NEW YORK/MONROVIA: Ambassador Anna Karin Eneström, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations (UN), has stressed the urgent need to address the funding gap of US$25.5 million to ensure the successful conduct of the October Presidential and Legislative elections in Liberia.
Ambassador Eneström who is also Chair of the Liberia Configuration, Peacebuilding Commission disclosed that funding the elections was the primary responsibility of the Government of Liberia.
The topnotch diplomat made the assertions recently when she spoke at a recent bilateral consultation she held with the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in Washington DC, United States of America (USA).
According to her, many international partners including the United Nations, regional organizations and International Financial Institutions (IFIs) are however working hard to support national efforts in the lead-up to the crucial elections in October.
At the meeting, Ambassador Eneström also outlined their contributions to addressing inequalities, increasing opportunities for women and youth, and improving access to education and health services.
The Swedish Envoy, nevertheless, applauded the Government of Liberia (GOL), for the preparations it has made for the upcoming elections and the remarkable progress in the country’s peacebuilding process.
She emphasized that the elections represent a crucial milestone in consolidating peace and democracy in Liberia.
She hailed the recent signing of the Farmington River Declaration in which 26 political parties including the ruling CDC pledged to ensure free, fair, peaceful, transparent, credible, and non-violent elections and judicial resolution of electoral disputes.
She, at the same time, described as important achievement, the sending of a clear signal to all party supporters that violence will not be tolerated in the country’s electioneering era.
With focus on ensuring an inclusive electoral process, the PBC-Liberia Configuration Chair expressed support for enhancing youth and women’s political participation, especially an initiative by UN-Women and the National Elections Commission (NEC) by encouraging political parties to sign a voluntary pact to include at least 30 percent women on their candidate listings.
He reaffirmed the Peacebuilding Commission’s commitment to continuing its support to Liberia’s electoral process and its efforts to sustain the peace on the country.
The meeting of the Liberia Configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission was convened to receive an update on the preparations for the general elections in Liberia and to discuss priority areas–women’s and youth political participation and preventing electoral violence.
For her part, Thelma Duncan Sawyer, Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Edward Mulbah, Executive Director of Liberia’s Peacebuilding Office; and Davidetta Browne Lansanah, Chairperson of the National Elections Commission, provided briefings on the Government’s preparation for the upcoming elections.
Amongst others, the Government representatives mentioned the conduct of the national census, the first phase of biometric voters’ registration, prelaunch of a robust conflict early warning and response system, efforts to increase women and youth participation in the electoral process, and the need for more financial, technical and logistical support from the international community.
At the occasion, Madam Naomi Tulay Solanke, Executive Director of the Community Healthcare Initiative, and Ernest Dukuly, Secretary General of the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY) briefed the meeting on women and youth political participation.
According to a dispatch from Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, several member states of the UNs, including Demark, Dominican Republic, Japan, Kenya, Italy, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, and South Africa, hailed the remarkable peacebuilding progress in Liberia and expressed support for the ongoing electoral process.
