ACCORD participates in the Liberia National Conflict Mapping Exercise

Maintaining peace in the midst of regional instabilities that threatens peace and security makes it difficult to retain a steady increase in economic growth in Liberia. In addition, Liberia has just concluded its post-Ebola recovery plans supported by the UN and other partners, in the midst of UNMIL transitioning in 2016, as well as the 2017 national elections. It was therefore important for the Liberia Peacebuilding Office, ACCORD and partners on the ground to re-think and re-prioritise Liberia’s peacebuilding and reconciliation strategies, programmes and interventions.

As such a comprehensive conflict mapping and conflict analysis exercise was pivotal to allow for a systematic and empirical process in which Liberian conflict issues and potential conflict drivers are identified. Furthermore critically analysing and comprehending its root causes and developing it possible mitigation strategies to help both the implementers and actors/beneficiaries.

Against this background, ACCORD through the African Peacebuilding Coordination Programme (APCP) in partnership with the Liberia Peacebuilding Office was part of the data collection process for the NCME from the 27^th June to 1^st July 2016 in Monsterrado county, Liberia; which commenced on the 3 June 2016 across the country.

The mapping exercise focused on five thematic areas:

1. Conflict issues in Liberia;
2. Assessment of the level of effectiveness of the Peacebuilding Processes and Frameworks;
3. Proposals for Peace and Reconciliation;
4. External Conflict Factors; and
5. Local and National Unity.

The mapping exercise was designed to explore the subject matter from grassroots perspective. A draft report was released on the 15 September 2016 and will be subject to validation through a validation workshop which be held in October 2016.

The Peacebuilding Unit was represented by Mr Senzo Ngubane, General Manager for Operations and Ms Nontobeko Gcabashe, Programme Administrator. The African Peacebuilding Coordination Programme (APCP) at ACCORD is an initiative funded by the Government of Finland since 2007.