Latest news with #nationalreconciliation
Zawya
3 days ago
- Politics
- Zawya
Mahama attends Liberia's 178th independence anniversary
President John Dramani Mahama, on Saturday, joined President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and the people of Liberia to celebrate their 178th Independence Day celebration in Monrovia. The event held at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion in Monrovia, Montserrado County, was attended by heads of states from the subregion including the Presidents of Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Guinea Bissau. There were also representatives of the governments of Cote D'Ivoire, Nigeria, and Gambia. Liberia used the occasion to recognise ECOWAS member states that contributed troops to the multinational peacekeeping force, ECOMOG, which played a key role in ending the civil war as well as securing humanitarian corridors during the Liberian war. President Mahama received Ghana's honour from the Liberian President on behalf of the Ghana Armed Forces and the people of Ghana for the contribution of its gallant soldiers. President Boakai in a spirit of national reconciliation said Liberia must heal itself, unite for a common purpose and inspire all for a faster development of the country. He called on all his citizens to leverage on technology to transform Liberia. The celebration as on the theme 'One people, one destiny, healing the past and building the future the ceremony reflected on the past, need for stock taking, reconciliation, a united national identity to rebuild a peaceful Liberia, endowed with rich natural resources'. The President was accompanied by the Minister for Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, the Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, Lt. General William Agyapong and Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Stanislav Xoese Dogbe. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.
Zawya
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
United Arab Emirates (UAE) Welcomes Declaration of Principles Between Democratic Republic (DR) Congo and Congo River Alliance, Commends Qatar's Mediation Efforts
The United Arab Emirates has welcomed the signing of the Declaration of Principles between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Congo River Alliance – March 23 Movement, which took place in Doha. His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, commended the efforts of the State of Qatar in facilitating the dialogue that led to the declaration, which marks a significant step toward national reconciliation and the promotion of stability in eastern DRC. His Excellency reaffirmed the UAE's support for all regional and international efforts aimed at resolving conflicts through peaceful means and strengthening the foundations of security and stability across the African continent and globally. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Arab Emirates, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Zawya
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
'We heard the deep frustration of community leaders in Bani Walid; they deserve a better future', says Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General for Political Affairs (DSRSGP) Koury
The municipal council, community leaders, elected officials, civil society representatives, including women and youth leaders, and academics of Bani Walid met with Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General for Political Affairs, Stephanie Koury, during public consultations held on Saturday. During a townhall with representatives of the Bani Walid Social Council, speakers deplored the absence of national reconciliation and unresolved human rights violations, particularly those linked to the implementation of Law No. 7 of 2012. One participant in expressing frustration with the status quo, passionately declared: "Libya does not need agents to decide on its behalf. Instead, it needs an end to the political bodies perpetuating the status quo and the organization of presidential and legislative elections under the supervision of the Supreme Judicial Council." 'The people of Bani Walid are very clear in their demands and needs,' said DSRSGP Koury, addressing the Townhall attendees. 'I heard deep frustrations and the need to advance national reconciliation, equitable development, and effective political representation. Only a genuine, inclusive and comprehensive process can effectively address these longstanding challenges.' Throughout other meetings with municipal councils of Bani Walid, Tininay, and Mardum, as well as with representatives from civil society organizations, youth, and women, calls for a fundamental change of Libya's political and security landscape were consistently echoed. Participants specifically advocated for activating dialogue mechanisms, establishing a constituent body, broadening political participation, and forming a compact, technocratic government. A recurring theme in most meetings was criticism directed at UNSMIL's perceived slow progress in advancing the political process. However, numerous participants urged the mission to play a greater role, particularly in national reconciliation, and to adopt a more robust stance in sanctioning those obstructing the political process or contributing to the deteriorating security situation. Koury clarified that UNSMIL will not hesitate to name the spoilers of the political process. In discussing the way forward, DSRSG Koury noted, 'We have to work together to resolve the issues raised not only by the people of Bani Walid, but also by communities across the country, through an inclusive political process. We need to move beyond the cycle of chronic transitions for the greater good of Libya and its people.' . Participants also underscored the importance of empowering municipal councils with greater authority and resources from the central government. They pointed out that insufficient funding not only hampers the delivery of essential services, including healthcare and education, but also erodes public confidence in the electoral process. The vital contributions of women and youth to their communities were also highlighted, along with calls for their meaningful empowerment and full inclusion in decision-making processes. The mission's visit to Bani Walid concluded with a stop at the city's University, where the delegation met with academics and members of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State. Discussions centered on the options and recommendations put forward by the Advisory Committee and potential lasting solutions to the political stalemate. Across all meetings, a consistent demand was that as the UNSMIL-facilitated political process advances, the UN should prioritize greater inclusion of Bani Walid, broader participation and meaningful representation of voices from across Libya, including the Warfalla tribe. The academics indicated they are going to study the Advisory Committee options in detail and provide written comments. In May 2025, UNSMIL published the Executive Summary of the Advisory Committee's Report which outlines four proposed options to advance the political process : Conducting presidential and legislative elections simultaneously; Conducting parliamentary elections first, followed by the adoption of a permanent constitution; Adopting a permanent constitution before elections; or Establishing a political dialogue committee, based on the Libyan Political Agreement to finalize electoral laws, executive authority and permanent constitution. All participants were encouraged to complete the online poll [ link ] and share it widely to ensure the voices of Bani Walid and its communities are reflected in the design of Libya's political roadmap. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
Arab News
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Liberia holds funeral for ex-leader Doe decades after assassination
ZWEDRU, Liberia: Hundreds of people gathered Friday in rural Liberia for the state funeral of authoritarian former president Samuel Doe 35 years after his assassination, part of the country's ongoing reconciliation efforts over its violent past. Doe's brutal 1990 torture and murder were an early turning point in the two civil wars that killed around 250,000 people and ravaged Liberia's economy. He is being commemorated at his home compound in southeastern Grand Gedeh County alongside his wife, Nancy, who died in May and will be buried at the estate. Liberians gathered along the route Friday as the couple's caskets – his symbolic, and hers containing her body – were slowly driven through the county capital of Zwedru on the bed of a truck decorated in bunting in the country's red, white and blue colors. The state ceremony is being attended by President Joseph Boakai, who declared a period of mourning this week from Tuesday to Friday, with flags flown at half-mast. His executive mansion Facebook page said the commemorations are part of a 'broader effort' meant to 'promote national reconciliation.' The circumstances surrounding Doe's death mark a notorious episode in Liberia's history. Infamous warlord Prince Johnson, a key player in the civil wars (1989 to 2003), appeared in a video watching his fighters slowly mutilate and torture Doe to death while he calmly sipped a beer. Various rumors but little concrete information exists as to the fate and location of Doe's remains following his death. Doe's own rise to power was also steeped in violence. His 1980 to 1990 rule remains divisive, remembered by many Liberians as a brutal dictatorship, while others recall some transformative measures he implemented fondly. Liberian Mercy Janjay Seeyougar said in Monrovia ahead of the funeral that she remembered how Doe once gave her a candy, and that during street cleanings he would 'stop and be with the people who are doing the cleaning.' In 1980, Doe, then an army sergeant in his late 20s, led a coup assassinating president William Tolbert, the last in a line of leaders from the Americo-Liberian ruling class comprised of the descendants of former US slaves. Quickly establishing a regime of terror, Doe had 13 members of the government he had overthrown publicly executed on a beach and his regime subsequently jailed or persecuted many of its opponents. He was elected in a 1985 presidential vote that many observers said was marked by fraud. The brutality of his regime, combined with declining economic conditions and favoritism toward the Krahn ethnic group of which he was a member, led to increased unpopularity.
Malay Mail
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Syria launches national efforts for truth and reconciliation, vows justice for victims of Assad's regime
DAMASCUS, May 18 — Syria on Saturday announced the formation of a national commission for missing persons and another for transitional justice, more than five months after the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad. Syria's new authorities have pledged justice for victims of atrocities committed under Assad's rule, and a five-year transitional constitution signed in March provided for the formation of a transitional justice commission. The fate of tens of thousands of detainees and others who went missing remains one of the most harrowing legacies of Syria's conflict, which erupted in 2011 when Assad's forces brutally repressed anti-government protests, triggering more than a decade of war. A decree signed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and released by the presidency announced the formation of an independent 'national commission for missing persons'. The body is tasked with 'researching and uncovering the fate of the missing and forcibly disappeared, documenting cases, establishing a national database and providing legal and humanitarian support to their families'. A separate decree announced the formation of a national commission for transitional justice to 'uncover the truth about the grave violations caused by the former regime'. That commission should hold those responsible to account 'in coordination with the relevant authorities, remedy the harm to victims, and firmly establish the principles of non-recurrence and national reconciliation', according to the announcement. The decree noted 'the need to achieve transitional justice as a fundamental pillar for building a state of law, guaranteeing victims' rights and achieving comprehensive national reconciliation'. Both bodies will have 'financial and administrative independence' and act over all of Syrian territory, according to the decrees signed by Sharaa. In December, an Islamist-led coalition toppled Assad after five decades of his family's iron-fisted rule and nearly 14 years of brutal war that killed more than half a million people and displaced millions more. Tens of thousands of people were detained and tortured in the country's jails, while Assad has been accused of using chemical weapons against his own people. Rights groups, activists and the international community have repeatedly emphasised the importance of transitional justice in the war-torn country. In March, Sharaa signed into force a constitutional declaration for a five-year transitional period. It stipulated that during that period, a 'transitional justice commission' would be formed to 'determine the means for accountability, establish the facts, and provide justice to victims and survivors' of the former government's misdeeds. This week, prominent Syrian human rights lawyer Mazen Darwish told AFP that lasting peace in Syria depended on the country building a strong judicial system giving justice to the victims of all crimes committed during the Assad era. — AFP
