THE MANO RIVER Union (MRU) is an international organization initially established between Liberia and Sierra Leone by October 3, 1973 Mano River Declaration. It is named for the Mano River, which begins in the Guinea highlands and forms a border between Liberia and Sierra Leone. On October 25, 1980, Guinea joined the union.
THE GOAL OF the Union was to “accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural advancement of our two countries … by active collaboration and mutual assistance in matters of common interest in economic, social, technical, scientific and administrative fields”. However, due to internal conflicts within the two original MRU countries (the Sierra Leone Civil War,1991-2002) and (the First Liberian 1989-1997 and Second Civil Wars 1999-2003), these objectives could not be achieved. The staff numbered 600 in 1986, but was down to 300 in 1993, then to 120, and 48 in 2000.
ON 20 MAY 2004, the Union was reactivated at a summit of the three leaders of the Mano River Union states: Presidents Lansana Conté of Guinea and Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of Sierra Leone and Chairman Charles Gyude Bryant of Liberia. On May 15, 2008, Côte d’Ivoire agreed to join the union.
THE MRU IS run by a secretariat, headed by a Secretary-General. Ambassador Simeon M.B. Harrison of Liberia is the current Secretary-General of the Mano River Union. He became the 10th Secretary General. He replaced Madam Maria G. Harrison in May 2024. When Secretary-General Habib Diallo was killed in a car crash in 2011, his successor was the first woman to hold that office: Dr. Saran Daraba Kaba.
THE MANO RIVER Union Secretariat is based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, with offices in Conakry, Guinea and Monrovia, Liberia.
IN APRIL 2016, the Union announced plans to form a Mano River Union Parliament, where legislators from the four member states will work to coordinate national legislation on matters of regional importance. This idea had been shelved as the cost and the structure of another parliamentary body whose relevance remains to be appreciated prior to the launch of the MRU Parliament in Monrovia last Sunday, July 20, 2025.
AND SO, WHEN the heads of the four parliaments (Legislatures) of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire came together in Monrovia on the weekend of July 18-20, 2025, it was in fulfilment of earlier plans announced in April 2016 to form a Mano River Union Parliament where legislators from the four member states will work to coordinate national legislation on matters of regional importance.
THE HISTORIC LAUNCH, hosted by Richard Nagbe Koon, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Liberia, signified a step forward in fostering regional cooperation and addressing shared challenges in West Africa. The launch brought together esteemed speakers from the member states, including Segepoh Solomon Thomas of Sierra Leone, Dr. Dansa Kourouma of Guinea, and Adama Bictogo of Côte d’Ivoire.
IN THE MONROVIA Declaration, Segepoh Solomon Thomas, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Richard Nagbe KOON, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Legislature of the Republic of Liberia, Dr. Dansa KOUROUMA, President of the National Transitional Council of the Republic of Guinea, and Adama BICTOGO, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, re-echoed the founding objectives of the MRU, bearing in mind to promote regional integration, peace, stability, and development among its member states; The need to deepen the integration dynamic by involving elected national representatives in the spirit of inclusive democratic governance; The legitimate aspirations of the peoples of the Mano River Union member states to participate in decision-making processes concerning their shared future; The shared values of solidarity, culture, and common history that unite our nations as members of a shared community of destiny; and therefor reaffirmed that that: Strengthening sub-regional institutions requires an integrated parliamentary approach, complementary to the actions of the Heads of State.
ACCORDING TO THEM, supporting the initiative to establish a Mano River Union Parliament is an institutional step forward in the sub-regional integration process. The creation of this parliament, which necessitates the will and approval of the respective Heads of State, is to: Strengthen sub-regional democratic governance through the representation of the people; Promote human rights and social justice; Harmonize national legal and legislative frameworks, thereby facilitating economic, social, security, and environmental integration among member countries; Create a permanent framework for dialogue between the people and institutions to prevent conflicts, strengthen social cohesion, and encourage lasting peace; Support sub-regional initiatives in human security, climate resilience, sustainable development, and shared prosperity; Promote active parliamentary diplomacy through exchange of experiences, joint missions, and enhanced solidarity among member states.
GUIDED BY THE shared vision of peace, democratic governance, and socio-economic integration that drives the Mano River Union, the four Heads of the Parliaments in the MRU countries call upon the Heads of State of the Mano River Union to champion and support this strategic initiative through high-level political guidance.
THEY FURTHER STATE that this declaration represents ‘our firm and shared commitment to work towards a Mano River Union with an ambitious, representative, and effective framework of exchange, in service of our peoples. It opens a new chapter in the history of our sub-region, grounded in citizen participation, parliamentary solidarity, and the joint construction of our common future.’ Pending guidance from our Heads of State, we agree to establish an Interparliamentary Union of the Mano River Union member states. Done in Monrovia, on July 20, 2025.
THE LIBERIAN POST welcomes and congratulates the four Heads of the MRU Countries Parliaments for their farsightedness to make a reality the 2016 plan announced for the formation of the MRU Parliament.
IN THE CASE of Liberia, TLP urges the Government of the Republic of Liberia to ensure and impress upon its member colleagues that the Interparliamentary Union of the MRU Countries does not become another big white elephant and must be the REAL DEAL THIS TIME AROUND.
LIBERIA IS also a member of the ECOWAS Parliament, the African Union (AU) Parliament, etc. two regional and continental parliaments setup at different times to enhance integrity, growth, development, peace and security among others. The Interparliamentary Union of the Mano River Union (MRU) countries – Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire, must live up to the objectives it was established for the four subregional countries.
THE FOUR MRU countries have similar culture and share common values, and even speak similar languages between and amongst its peoples. The goal of Mano River Union was to “accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural advancement of our two countries … by active collaboration and mutual assistance in matters of common interest in economic, social, technical, scientific and administrative fields”. This is where the Interparliamentary Union of the Mano River Union comes in as a subregional body that has oversight responsibilities over its respective governments.
THE MRU PARLIAMENT must ensure that the four governments in the subregion redouble their efforts in actualizing the goals of the MRU when it was founded in 1973. It is overdue that peoples of the MRU countries are far from being integrated, are still faced with trade and economic barriers, and many other social, technical, scientific, administrative fields that could benefit peoples of the four countries. Now is the time that the new Interparliamentary Union of the MRU step up the game by making sure that the four governments make the 1973 dream of those past leaders who formed the MRU come to reality in this modern dispensation.
ONCE AGAIN, TLP applauds the initiative for the launch of the Interparliamentary Union of the MRU countries, but must bear in mind that if the objectives of this noble body are not met to the benefit of the local populace in the four countries, but rather for those in high places to meet in fabulous five-star hotels in the subregion to wine and dine in the name of having meetings, then the whole dream of the founding members of the MRU in the first place in 1973 and now the MRU Parliament is just a mirage. Wishing the Interparliamentary Union of the MRU all of the best and Godspeed.
