Peace unachievable when conflict ravages nations

By Lewis S. Teh

The Resident Representative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission to Liberia Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah says the West African region and the global community can’t achieve lasting peace when conflicts are still ravaging some nations.

“Regional peace and by extension global peace is unavailable when conflict ravages some nations,” said Amb. Nkrumah over the weekend.

Speaking at the official launching of a dialogue series held under the theme: Consolidating Peace, Security, and Development at the Centennial Pavilion in central Monrovia, the ECOWAS envoy said the region and the global community will not truly benefit from sustainable development when some nations continue to wallow in underdevelopment.

She noted that the dialogue series will last for eleven months and will run up to the election period.

Amb. Nkrumah added that she will help deepen various conversations that will commit to the process of reflecting on the roles each stakeholder will play in their collective endeavor to promote peace, security, and development.

“I have taken some time to read the Constitution of Liberia and whilst many clauses are vociferous on the rights of citizens, little if any is said that espouses the duties of citizens as [a] counterpart to [the] government in realizing the dreams and aspirations of Liberians,” she noted.

According to Amb. Nkrumah strongly believes that owning the process of peace, security, and development is as much the citizens’ role as it is the government.

The ECOWAS envoy indicated that perhaps it is time to immerse the mindset with duties as citizens contributing significantly to the change that is a clamor for which must begin with them in words and deeds.

Ambassador Nkrumah told the audience that ECOWAS continues to play a significant role in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and security through the various strands of stakeholder engagement, implementation of the protocol on good governance and security reforms, and social protection framework, among others.

She further said the overarching objective has been to foster political stability, socio-economic development, and a realization of the dividends of democratic governance for the ECOWAS community.

Ambassador Nkrumah extended appreciation to the government for the immense goodwill ECOWAS continues to enjoy in Liberia, a true attestation to the strong bond built over a difficult phase of Liberia’s journey toward peace, security, and development.

Performing the official launching ceremony, Liberia’s Foreign Minister Dee Maxwell Kemayah reaffirmed the Liberian government’s commitment and preparedness to ensure the conduct of free, fair, and transparent elections in 2023 in keeping with the best international standard and practices.

He said democratic culture, for which Liberians fought so dearly, nurtured and planted, must in no uncertain terms be disrupted because the country’s democratic course is irreversible.

The dialogue brought together government officials from line ministries and agencies, including the Legislature, Judiciary, National Security Agency (NSA), and the Traditional Council of Chief and Elders.

Members of the Diplomatic Missions in Liberia including the United States Embassy, the French Embassy, and the Ambassador of Cameroon were represented.