Botswana says it does not recognize Gambia's Jammeh

JOHANNESBURG – African nations have begun stepping away from Gambia's longtime leader, who has refused to accept defeat in a December election.

Botswana said Thursday it does not recognize Yahya Jammeh as Gambia's president. It made the announcement in a Facebook post as Jammeh's mandate expired.

Jammeh has said he will not accept the election results because of alleged irregularities.

Botswana says Jammeh's refusal to hand power to President-elect Adama Barrow, who plans to be sworn into office Thursday in neighboring Senegal, "undermines the ongoing efforts to consolidate democracy and good governance" in Gambia and Africa in general.

The African Union earlier announced that the continental body would no longer recognize Jammeh once his mandate expired.