ACCORD’s Peacebuilding Unit, through its African Peacebuilding Coordination Programme (APCP), has conducted a national training in Monrovia, Liberia, to strengthen local peacebuilding capacity as the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) winds down. The training focused on the role of justice and security in peacebuilding as a means of equipping government and civil society sectors with a full understanding of the Liberia Peacebuilding Programme (LPP), which is seen as crucial to ensuring sustainable peace in Liberia.
The training was held from 2-5 April, and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. It brought together 23 participants from government, civil society, non-governmental organisations, the United Nations, regional organizations, and academia, and aimed to increase awareness on coherence and collaboration among various justice and security actors in the country. The construction of five regional justice and security hubs across Liberia is a major component of the LPP, so the training focused reflection on the importance of the hubs within the peacebuilding process in the country, and addressed operational and coordination challenges that will be faced. Presentations on lessons-learned and best practices from Sierra Leone and Ghana enhanced participants’ awareness about other justice and security processes in the region.
This four-day training has further shaped ACCORD’s engagement with the Liberia peacebuilding process. The enhancement of capacities on the ground will hopefully increase ownership and partnership by local stakeholders, that will enhance collaborative efforts in ensuring effective implementation on the LPP. The training also reflects ACCORD’s commitment to the development and contribution of sustainable peacebuilding policies at local, regional and international levels.
