The Regional Dimension of Human Security: Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone

December 07, 2012
02:00 pm - 04:00 pm

Sponsored by Partners for Democratic Change and the National Endowment for Democracy

A discussion with

Dr. Saran Daraba, Secretary General, Mano River Union

with an introduction by

Dave Peterson, Senior Director, Africa, National Endowment for Democracy

and moderated by

Teresa Crawford, Director, Partners for Democratic Change

About the Event

For the first time in recent years, the members of the Mano River Union—Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone—are free from war. However, as efforts to consolidate their fragile democracies are being made, all members face significant challenges to providing security for citizens and the state.

Partners for Democratic Change is working with government officials, security personnel, civil society from the Mano River region, and the Mano River Union (MRU)—a regional body originally formed in 1973 to support economic integration—to strengthen regional security. Governments of the region are now paying regular dues to the MRU and have demonstrated unprecedented political will, providing an opportunity for increased cooperation.

This event discussed the wide range of challenges and opportunities to moving forward with regional integration in order to have a meaningful and positive impact on human security, democratic consolidation, and development.

About the Speaker

Dr. Hadja Saran Daraba Kaba, is the founding president of the Mano River Women’s Peace Network MARWOPNET (aka Réseau des femmes de la Mano River Union pour la paix REFMAP in French), a former partner of the National Endowment for Democracy. Under the leadership of Dr. Daraba, MARWOPNET played a critical role in promoting human rights and negotiating an end to protracted civil wars and unrest in the subregion. Dr. Daraba is the former Minister of Social Affairs and the Promotion of Women in Guinea, and was appointed as Secretary General to the Mano River Union in 2011.

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