The Gambian President Adama Barrow has indicated that he will return to his homeland on Thursday, accompanied by a senior UN official.

Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), is due to travel with the new leader from Senegal, where he has been staying due to security concerns.

President Barrow's installation ceremony was held in Senegal due to the crisis generated by former Gambian President Yayah Jammeh's refusal to cede power after losing elections held in December.

Mr Chambas briefed a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council in New York via video link on Wednesday.

Stéphane Dujarric is the UN Spokesperson:

"Mr Chambas indicated that his office will spare no effort in supporting stability and nation-building in The Gambia. He will continue to promote a smooth and peaceful transition of power in the country, and further advocate for national unity and reconciliation. The UN Office for West Africa has already deployed staff to The Gambia to assist the Government in ensuring a smooth transfer from the previous administration to the new authorities. And as you will have seen, President Barrow is scheduled to return to The Gambia tomorrow. Mr. Chambas is expected to accompany him on his trip home from Senegal."

Appeal to halt imminent execution of two men in Bahrain

Bahrain is set to execute two men who were allegedly tortured while in prison and the authorities are being urged to spare their lives.

The appeal has been made by two UN human rights experts who are calling on the Government to ensure the defendants are re-tried in compliance with international standards.

The men—Mohammad Ramadan and Hussein Moosa—were charged with premeditated murder and attempted murder.

They were allegedly coerced into confessing their crimes, and denied proper legal assistance.

The UN experts stated that international law prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

They also expressed concern about the execution of three men earlier this month for a 2014 bombing that killed several people, including three police officers.

They said these men also were reportedly coerced to confess under torture, in addition to being denied access to legal aid.

Initiative aims to generate 6,000 youth jobs in Tunisia

A youth employment project launched on Wednesday by the United Nations and its partners aims to create more than 6,000 jobs for young people in Tunisia over the next five years.

It's the second phase of an initiative which has already generated more than 1,250 jobs, including over 160 business start-ups, in four governorates of the country.

It will now be expanded to 14 vulnerable governorates, with US$14 million being invested in training courses, business coaching and technical assistance for aspiring and existing entrepreneurs.

The programme is a partnership between the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Italian Development Cooperation and the Hewlett Packard Foundation.

Dianne Penn, United Nations.

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