The porosity of borders within Liberia is a matter of interest especially when the Coronavirus is transmitted from human to human; therefore the Mano River Union (MRU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Joint Project have conducted a high level stakeholder engagement along the Liberia-Sierra Leone border.
The need for a regional response cannot be overemphasized as it aims at strengthening integration that seeks to advance peace and security and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in member States.
The engagement exercise was a follow-up assessment mission to the two “Class A” borders in Jendema at Bo Waterside, and the project focuses on areas of cooperation to enhance the effectiveness of their developmental efforts in the four counties which are Nimba, Grand Cape Mount, Maryland and Lofa.
During that exercise, the female traders spoke about the devastating blow and strangulation the outbreak of the pandemic which has affected the once booming venture of trade and have stalled their economic growth and stability.
According to them, many of traders no longer have the means to do their businesses with the closure of the borders and stressed that all their capitals have been sucked up due to Covid-19.
According to the women traders, in their desperation to fend for their families, some of their members have to use any of the over 40 illegal crossing points just to make ends meet; some of which lead to fatality.
“Our women who are mostly single parents, are dying because they are taking huge risks for their children and families to survive,” Bindu Swarary said.
The women traders, community members and even government authorities at ports of entry, collectively emphasized the need to open the main borders but with safety, health and security measures put in place for all users and to strengthen trade in a secured environment.
Meanwhile, on two separate occasions, the MRU/UNDP Project has turned over materials and supplies to the Government of Liberia through the National Response Coordinator of the Executive Committee on Coronavirus (ECOC).
At the same time, the response is to help improve cross border gender awareness, surveillance and cooperation between MRU countries while the materials were intended for four counties covering a total of 22 targeted border communities.
The MRU/UNDP project delegation was led by the Head of MRU Secretariat Medina Wisseh, the Resident Representatives of Liberia and Sierra Leone; Pa Lamin Beyai and Sam Doe, as well as the Internal Affairs Minister of Sierra Leone, David Panda Noah among others.