ECOWAS, UNOWAS Concerned About Elections …In Liberia, Ivory Coast

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWAS) have expressed concerns over the wave of violence that is creeping in several parts of the world mainly due to electoral violence.
Speaking in separate remarks on behalf of the ECOWAS and the UNOWAS, Amb. Tunde Ajosomo and Ruby Sandhu-Rojon called for a save corridor of cross border security, where peace and security will be assured for the citizens.
The regional and UN representatives’ concern come about when Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire are to conduct presidential elections this year and called on citizens to exhibit peaceful postures aimed at securing lives.
Speaking at the end of the three-day stakeholders’ meeting held in Monrovia, the ECOWAS and the UNOWAS officials emphasized the needs for protection at border points.
The UNOWAS boss who is also the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General for West Africa and the Sahel, Madam Sandhu-Rojon committed her organization’s support to strengthening security and collaboration.
Amb. Ajosomo, for his part, stressed the need for collaboration and the fight against poor governance as well as the use of technology and cross border trades as some of the gains that could be made if efforts are put in place, adding that if African countries can raise the necessary resources, the quest for donor supports will be minimized.
He frowned on donors reneging on providing support to African countries; something the he believes has slow down most of the projects that should have been undertaken by some African governments.
Meanwhile, MRU Secretary General, Medina Wesseh, is calling on members’ countries of the MRU to avoid a rundown of the countries pointing out that their efforts in forming a collaboration is to have a cordial relationship amongst sister countries of the MRU as well as in the entire African region.
Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf has committed government’s support to elections, as well as upholding peace and stability of the region adding that due to the significance of the 2020 Presidential elections expected to take place in Guinea and Ivory Coast as well as the mid-term election in Liberia, there a need for a joint support from all MRU countries as well as the ECOWAS in seeing that the MRU region does not revert to violence.