Liberia’s Peace Building Office Pushes for Independence as Commission
BY: Rufus Divine Brooks Jr
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Monrovia, Liberia – The Executive Director of the Liberia Peacebuilding Office Sheikh Kamara (LPBO), has urged the Government of Liberia to transform the existing office into a fully autonomous Peace Building Commission, emphasizing the critical need for a dedicated national institution to consolidate peace, prevent conflict relapse, and drive sustainable development.
Speaking to journalists in Monrovia on Monday, Kamara highlighted the urgency of the proposed reform, stating that an independent commission would empower Liberia to address emerging challenges and deepen post-conflict recovery efforts.
“With sustained advocacy and collaboration with stakeholders, establishing this commission is not only feasible but essential for our nation’s future,” Kamara declared, underscoring the importance of government recognition and action.
Established in 2009 through a joint initiative between the Liberian government and the United Nations, the LPBO has historically served two key functions, as the secretariat for the UN Peacebuilding Fund and as the national coordination body for peacebuilding efforts.
Over the past 14 years, the office has supported initiatives through the Joint Steering Committee and played a central role in Liberia’s post-conflict recovery efforts, including security sector reforms, community reconciliation, and governance strengthening.
However, Kamara argued that the current structure, which operates under dual mandates and limited autonomy, restricts its ability to address evolving threats to stability.
The proposed Peace Building Commission, by contrast, would have a broader mandate, enhanced funding, and direct reporting lines to the executive branch.
This shift, Kamara explained, would enable the body to proactively coordinate national peace strategies, foster inclusive development, and prevent potential conflicts.
In a strategic move to institutionalize peace at the grassroots level, Kamara announced plans to integrate peace education into Liberia’s national curriculum.
Collaborating with international peacebuilding commissions, the LPBO aims to introduce structured peace education programs in high schools and universities.
The initiative, to be implemented with the Ministry of Education and other governmental agencies, seeks to align with existing curricula while fostering values such as conflict resolution, tolerance, and civic engagement.
While acknowledging that institutional reform is a gradual process, Kamara expressed confidence that partnerships with local and international stakeholders would accelerate progress.
Should the reform be enacted, the new Peace Building Commission would join a growing global network of similar bodies, including those in Sierra Leone and South Sudan, providing Liberia with a robust framework to address structural challenges and disparities that fuel conflict.