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, H.E. Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, applauded the concept of the dialogue serves as a pathway for consolidating peace. Minister Kemayah 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 standards and best practices.
H.E. 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, peacebuilding, 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, His Excellency Dr. Jakob Haselhuber, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Liberia, pointed out that in a year’s time, Liberia will be heading toward 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 Liberia expressed appreciation to ECOWAS and its partners for the bold and laudable steps taken by to engage on issues of peace, security, and development for Liberia. “
