Africa
THE ECOWAS Resident Representative Office in Liberia and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in collaboration with international partners formally launched a series of dialogues on peace, security and development on Friday, 21, October 2022.
The exercise will comprise monthly national dialogues on carefully selected topics to be addressed by various international partners and is expected to be rolled out over 11 months.
Delivering the keynote address and performing the formal launch of the dialogue series, Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, applauded the concept of the dialogue series as a pathway for consolidating peace.
The Minister pledged the unwavering support of the Government of Liberia to ensure the conduct of free, fair, transparent, peaceful, credible and inclusive elections in keeping with international standard and best practice.
Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah, Resident Representative of the President of ECOWAS Commission in Liberia, speaking at the event, reemphasized the critical role ECOWAS continues to play in conflict prevention, peace building, and security through the various strands of stakeholder engagements, and the implementation of protocols on good governance and security.
“The overarching objective has been to foster political stability, socio economic development and a realization of the dividends of democratic governance for the ECOWAS Community – that indeed is an ECOWAS of the people – a people centered approach to ECOWAS’s primary objectives. “Ambassador Nkrumah informed the audience.
Ambassador Nkrumah commended the Government and good people of Liberia for the immense and enduring goodwill ECOWAS continues to enjoy in the country.
She noted that it was a true attestation to the strong bond built over a difficult phase of Liberia’s journey towards peace, security and development.
“It is in the spirit of this bond that we will be sharing our joint experiences, reflections and views from a regional perspective and contextualized within the Liberian socio-economic and political landscape.” Ambassador Nkrumah disclosed.
In brief remarks, Jakob Haselhuber, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Liberia, pointed out that as in a year’s time, Liberia will be heading towards Presidential and parliamentary elections, they as outside observers, partners and friends of the Liberian people follow with great interest the developments in the run-up to the elections.
Ambassador Haselhuber then assured Liberians: “we will stand by your side for the further strengthening of democracy and the rule of law in your beautiful country.”
For his part, Professor T. Debey Sayndee Director, Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation, University of Liberiaexpressed appreciation to ECOWAS and partners for the bold and laudable step taken by to engage on issues of peace, security, and development for Liberia.
KN
Tags: ECOWAS Josephine Nkrumah Kofi Annan Professor T. Debey Sayndee
