By Kemo Cham
Liberian President Joseph Boakai has lamented the dwindling relevance of the Mano River Union (MRU) and called for its revitalization.
President Boakai urged member states of the sub regional grouping to recommit to its founding principles and form a united front to regain its relevance. He made the call during a keynote speech at a high-level meeting of government ministers from the four-member states in Monrovia on Monday, from 22 July, 2024. The two-day event was convened by the MRU Secretariat, in conjunction with Liberia’s Foreign Ministry, as part of efforts to rejuvenate the bloc.
The MRU was established in 1973 to enhance cooperation among its member with the goal of attaining political and economic integration. Sierra Leone and Liberia were the initial founders. Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire later joined the fold in 1980 and 2008, respectively.
But the organization, which is headquartered in Freetown, has always struggled to serve its purpose, mostly due to lack of funding.
The meeting in Monrovia, which was attended by ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Defense, and other stakeholders, comes six years since such a high profile meeting was convened by the group. And this long hiatus, said President Boakai, has led to poor visibility of entity.
“Since 2017, no meeting has been held, and even ministerial meetings were hardly held. This led to poor visibility and attention by the MRU Secretariat,” the Liberian leader told delegates who converged in the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, Monrovia.
In attendance was Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, Timothy Musa Kabba.
Discussions for the revival of the MRU have been on over the last two decades. At the heads of state summit in 2008 in Monrovia, the leaders resolved to revive the Secretariat to enable it pursue the group’s mandate. President Boakai in his statement, re-echoed that call, urging member countries to uphold the commitment of the summit. He cited prevailing economic and security challenges facing the region, which he said required concerted efforts to deal with.
“We know our development challenges and the growing political and economic issues being faced. I’m therefore appealing to all of you, including our development partners, to be open and foresighted, during this celebration,” he said.
The meeting was convened on the theme: “Strengthening the MRU for a more coordinated regional response to emerging security and development challenges.”
The MRU founding protocol provides that the position of Secretary General, which is the head of the Secretariat and which coordinates the implementation of its policies, is rotated between Guinea and Liberia, while Sierra Leone and Cote d’Ivoire shares the position of deputy Secretary General, in turns.
Current Secretary General, Simeon Moribah, was appointed in June, to continue Liberia’s current four-year tenue that began with the appointment Mariah Harrison by Boakai’s predecessor, George Weah, in 2022.
Mr Moribah, who previously served as deputy secretary general of MRU, has been working to revive the union since taking over. Ahead of the meeting in Monrovia, he met with President Julius Maada Bio, who assured him of Sierra Leone’s commitment to the ideals of the Union.
“The Mano River Union was founded to achieve solidarity and enhance cooperation among member states and peaceful coexistence among its peoples. Sierra Leone remains committed to support the Secretariat and (reactivate) the Mano River Union,” Bio said in a post X, following the meeting with the delegation from the MRU Secretariat on July 16.
In his statement at the Monrovia Ministerial meeting, Moribah highlighted the importance of the discussions in setting clear directions for the Secretariat and aligning them with the goals of member states.
“This meeting follows a pattern where sectoral discussions lead to recommendations for ministers, who then present them to heads of state and government,” he said.
The meeting was convened on three key thematic issues: Conflict Resolution, the ECOWAS Biometric Identification Card, and the proposed ECOWAS single currency. Delegates also explored ways to improve health and education systems, promote environmental sustainability, and address climate change challenges. Gender equality and social inclusion also made it on the agenda.
The MRU Secretariat said these are all geared towards fostering greater regional collaboration, strengthen economic ties, and tackle critical issues that are impacting the sub-region’s stability and growth.
The discussions were expected to lead to actionable recommendations that would help shape the strategic direction of the Union going forward.
