Zwedru Hosts Landmark Media-Security Summit to Safeguard Liberia’s Electoral Integrity

‎ By: D Abraham Cooper, Sr.| Grand Gedeh Correspondent

‎Zwedru City, Grand Gedeh County |Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025|In a strategic move to bolster national stability ahead of upcoming electoral cycles, a high-level three-day regional conference opened in Zwedru yesterday, December 18, 2025. The summit brings together the nation’s “watchdogs” and “protectors”—journalists and law enforcement officers—to bridge historical divides and forge a unified front for democratic transparency.

‎Organized under the Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP) and managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the conference serves as a critical intervention to prevent friction between the press and security forces, which has often challenged previous election cycles.

‎A Unified Call for Collaboration

‎The opening ceremony featured powerful appeals from heads of the nation’s most influential institutions. Each speaker underscored a singular theme: peaceful elections are impossible without mutual trust.

‎ * Julius Kanubah (PUL President): Termed the media and security forces as the “foundational pillars” of democracy.

‎He argued that their relationship must move beyond mere tolerance toward active, constructive engagement in the public interest.

‎ * Roosevelt Zayzay (UNDP Program Officer): Warned that a breakdown in communication between these two sectors directly compromises the credibility of the vote.

‎ * Atty. James S. B. Wallace (NEC Director of Training): Focused on public confidence, noting that when citizens see the police and press working in coordination, it reduces anxiety and deters electoral violence.

‎ * Augustine Browne (Deputy Commissioner of Police/LNP): Called for a “culture of respect.” He emphasized that security forces must view journalists as partners in transparency rather than obstacles to order.

‎Modernizing the “Rules of Engagement”

‎A primary objective of the Zwedru summit is to review and refine the 2022 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). These guidelines dictate how journalists and security personnel should interact at polling stations, during protests, and while transporting sensitive electoral materials.

‎The updates aim to address emerging challenges, including:

‎ 1. Safety of Journalists: Ensuring reporters have unhindered access to information without the threat of intimidation.

‎ 2. Orderly Security Conduct: Providing police with clear protocols on how to manage crowds without impeding the press’s duty to document the process.

‎ 3.Conflict Resolution: Establishing immediate “hotlines” or field-level communication channels to resolve misunderstandings on Election Day.

‎Expanding the Footprint

‎This gathering in Zwedru marks the first of a three-phase national rollout. It hosts 46 delegates from the southeastern block, including:

‎ * Maryland County

‎ * Grand Kru County

‎ * River Gee County

‎ * Grand Gedeh County

‎Following the conclusion of the Zwedru sessions, the UNDP and its partners will move the dialogue to Ganta, Nimba County, and finally to Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. By the end of this tour, stakeholders from all fifteen counties will have been integrated into the new framework.

‎International Backings

‎The initiative is heavily supported by the international community, with funding provided by the European Union, IrishAid, and Sweden. Their involvement signals a continued global interest in maintaining Liberia’s trajectory as a model of post-conflict democratic transition in West Africa.

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