Monrovia – The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding-Liberia (WANEP-Liberia) has expressed deep concern over the ongoing political crisis in the House of Representatives, which it warns could destabilize Liberia’s hard-earned peace and undermine public trust in the country’s governance. The organization issued a press release on Monday, November 19, 2024, calling on the Majority and Minority blocs of the 55th Legislature to resolve their differences through legal and constructive means.
WANEP-Liberia described the current stalemate as a disruption to the Legislature’s ability to carry out its functions, with broader implications for Liberia’s stability and democratic development. The organization stressed that the power struggle between the two blocs risks paralyzing legislative progress and stagnating the overall development of the nation.
“A divide in the Legislature can be equated to a divided nation,” WANEP stated in its release. The organization cautioned that the political impasse could discourage foreign investment, erode international confidence, and undermine citizens’ trust in the protection guaranteed by the 1986 Constitution.
The peacebuilding organization further emphasized that Liberia cannot afford to revert to the chaos of its civil war years, which claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people, displaced millions, and shattered the nation’s governance structures. “This situation has the proclivity to invite chaos and undermine democratic development, peace, and human security,” WANEP warned, urging lawmakers to learn from the past to prevent a recurrence of violence.
As a leading peacebuilding institution, WANEP-Liberia appealed to both factions to utilize Liberia’s legal framework to resolve their internal disagreements. It stressed that finding a peaceful resolution to the crisis would not only demonstrate responsible leadership but also project a positive image of Liberia to its citizens and the international community.
“Liberians deserve better after reposing trust and confidence in those elected into various offices of trust, especially at the Legislature,” WANEP stated.
The organization announced that it will immediately begin engaging both blocs through sustained advocacy, mediation, and back-channel discussions. WANEP-Liberia reaffirmed its commitment to fostering peaceful coexistence among all sectors and groups in Liberia, creating an enabling environment for national growth and development.
WANEP-Liberia is part of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding, a regional peacebuilding organization headquartered in Accra, Ghana, with a presence in all ECOWAS member states. The organization has strategic partnerships with ECOWAS and the African Union, supporting early warning systems and the implementation of the AU’s Peace and Security Architecture.
Discussion about this post