Global Policy Forum

Since dropping peacekeeping anchorage in the manmade disaster territory of Liberia on October 1, 2003, the gallantry of the men and women under the blue helmet has been noted with respect and admiration. This high deference for the United Nations said the impetus to the Herculean ceasefire monitoring , related tasks of disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration (DDRR) and other interrelated mandates for post-conflict stabilization including resurrecting a legitimate postwar government, reviving the rule of law and ensuring that good governance dethrones arbitrariness, amongst others. Over the years, the peacekeepers and their civilian administrative auxiliaries are periodically graded performance wise with stringent focus on the socio-political, security and geographical contexts to determine the mission's continuity or drawdown. But, the UN Security Council, which has overall jurisdiction for extension or pull-out option of any mission, has given a thorough examination of the Liberian reality and given a resounding greenlight for another year that ends on September 30, 2008.

The Analyst goes into the nitty-gritty of the resolution that empowers the mission to go on in the fast-moving Liberia towards tranquility. Commending the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) for its continuing and significant contribution to maintaining peace and stability in Liberia, the Security Council in its resolution 1777 (2007) has extended the Mission's mandate for one year, until 30 September 2008. The resolution also welcomes the Liberian government's continued efforts to improve governance and combat corruption, and the important steps that have been taken to regain and consolidate government control over the country's natural resources. However, the resolution notes that Liberia faces significant challenges in its post-conflict transition, including in the consolidation of State authority, massive development and reconstruction needs, the reform of the judiciary, extension of the rule of law throughout the country, as well as in the further development of the security sector. Noting that progress has been made in rebuilding, equipping and deploying the Liberian National Police (LNP), and starting the restructuring of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), the Security Council encourages the government of Liberia, in cooperation with the international community, to expedite its efforts in those areas.

The Council also noted that substantial progress has been made in reintegrating ex-combatants, but formal sector employment remains a serious need. The Council also extolled UNMIL's continuing efforts to promote and protect the rights of women and called on Liberian authorities to cooperate with the United Nations and civil society organizations to achieve further progress in combating gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse. Though the Council did not show how such cooperation from authorities was to be worked out, it must be noted that these situations with unbearable hindrance to women has come to the attention of that key branch of the United Nations as serious vices in contemporary Liberia. In another aspect of the resolution, the Council endorsed the Secretary-General's proposal to reduce military forces by just over 2,400 by September 2008 and its police component by about 500 between April 2008 and December 2010.

Although the Council did not show the actual or current troop strength in the country that some observers say have periodically been diminished from the original 15000 troops, it is therefore not known how many men and men in arms will actually be on the ground by then. Also, it is said that the Council will subject the troop strength to further review, as an essential exercise to plan the drawdown by August 2008. In his progress report recently, the Special Representative of UNSG to Liberia, Alan Doss, said because the security and stability of Liberia remained matters of paramount importance, the Secretary General is recommending that the drawdown of UNMIL component be undertaken in a gradual manner to avoid creating instability. It can be seen as a strategic recommendation that has filtered down through endorsement into practice by the UN Security Council in the recent resolution 1777 of 2007.

With the acceptance of the latter Secretary General's recommendation, the Council has meanwhile requested the Secretary General to monitor progress on the achievement of a number of core benchmarks. Amongst the core benchmarks are firstly the need to monitor the stand-up or restructuring of the new armed forces of Liberia (AFL). It is not stated precisely how the monitoring should be conducted, but what is certain is that the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which was the framework for converting the country from chaos to relative stability recommended for geographic, ethnic, educational balances as preconditions to ensure that no segment of the population obtained unparallel advantage of the process. Additionally, the Secretary General is required to monitor nationwide deployment of the Liberia National Police (LNP). This task, while remaining a lump-sum assignment, however seems to suggest that the extent of deployment of the police across the country and their efficiency in controlling law and order would be indicative of the level of governmental preparedness to take control of its own security. This finds truthful dimension, especially when the government has extensively spread its control over the territorial confines of Liberia. In a complementary requirement, the Secretary General is to establish a 500-strong police quick reaction force, which should be in place by July 2009.

With the conclusion of this flank of assignment, law enforcement will be solidified without need for resorting to the army in resolving civilian confrontations in the country. UNMIL was established in 2003 to support the ceasefire and peace process in Liberia following a fourteen-year civil war. According to UNMIL, the troop strength stands currently at total of [over 14,000] military troops and 1,000 police personnel. Even at this, the precise number is hardly comes by for any serious analysis.

After all the preamble statements of the Security Council Resolution 1777 (2007), the Council recommendations are presented in the order in which they were communicated: