal grandfather. We answered the same call, not out of choice but, often, forcefully to defend the empires that colonised us.

We know the truth about Thiaroye. It was not a "mutiny" but a cold-blooded execution of unarmed men whose only crime was to demand what was rightfully theirs. The killings were an act of betrayal meant to terrorise African soldiers into submission. Followed by decades of denial and cover-ups, the event represents a historic crime not only against Senegalese individuals but also against humanity at large. Like other nations, The Gambia paid the price of participating in the past colonial wars. We sent our young men to fight in foreign lands for promises that were never kept. So, we are not here as distant observers. We are affected and concerned victims who stand in solidarity with the descendants of the Senegalese Infantry.

Your Excellencies, eighty-one years is too long to wait for the truth. I commend President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the Government of Senegal for their unwavering commitment to establishing the full truth about Thiaroye. The establishment of an international committee of independent researchers represents a crucial step towards historical justice. We honour Senegalese Infantry with a pledge that the history of colonial exploitation will be taught honestly to ensure that future generations understand both the crimes committed and the resilience with which our ancestors resisted. The best memorial to the Senegalese Infantry is a dignified Africa that stands tall in the community of nations; a resilient Africa that controls its resources and provides ample opportunities and prosperity for its youth. Through unity, self-determination, industrialisation, Africa must now rise higher to fully develop its human capital. Your Excellency, President Faye, on behalf of the Government and People of The Gambia, I applaud your courage and leadership in breaking the silence on Thiaroye. Your commitment to truth and justice is an honour to Senegal and the entire African continent.

I reassure you, the descendants of the Senegalese Infantry, that we recognise your fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers as heroes. They were men of courage and honour who faced grave hardships with dignity. Bravely, they demanded what was rightfully theirs and never lost their humanity. May the souls of all those who fell at Thiaroye and all African soldiers who sacrificed their lives in foreign wars, rest in eternal peace. As their memory lives on, let the lessons of the past continue to guide us towards an African continent of dignity, unity, and freedom. Long live the Republics of Senegal and The Gambia! Long live African Unity!