To Fast-Track War Crimes Court in Liberia
Monrovia, Liberia – The European Union and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have launched a new US$724,000 project aimed at accelerating Liberia’s long-delayed transitional justice process, with a sharp focus on operationalizing the War and Economic Crimes Court (WECC) and strengthening accountability for past atrocities and corruption.
The two-year initiative, titled Strengthening Victim-Centered Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Liberia, was unveiled Thursday, February 26, 2026, during a workshop for parliamentary staff in Monrovia and will run from 2026 to 2027 and seeks to reinforce national efforts to ensure justice for victims of gross human rights violations and economic crimes.
“The initiative is a reaffirmation of Europe’s commitment to Liberia’s pursuit of justice,” said Zoltan Szalai, deputy head of the EU Delegation to Liberia. “A victim-centered approach is essential to rebuilding trust, strengthening the rule of law and ensuring that the painful experiences of the past are acknowledged. The European Union will continue to stand with Liberia in advancing a peaceful, inclusive and democratic society where no one is left behind,” he added.
Christian Mukosa, the OHCHR Representative in Liberia, stated that the project is meant to guarantee that judicial systems like the WECC and the National Anti-Corruption Court (NACC) provide significant reparation and builds on years of interaction with national stakeholders.
He stated that the project will support current initiatives to operationalize victim-centered legal systems, including as the National Anti-Corruption Court and the War and Economic Crimes Court, in order to provide victims with justice and aid in preventing recurrence.
The Ministry of Justice, the Judiciary, the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia (OWECC-L), and the Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) are among the important justice institutions that will get technical help from the project, he said.
In order to handle complicated war crimes and corruption cases, Mukosa said, the project will help train investigators, prosecutors, and judges while making sure that witnesses and victims are safeguarded and actively involved in the proceedings.
Speaking at the launch, Liberia’s Justice Minister, N. Oswald Tweh reiterated the government’s commitment to making sure the War and Economic Crimes Court’s creation is solidly grounded in the law and compliant with the Constitution.
As chief legal advisor to the government, the Minister said the Ministry of Justice is providing legal oversight and policy guidance to operationalize the executive order establishing the Office for the War and Economic Crimes Court. He revealed that, in collaboration with both domestic and foreign partners, draft legislation to formally establish the court is currently being prepared.
“Our objective is clear, to ensure that justice mechanisms are credible, inclusive and responsive to the needs and rights of victims. This process must uphold the rule of law and international justice standards,” the Minister narrated.
Asserting that accountability for economic crimes is essential to rebuilding public trust, Liberia’s Justice Minister also disclosed that the Ministry is collaborating with OHCHR and the LACC on capacity-building initiatives slated for April 2026 to enhance investigations and prosecutions of corruption-related offenses.
Additionally, the Minister promised that before the end of the first quarter of 2026, a national strategy for the protection of human rights defenders would be adopted.
The launch represents one of the biggest foreign investments in Liberia’s infrastructure for transitional justice in recent memory. Due to institutional limitations and political hesitancy, demands for responsibility for crimes committed during the nation’s civil conflicts have persisted for decades.
Reported by: Prince Saah
