PRESS CONFERENCE by The Minister of Internal Affairs Republic Of Liberia – Hon. F. Sakila Nyumalin, Sr.
Thursday JULY 9, 2025
My Fellow Colleagues at the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Distinguished Members of the Press
Ladies and gentlemen
On July 5, 2025, the President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. launched the National Healing, Reconciliation and Unity Program for Liberia.
Recognizing that Liberia’s development and prosperity can largely be achieved through closure of the legacies of the civil wars, fostering healing, reconciliation and unity of the nation; and believing that the journey towards achieving these has been challenging since the end of the civil war in 2003, the President then undertook the below measures to address these challenges:
1. Launched the National Healing, Reconciliation and Unity Program;
2. Offered National Apology to the victims of the civil wars;
3. Mandated the implementation of the Strategic Roadmap for National Healing, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation;
4. Further instructed the implementation of a National Memorial and the Palava Hut System;
5. Ensure the transfer of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Archives from the US to Liberia;
6. Reburied the remains of the two former Presidents - William R. Tolbert, Jr and Samuel Kanyon Doe.
These are practical steps toward genuine national healing, reconciliation and social cohesion. This marks a crucial turning point for Liberia, and we must sustain the momentum.
These measures by the President are aligned with the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) final report.
The TRC was established as essential integral part of the 2003 Comprehensive Peace Agreement and submitted its Final Report in 2009 containing 207 recommendations, aimed at addressing the legacies of the Liberian conflict.
While these recommendations are vital for Liberia’s transformation from the effect of the civil war to peace, security and reconciliation, implementation has been quite slow due to the lack of political will, coupled with inadequate or lack of resources.
The Strategic Roadmap for National Healing, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation, launched in 2012 by the Regime of Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is an eighteen-year framework (2013-2030). The roadmap contains 12 thematic pillars, including Memorials, Palava Hut and national apology derived from the TRC recommendations.
Implementation of the Roadmap holds the greatest potentials to fostering healing, rebuilding social cohesion, and complementing the formal justice system.
Therefore, the Ministry of Internal Affairs being the home for reconciliation and peace-building programs, in collaboration with other Ministries, Agencies and Commissions and Civil Society Organizations, will build on this momentum and thereby undertake the following:
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4. Strengthen Institutional Coordination for National Healing, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation.
By this, we will seek endorsement of the President of Liberia to activate a National Reconciliation Steering Committee to guide reconciliation efforts in Liberia as envisaged by the 18-year Strategic Roadmap for National Healing, peacebuilding and reconciliation. These structures will comprise relevant government institutions, civil society organizations, and the National Council of Chiefs and other traditional leaders. They will oversee the reconciliation initiatives, thus ensuring a whole-of-government approach and provide consistent policy directions.
5. Stakeholder Engagements for the establishment of a National Memorial Park and War Museum
We will conduct broad-based stakeholder consultations across the country to determine the design of the proposed National Memorial Park and War Museum.
The consultations will target Chiefs, Elders, Inter-religious Council of Liberia, Civil Society Organizations, Youth and Women groups, People Living with Disabilities, amongst others. Results from these consultations will be presented to the Government and donor partners for resource mobilization and support. The Plan is to work closely with UNDP, UN Resident Coordinator Office, ECOWAS, and other bilateral and multilateral institutions in this regard.
The proposed plan is to build these structures at the Palm Grove Cemetery and this will be tested through the Consultations.
6. Establishment of a Technical Committee
A Technical Committee on this flagship initiative is hereby established and is comprised of the following:
1. Liberia Peacebuilding Office at the Ministry of Internal Affairs,
2. Office of the National Peace Ambassador,
3. Independent National Commission on Human Rights,
4. Governance Commission,
5. Law Reform Commission,
6. Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court,
7. Civil Society Organization,
8. National Council of Chiefs Support Office,
9. UNDP, the UN Resident Coordination Office,
10. Office of the UN High Commission on Human Rights,
11. International Organization for Migration,
12. Diaspora Offices at the Ministry of State and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and
13. The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
The role of the Technical Committee will include designing the broad-based consultations, developing resource mobilization strategy and providing technical support to the proposed Independent National Reconciliation Council and a National Reconciliation Steering Committee.
We shall work closely with the Media to implement these activities outlined in this Press Conference.
I thank you
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