Monrovia –The Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding (CEMESP) has committed to driving public engagement on asset recovery in Liberia following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Liberia Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT).
By Selma Lomax [email protected]
Under the agreement signed on Monday, May 19, in Monrovia, CEMESP will spearhead a series of town hall meetings and radio programs across Nimba, Bong, Montserrado, and Grand Bassa counties to raise awareness on anti-corruption initiatives and the recovery of stolen public assets.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, CEMESP Executive Director Malcolm Joseph said the collaboration is a proactive effort to empower citizens with the knowledge to demand greater transparency and accountability from government institutions.
“This partnership represents a proactive step in empowering citizens with the knowledge they need to demand responsible governance and support the recovery of Liberia’s stolen assets,” Joseph stated.
He emphasized that increasing public awareness is key to building trust and sustaining efforts to fight impunity in Liberia.
As part of its role, CEMESP will also produce and broadcast radio messages supporting the Taskforce’s work and develop policy briefs from community discussions to inform national advocacy.
The entire outreach initiative is being funded under an existing grant from the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), which supports regional anti-corruption activities.
AREPT will provide technical experts to support these public engagement efforts by appearing on radio shows and speaking at town halls to explain Liberia’s asset recovery strategy. The Taskforce’s chairperson, Cllr. Edwin Kla Martins, said community involvement is crucial to the success of their mandate.
“By partnering with CEMESP, we are ensuring that our message reaches the grassroots. Our technicians will be available to explain our work, and together we will build public trust in Liberia’s asset recovery process,” he said.
The partnership comes as part of efforts to promote justice and meet international standards on asset confiscation and anti-money laundering, particularly under the Financial Action Task Force’s Recommendation 4.