Monrovia – As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen security for the National Identity of Liberia, the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ECOWAS, has convened a special meeting to discuss the way forward in protecting the Liberian passport and ECOWAS member states.
Speaking during the special visit of the ECOWAS Commission Directorate for Free Movement of Persons and Migration on Friday, June 14, 2024, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti stressed the importance of protecting the National Identity while recognizing the challenges the process poses.
Foreign Minister Nyanti thanked the Liberia Immigration Service for the meeting and highlighted steps that the Ministry, under her leadership, has taken to address the passport issue, which is directly under the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The Foreign Minister noted that although much remains to be done, efforts will be made to strengthen the key document of risk, the Regular ECOWAS passport, which implies citizenship. She further stated that due to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ stance, an inter-ministerial meeting was convened, including all stakeholders.
The National Identification Registry, the National Election Commission, Liberia Immigration Service, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health, among others, attended the meeting. The meeting aimed to strategize a way forward with a national system, an operable system that promotes and strengthens National security. According to the Foreign Minister, a consensus was reached for the National Identification Registry to be the foundation on which the National system rests.
In her remarks, H.E. Foreign Minister Beysolow Nyanti said that the Liberian leader, H.E. Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Sr., has embraced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ actions in leading on the matter. She highlighted that ECOWAS needs to be aware of the challenges due to territorial, legacy, and constitutional issues that sometimes contradict having a fixed system that protects all Liberians. Foreign Minister Nyanti disclosed that the Ministry has appointed a Deputy Minister to head the bureau of passports and visas, which will include both the current and new structure for visas to be centralized. This, she said, will alleviate visas on arrival and transition to an e-visa system as a means of collective effort to strengthen Liberia’s National security and protect Liberians at home and abroad for the free movement of ECOWAS citizens. Foreign Minister Nyanti emphasized the need for a harmonized approach by collecting biometrics that meet international standards, with ECOWAS support being cardinal to the process.
For her part, ECOWAS Special Representative to Liberia, Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah, said the visit aimed to discuss the ECOWAS National Identification and how it can be explored and rolled out in accordance with decisions taken by member states as far back as 2014. The envoy noted the steps that Liberia is taking. The ECOWAS Commission acknowledged that they have had engagements with the Liberia Immigration Service Director and the National Identification Registry and are confident that Liberia is on the right path. They noted that Liberia has shown commitment, and the steps being taken to harmonize identity issues impact the lives of people. The ECOWAS Ambassador named women empowerment and financial inclusion as key areas of importance in the approach. She noted that Liberia was the first country to accept the ECOWAS passport as a travel document to all African countries.
Also speaking, the Director for Free Movement of Persons and Migration, Hon. Albert S. Boateng, said the significance of the visit was advocacy and sensitization on the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC). He said the ENBIC would replace the handwritten travel certificate. The adoption of the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card was in December 2014 by the authority of Heads of States and Government, which all member states agreed to and signed the supplementary act of 2012. However, the deployment of the card was concluded by all member states in 2016. Due to resource issues, only a few member states deployed it, but currently, six member states are fully deployed, including Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Benin, Gambia, and Sierra Leone. Hon. Boateng said the visit to Liberia is meant to launch the National platform.
For his part, the head of the National Identification Registry said that based on President Boakai’s pronouncement, they have instituted the Generic Application Program Interface for Ministries and Agencies to have a single identity for all Liberians. He said the system is in place, but due to a lack of resources and policy documents, it has faced challenges.
Also making remarks, Hon. Steve Zargo said the ECOWAS Biometric ID Card is key for Liberia as a member state of ECOWAS. Senator Zargo stated that the utilization of the card will enhance the economy, security, add speed and convenience, and harmonize what we do as a people, adhering to the ECOWAS protocol as a founding member state.
Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration, Hon. Ibrahim Al-Bakri Nyei, on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, thanked the ECOWAS Special Envoy for the visit and noted that a consensus is almost reached on the economic and social utility of the adoption of the ECOWAS National Biometric. Foreign Minister Nyanti said this step is significant in promoting Liberia’s willingness to move forward with the process.
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