The Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the supervision of the Liberian government has organized two days Diplomatic, Peace, Security, and Democracy Conference in Margibi County-Liberia.
Liberian Leader, President George Weah informed ECOWAS that, the MRU-ECOWAS collaboration should support conflict management, resolution, and political transformation in Guinea as an added motivation to the proposed revision of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
Giving his keynote address at the opening of the MANO RIVER UNION DIPLOMATIC, PEACE, SECURITY AND DEMOCRACY CONFERENCE held at the Farmington Hotel, Roberts International Airport, Margibi County on Monday, November 22, 2021. President George Weah proposed that a merged ECOWAS-AU-MRU Mission, supported by the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission and Peacebuilding Fund, should be established to mediate in the current Guinean transitional arrangements being undertaken to prepare Guinea for democratic elections and constitutional democracy.
He urged the Secretary-General and the Secretariat of the Mano River Union to reach out to the African Union, United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, and Peace Building Fund, to foster stronger and more active partnerships in peace-building initiatives for the Mano River Union. And also encouraged those organizations to welcome and support such partnership outreach. Mr. Weah at the same time noted that the ECOWAS Commission’s partnership with the United Nations Peace-building Support Office can also provide collaborations with these peace-building initiatives.
According to the former Peace Ambassador, “addressing essential economic matters of growth and development; including multi-dimensional poverty, lack of political inclusiveness, gender inequity, and youth unemployment, as well as potential threats of terrorism, extremism, climate change, epidemics, and pandemics such as Ebola and COVID-19, are some of the root causes and determinants of conflict and insecurity in the sub-region”.
The Liberian Leader encouraged African Leaders to abide by constitutional term limits and guarantee political inclusion to avoid popular disagreement that suppresses the smooth transition of power and stability in the sub-region. According to Mr. Weah, it is important to utilize all conflict management mechanisms already developed by the MRU and ECOWAS to address the ongoing situation in the Republic of Guinea, where, after the coup d’état of September 5, 2021, the Transitional Authorities are inciting the support of the Guinean masses in preparing the country for democratic elections and the resumption of constitutional order and democracy.
President George Weah said Liberia has a natural interest in the Guinea election process because of its interlinked historical, geographical, cultural, and socio-economic relationship with the People of the Republic of Guinea.
Let us remain engaged with the political situation in Guinea for a smooth transition to democratic elections and the resumption of constitutional order and democracy. And look forward to the positive, practical, and innovative outcomes of the Conference to help accelerate the transitional process towards democratic governance in Guinea.
photo credit Executive Mansion
