The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray has arrived in Monrovia for a one-day working visit amid rising tensions between the government of President Joseph Boakai and the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) party led by former president George Weah.
Touray, accompanied by Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Abdel-Fatau Musa, is set to meet with President Boakai and other stakeholders to discuss Liberia’s post-election national reconciliation efforts and regional security concerns.
The visit comes on the heels of Weah’s scathing letter to the ECOWAS president, in which he accuses the Boakai administration of abusing its power and planning to “diminish the CDC’s ability to mount any meaningful political fight in the future.”
Weah’s letter details a series of alleged transgressions by the Boakai government, including the “unprovoked attack” on the CDC headquarters, the excessive use of force against dissenting civilians, and the “political weaponization of prosecutorial powers.”
The Boakai administration has denied all accusations of attacks on the CDC and acts of political reprisal, with Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah stating that opposition supporters and leaders have been the main aggressors, creating an atmosphere of “chaos and anarchy.”
ECOWAS, the regional economic bloc, has vowed to support Liberia’s post-election reconciliation efforts and ensure that the country’s “fledgling democracy is not sacrificed by the misuse of power by the current regime.”
The high-level ECOWAS delegation’s visit is seen as a critical step in addressing the growing tensions and preventing a potential crisis in Liberia, a country that has made significant strides in consolidating its democratic institutions since the end of its civil war.
As the discussions unfold, both the government and the opposition are urged to engage in constructive dialogue and uphold the principles of democratic governance to maintain peace and stability in the West African nation.
