The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Commission is holding a 4-day experience-sharing engagement with the security forces, to enhance electoral security and integrity in Liberia.
The event, which runs from September 13-16, 2023, is under the auspices of the Directorate of Political Affairs (DPA) in the Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, in collaboration with the Office of the Resident Representative of the president of the ECOWAS Commission in Liberia.
This initiative is part of ECOWAS’ measures to enhance its structural conflict prevention intervention in Liberia, as election periods in our region are usually moments of heightened political tension and a potential source of conflict, especially if not properly managed.
The experience-sharing engagement is designed to strengthen and complement the efforts of the Liberia National Police (LNP) and other sister security agencies involved in electoral security management, to enhance security, in the build-up and during the forthcoming historical elections in Liberia.
The Engagement was declared opened by the Resident Representative of the President of the ECOWAS Commission in Liberia, Josephine Nkrumah, represented by Dr. Nathaniel Walker, Political Advisor to the Resident Representative.
The meeting also had in attendance, Tibli Dickson, Sr., Deputy Minister of Defense (MOD); Marvin M. Sarkor, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations; Cllr. Massa Jallabah, Head of Program Division, Ministry of Justice; and Mr. Anders Arvidsson, Political Affairs Officer and Deputy Head of Mission, European Union Delegation to Liberia.
The experience-sharing engagement is being attended by strategic and operational level officers from the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Ministry of Defense (MOD), Liberia National Police (LNP), Office of the National Security Advisor, Liberia Immigration Services (LIS), Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), Liberia National Fire Services (LNFS), Liberia Female Law Enforcement Association, Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), National Security Agency (NSA), and Executive Protection Service (EPS).
The engagement is part of ECOWAS’ strategic support to engage critical stakeholders in Liberia, towards conducting a peaceful and violent-free electoral process.
The Directorate of Political Affairs, through the Democracy and Good Governance Division, and in partnership with GIZ/EPSAO, is facilitating a series of activities in Liberia, targeting different stakeholders, including the Security Agencies, Media practitioners, and Civil Society organizations in Liberia.
The engagement is being facilitated by staff of the Directorate of Political Affairs, ECOWAS Commission, led by Ebenezer Ofosu Asiedu, Head of Democracy and Good Governance, supported by Al-Meyao Abass Kwarasey, Assistant Commissioner of Police, who also doubles as the Director of Operations and Commander of the Formed Police Unit (FPU) of the Ghana Police Service, and Augustine Momoh Kamara, Chief Superintendent of Police and Head of Elections Security Management of the Sierra Leone Police Force, as resource persons.
