Liberia’s democratic future hinges on October elections –Says UN Envoy
Future of Liberia’s democracy rests on successful conclusion of its 2017 October elections, the United Nations (UN) Envoy to Liberia said.
This was coming as the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which was established in 2003 to support implementation of a cease-fire agreement and once had a ceiling of 15,000 peacekeepers, is arranging to wrap up its operations in 2018.
Liberia’s future as a stable democracy, the envoy said, hinges on successful presidential and legislative elections in October and broad acceptance that they are free and fair followed by a smooth transfer of power.
Farid Zarif, the UN Envoy, told the Security Council that “no major threats are envisaged beyond possible isolated and sporadic incidents” during the election period and transition of government in January.
But he said “it will be crucial that Liberia’s law enforcement agencies are adequately prepared to respond to potential low-level civil unrest and mob violence during this delicate period.”
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf took office in 2006 after winning the country’s first election following more than a decade of civil war and was re-elected in 2011, when she was also named a joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Sirleaf will be leaving office and Zarif said there are many candidates vying to succeed her.
The U.N. peacekeeping mission known as UNMIL, which was established in 2003 to support implementation of a cease-fire agreement and once had a ceiling of 15,000 peacekeepers, is preparing to wrap up its operations next year. Zarif said it now has 260 police and 230 troops, a significant decrease from the two previous elections when it fielded a country-wide presence.
The U.N. envoy said all political party leaders have committed “to a violence-free electoral process and transfer of power” in a declaration that was formalized during a summit of heads of states from the West African regional group ECOWAS on June 4.
