The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Mano River Union (MRU) Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast are holding a three-day workshop in Monrovia on fostering deeper regional cooperation aimed at elevating the development dialogue on peace and development within the member states.
Key amongst pertinent issues to be discussed include regional peace and stability as outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Monrovia meeting runs from February 17-20, 2020 follows the siging ceremony of a Memoradum of Understanding (MOU) between the Mano River Union and the UNDP.
The MOU seeks to promote greater understanding between the two bodies to ensure that there is a stronger regional cooperation among the MRU Member States and UNDP.
Other significant embodiment of the MOU include strengthening the capacity of the MRU Secretariat to deliver on its integration agenda including supporting the MRU to develop its five (5) years strategic plan and a resource mobilization strategy.
The MOU also seeks to strengthen the capacity of the MRU Joint Border Security and Confidence Building Units to address illegal trafficking in arms, animals and persons, as well as other illicit substances and promote cross-border peacebuilding and social cohesion.
The MOU also aims at promoting sustained progress in the consolidation of democracy and sustainable development with focus on increasing women participation and their presence for elected positions; youth entrepreneurial development and cross border trade of SMEs especially those owned by women in the MRU Member States.
Under the MOU it is expected there will be greater effort at coordinating with the MRU to support its Member States to harmonize national policies with regional implication including civil registration and vital statistics and identity management, maritime, as well as climate change resilience policies, strategies, and resources.
UNDP and MRU share similar visions and have worked together on various missions and initiatives over the past years.
They worked collaboratively to foster peace and security especially during and since the end of the civil conflicts in the MRU countries, as well as, during the Ebola epidemic which began in 2014 and ended in 2016.
Both entities are therefore linked in terms of similar dreams and visions that tend to keep the sub regional braced by the pillar of sustained peace and security.
The Monrovia meeting is expected to develop an action plan and budget for the implementation of the MoU, a resource mapping plan and to identify synergies and map-out roles and responsibilities of Member States and other key stakeholders.
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