A Summit of Heads of State and government of the Mano River Union opened Thursday morning in Monrovia, with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf speaking of the need to ensure that peace and stability prevails in the sub-region.

	• President Johnson-Sirleaf addressing summit

This, the Liberian leader said, requires harmonized strategies and regular interactions among security agencies of the sub-region, to ensure that boundaries remain safe and free from any subversive activities.

The President also spoke of the need to address capacity constraints, especially in the public sector. She said, is a matter of urgency, given the demands and consequences of globalization and technological advancement.

The President told the opening session of the one day Summit that a regional capacity building project approved by the African Capacity Building Foundation several years ago needs to be brought to fruition as quickly as possible.

The Liberian leader, who currently chairs the Mano River Union, called on the Union to find innovative ways to create viable jobs for the region’s ever growing youthful population. 

“Making our economies functional and productive would assist us in meeting this challenge,” the President told the Summit.

On the looming global food crisis, the President spoke of a meeting of Agriculture Ministers of the sub-region in Monrovia, at which time the Ministers discussed a set of policies, strategies and operational plans to tackle the challenge, with a focus on rice production.

“We are called upon to take a closer look at their report and embark upon a plan of action to address this emerging challenge.  Let us focus on results oriented strategies – on outputs, on effective responses to the new global imperatives,” the Liberian leader recommended.

The Chief Executive also spoke of the need to bridge the long standing language barrier among member countries of the Union, by ensuring that English and French are incorporated in the curriculum of school systems at all levels.

President Sirleaf said: “I strongly believe that sub-regional cooperation is the best strategy to provide the required adequate response to these challenges and we see the Mano River Union as a viable framework for the consolidation of peace, security and development.

The expressed desire of our sisterly state of Cote d’Ivoire to join our ranks in securing our sub-region and lifting our peoples out of poverty is therefore a healthy and welcome move.

Besides expanding our markets, we shall together secure our borders from being used to wage conflicts on one another. Its accession to the Union today is indeed historic.”

The opening session which was also addressed by the President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma; the Prime Minister of Guinea, Lansana Kouyate; and a Special Envoy of Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, has now gone into closed session.

A Communiqué is expected to be issued at the end of the Summit, to be followed later Thursday afternoon with a state luncheon, tendered in honor of visiting dignitaries by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

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A one-day Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Mano River Union (MRU) gets underway Thursday in Monrovia, with Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf chairing.

The MRU Summit is intended to consider concrete measures aimed at strengthening the Union’s secretariat, among other issues.  The leaders will also discuss peace and security in the sub-region as well as the looming global food crisis, with the aim of adopting a comprehensive approach to tackling the food crisis.

According to an Executive Mansion release, Cote d’Ivoire, which recently announced its decision to join the MRU, will formally be admitted into the Union.

As current Chair of the Union, Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will open Thursday’s session with a statement. The leaders of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire will also deliver statements at the opening ceremony, following which they will retire behind closed doors for deliberations.

Meanwhile, Sierra Leone’s President, Ernest Bai Koroma, arrived in the country last night for Thursday’s Summit. President Koroma was received upon arrival by President Johnson Sirleaf at the Roberts International Airport in Harbel, Margibi County. 

Guinean Prime Minister, Lansana Kouyate, arrived Wednesday afternoon at the James Spriggs Payne Airfield in Sinkor. Prime Minister Kouyate was received by the Vice President, Dr. Joseph Boakai.  Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, is being represented by the Head of the Country’s Economic Council, Mr. Laurent Dona Fologo.

Thursday’s Mano River Union Summit is the first in Liberia since the ascendancy two years ago of President Johnson Sirleaf.

The Mano River Union was formed in 1973 to foster economic and regional cooperation between Liberia and Sierra Leone. Guinea joined the Union a few years later and has since remained an active and influential member.