A one-day high-level validation meeting for Liberia’s Country Profile/Situation Assessment and Analysis Report under the ECOWAS Protection and Human Security Integrated Coordination Mechanism (ECO-PHSICM) was held on Friday, May 30, at the Corina Hotel in Monrovia, drawing together key stakeholders from government, civil society, ECOWAS institutions, and the diplomatic community.
ECO-PHSICM is a regional initiative aimed at building national capacity to prevent and respond to human security threats in member states. Liberia is among the pilot countries implementing the mechanism, along with The Gambia.
The event, described by stakeholders as a pivotal step toward improving national protection systems, provided a platform to scrutinize and endorse the draft report assessing Liberia’s human security landscape, particularly in relation to vulnerable populations.
In her opening remarks, ECOWAS Ambassador to Liberia, Madam Josephine Nkrumah, urged participants to view the process as more than a formality, emphasizing the real-life implications for citizens, especially marginalized communities.
“This is not just another workshop. It is a national endeavor,” she said. “The essence of ECO-PHSICM and today’s workshop is very important to all of us because it touches the lives of every one of us sitting here—whether directly or indirectly.”
She challenged participants to engage fully with the report, warning against passive participation.
“If we are not intentional about how we lend ourselves and our minds to this process, then it will just be another exercise in vain,” Ambassador Nkrumah cautioned. “Let us remind ourselves that what we are doing is anchored in ECOWAS’ legal texts—the protocols on conflict resolution, good governance, and democracy—all of which prioritize human protection.”
She further stressed the importance of decentralizing protection efforts: “Most of these things need to be decentralized. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has a critical role to play in making sure our interventions reach the young man, woman, and child in rural Liberia.”
The Ambassador also highlighted ECOWAS’ 50th anniversary theme, “Stronger Together for a Better Future,” tying it to the integrated approach of ECO-PHSICM.
Arthur Bestman, Acting Executive Director of the National Center for the Coordination of Response Mechanism (NCCRM), emphasized the national relevance of the validation meeting.
“This is the validation meeting for the National Security Assessment Report,” Bestman noted in his welcome remarks. “We are here to incorporate your feedback into what we hope will become a one-stop-shop national document.”
He reminded stakeholders that the process began with a high-level meeting in 2022 and was followed by key actions in 2024, including hiring a consultant and drafting the country profile report.
“We expect nothing but your valuable contribution. It is only through that we can ensure this report has the credibility to serve as a national tool,” he said.
Philip M. Kollie, National Network Coordinator of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP-Liberia), called on participants to take the validation exercise seriously.
“This is the time that we need to put our efforts together, critically look at the document, validate it, so that we can use it as a policy document,” he stated. “We all know that the issue of human security is key, especially with the vulnerable.”
Kollie pointed to reports by the Independent National Human Rights Commission detailing ongoing violations. “We must ensure that those being violated daily have protection and that the law will take its course,” he urged.
He reaffirmed WANEP’s commitment as a technical partner to NCCRM: “We stand committed to supporting the implementation of this document.”
Representing the ECOWAS National Office at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Amos N. Tubor emphasized the importance of thinking beyond the room.
“Anything that concerns women, children, migrants, refugees, IDPs, and victims of human trafficking should be of crucial concern,” Tubor said. “Let us be mindful that whatever decision we reach is going to benefit the most vulnerable in our society.”
He pledged to elevate the outcomes of the validation to the ECOWAS Commission through the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC), where Liberia has a voice at the technical decision-making level.
“I can assure you that conversations from these deliberations will be elevated at the AFC level,” Tubor confirmed.
Providing an overview of ECO-PHSICM, Madam Sophie MP Reeves, Acting Deputy Executive Director of NCCRM, outlined the scope of the mechanism and Liberia’s mission within it.
“Over the last decade, Liberia has faced increasing human security threats—natural disasters, epidemics, sectarian tensions, unemployment, and trafficking,” Reeves explained.
She emphasized ECO-PHSICM’s role in addressing these challenges: “This program seeks to enhance human security, address vulnerabilities, and build stronger resilience through coordinated and inclusive strategies.”
Reeves said the mechanism supports baseline assessments to inform policies on child abuse, sexual and gender-based violence, trafficking, and violations of international law.
“We are all here to put our efforts together to ensure human security is protected,” she said. “This is about developing common guidelines and coordinating our actions to operationalize human security policies in Liberia.”
