MONROVIA -The Mano River Union (MRU) Secretariat has launched a pivotal high-level ministerial meeting in Monrovia, bringing together senior representatives from Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and host nation Liberia. Running from June 16 to 19, the meeting aims to bolster peaceful coexistence and regional stability through the establishment of Joint Technical Commissions on land and maritime boundary issues.
Held at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex, the gathering features participation from Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Internal Affairs of the four MRU member states. The discussions center on reaffirming land boundaries and delimiting maritime frontiers—key priorities for sustainable peace and development in the sub-region.
The initiative, led by the MRU Secretariat, seeks to resolve longstanding and often sensitive border-related concerns through diplomacy, technical cooperation, and adherence to international legal frameworks. The Joint Technical Commissions will undertake geospatial assessments, review existing bilateral and multilateral boundary agreements, and propose mutually recognized demarcation protocols aligned with international law and African Union principles.
Delivering a special statement on behalf of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Liberia’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, praised the initiative as “a landmark step toward enhancing regional integration, cross-border security, and sustainable development in the Mano River basin.”
Cllr. Tweh emphasized that peaceful boundary negotiations are vital to the broader goals of the MRU—promoting regional solidarity, fostering socioeconomic development, and averting conflict. “This effort symbolizes a new chapter of cooperation and mutual respect among our nations,” he said.
The MRU meeting highlights the collective resolve of the four countries to address border challenges proactively, with a shared vision of unity and peace. Delegates underscored their commitment to peaceful negotiation, legal clarity, and regional solidarity as they move toward establishing lasting mechanisms for boundary resolution and cooperation.
As the deliberations continue, stakeholders anticipate concrete outcomes that will strengthen institutional frameworks, reduce tensions in border communities, and solidify the foundation for long-term regional integration within the Mano River basin.
