The joint security of Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire has successfully concluded patrols of River Gee and Maryland Counties inside Liberia.
According to a press release, the patrols are in continuation of efforts aimed at increasing confidence between security forces and border communities and increasing intra/cross-border cooperation and peaceful co-existence within the two Countries.
The release says the patrols are designed to prevent illegal entry of people, arms, drugs, and other substances.
The exercises are also intended to promote peace, improve security, build trust and confidence amongst border security personnel and communities of both Liberia and Cote d’ Ivoire.
The patrols included Police officers, Immigration officers, Drug Enforcement Agents and National Security personnel from the two Countries.
The Liberian security team was led by the Director of Border Patrol at the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), Col. Sarh Manasseh Felee, while the Ivorian team was headed by Commander SGTIA Grabo, Capt. ArseneZaoly.
The patrols were jointly conducted along the borders in Pedebo – Kablaken, Maryland County; Prolloro- Blieron in Cote d’ Ivoire and Nyaaken and Tiboto in River Gee County and Cote d’ Ivoire respectively.
Capt. Zaoly describes the joint patrols as a welcoming development for the promotion of peace and good neighborliness between the two countries and peoples.“We are brothers and sisters. Whatever affects Liberia equally affects Cote d’Ivoire… and peace in Cote d’Ivoire also means peace in Liberia,” Capt. Zaoly notes through an interpreter during a brief meeting prior to the start of the patrols in River Gee County.
He thanks the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other partners for such a project that seeks to promote peace and social cohesion in the two countries.
With funding from the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office (UNPBSO), the project is aimed at increasing cooperation and trust between Ivorian and Liberian border communities through strengthening social cohesion and border security.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]
For his part, Col. Sarh Manasseh Felee thanks the Ivorian security team for accepting to form part of an exercise that promotes peace in Liberia and Cote Ivoire.Eric Opoku is UNDP’s Community Development Specialist and Manager of the UNDP/IOM Cross-Border Cooperation project.
Mr. Opoku expresses appreciation to the joint security from both countries for ensuring the success of the project which intends to bring the two countries and peoples together. Press Release
