Toulepleu, Cote d’Ivoire – The Superintendent of Toulepleu, Diawara Karim, has disclosed that the Ivorian government will shortly reopen its borders with Liberia.
The Ivorian official was speaking recently during a Mano River Union (MRU), UNOCI and UNMIL sponsored joint border unit meeting in Toulepleu, Cote d’Ivoire.
“The border security meeting was well attended by authorities of the two countries to include representatives of national security institutions, chiefs and traditional leaders, women and youth groups, UN Missions in both countries and the MRU”, according to the Coordinator of LiNCSA, Josiah F. Joekai, Jr. who attended the meeting as part of the Liberian delegation.
”Mr. Joekai described the meeting as a useful engagement that will further improve sub regional security.
During the meeting, the Liberian delegation called on her Ivorian counterparts to reopen its side of the border citing same as a precondition for effective border management.
Presenting on behalf of the Liberian Delegation, the Chairman of the Joint Border Security highlighted that the reopening of the border is a precondition for effective border management.
The delegation also decried the illegal settlement of citizens of Cote d’Ivoire on Liberian soil and stressed the need for the consolidation of engagements.
In response, Mr. Diawara Karim the Superintendent of Toulepleu, on behalf of the Ivorian government apologized to Liberia for the illegal settlement and assured the delegation of the preparedness of his country to address the issue.
He said many of the people have already been prosecuted and efforts to curtail the situation are continuing. He said the call of Liberia was realistic and they too are embarrassed with the situation.
The joint border meeting, which was held in collaboration with the Governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia, was also geared towards the restoration of confidence between the border communities and border authorities to increase the information sharing channels on small arms and light weapons trafficking at the borders.
In addition to the cross border mission, the delegation from LiNCSA and UNDP also held a meeting in Toe Town to assess the residents readiness for the arms collection exercise that LiNCSA is preparing to launch.
The Toe Town meeting was attended by local authorities including the Commissioner, statutory Superintendent, City Mayor, and representatives of women and youth groups.
The security apparatus was represented by the Chairman of the joint border security, Police, and immigration.
The motor cycle union was also present. During the meeting which was chaired by LINCSA Coordinator, Josiah Joekai, the residents of Toe Town expressed their willingness to begin arms collection by July 1, 2016.
The arms collection exercise in Toe Town is part of the ECOWAS-EU Small Arms and Lights Weapons project, a regional initiative which has four output and mainly seek to create and enhance community awareness on the dangers associated with the illicit proliferation of small arms and armed violence as well as strengthening the capacity of security institutions and communities to enhance safety, and above all, encourage voluntary weapons surrender/collection in return for community based development projects.
Cross-border activities and safety enhancement are fully part of the ECOWAS EU Small arms goals. But safety of the border communities can become a reality only when rigorous actions undertaken on SALW control are in both parts of the borders.
Based on that reality, the Mano River Union (MRU) has supported in member states the creation of joint border units (JBU) which have been very active at the borders in handling matters of mutual confidence and security.
The JBUs contribute to the maintenance of peace in MRU member states. But since 2014 due to the epidemic to Ebola virus, this important tool of peacekeeping experienced a certain lethargy which justifies the organization of this meeting for its reactivation at the border of Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia.