Capitol Hill, Monrovia – It is reported that the first Speaker of the newly established Mano River Union Parliamentary Body would be Richard Nagbe Koon, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Liberia. The gathering will take place in Monrovia from July 18–21, 2025.
The gathering, which is an important step in creating a legislative platform that is regionally coherent, is expected to be attended by high-level delegations from Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, the four members of the Mano River Union.
Accordingly, Speaker Koon has gained widespread acceptance as the preferred candidate to lead the regional parliament following months of private talks and strategic lobbying within the MRU’s structure, with Liberia positioning itself as both the host and the pioneer of the historic institution.
The goals of the MRUPB are to provide more parliamentary control of MRU operations, promote the rule of law, and strengthen democratic administration. With complete administrative and budgetary autonomy as well as legal personality, it will serve as the Union’s deliberative, consultative, and supervisory body.
In order to ensure balanced participation and allow for national variety, each member state will be represented by a minimum of five and a maximum of fifteen lawmakers from their respective national parliament.
If elected, Speaker Koon, who presently leads Liberia’s 55th Legislature, will be the first leader of the MRUPB and would spend a four-year term. His potential leadership is being celebrated as a significant diplomatic win for Liberia and as a turning point in his own political career.
The creation of the MRU Parliament comes after years of support from member nations and local civil society organizations, which have long called for an organized legislative system to foster accountability and strengthen cross-border collaboration.
Earlier this year, the MRU leadership formally approved the establishment of the MRUPB after a technical assessment found that the organization would have significant socioeconomic and political advantages. Harmonizing the laws pertaining to commerce, migration, security, and the environment inside the MRU zone is crucial.
