Monrovia – I thank our partners, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Peacebuilding Office, Search for Common Ground, the Liberia Peace Ambassador, the Independent Commission on Human Rights and Naymote for their continued commitment and efforts, and for bringing us together today.

I am told you have had rich discussions over the past two days, and I hope these will point the way toward solidifying reconciliation across the country. I congratulate the government and people of Liberia for the country’s hard-won peace.
The country suffered so much, for so long, in so many ways.
But Liberians also persevered, and showed great determination across more than 15 difficult years of conflict and postwar recovery.
We are here today to honor these efforts, acknowledge the fruits of that commitment, and embrace a new future for Liberian people.
Liberia has conducted peaceful elections and made possible the first democratic transition in the country’s history.
A new Government is in place with ambitious plans for the people of Liberia. I congratulate President Weah for his electoral victory and reiterate the support of the United Nations on this new path towards sustaining peace and sustainable development.
The United Nations peacekeeping operation, which has supported you every step of the way, has successfully completed its mandate.
It is time for us now to look at the opportunities ahead.
Liberia is at a turning point.
Peace has been achieved, but it needs to be sustained through wide-ranging confidence-building measures that establish solid foundations for long-lasting peace.

Frontpage story of March 24, 2018