By Staff Writer | Smart News Liberia
MONROVIA – Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh has offered a detailed analysis of the recent tensions along the Liberia–Guinea border, highlighting both the diplomatic efforts led by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and the critical need to restore regional cooperation mechanisms. In a statement titled “MRU border disputes have flared up on two fronts. Here’s why,” Konneh praised the President’s approach while cautioning that Liberia’s gains in border security and diplomacy are fragile without sustained technical coordination.
“We welcome Commander-in-Chief Joseph Boakai’s carefully delivered statement last evening regarding the diplomatic efforts underway to address the ongoing border dispute with Guinea,” Senator Konneh wrote on Thursday, March 19, 2026. He emphasized that the President’s call for calm and active engagement with regional leaders exemplifies a constructive approach to resolving tensions over disputed territory in Foya District, Lofa County.
The flare-up began when Guinean soldiers reportedly crossed the Makona River into Foya District, raising their flag and seizing mining equipment allegedly belonging to a Liberian company. “While President Boakai does the political and diplomatic heavy lifting to protect Liberia’s territory and cement peace with our neighbors, the Minister responsible for the Mano River Union and the Union’s Secretary General, Dr. Simeon Moriba, must now work out the day-to-day technical details to sustain his efforts, so they do not go to waste,” Konneh noted.
Drawing on his experience in the Mano River Union (MRU), Konneh explained the historical context of the current tensions. He served as Liberia’s custodian in the MRU during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, heading the Ministry of Planning & Economic Affairs from 2008. “Madam Sirleaf was Chairperson of the Summit of MRU Heads of State, which placed oversight of the Secretariat and leadership of the Ministerial Council squarely in my lap,” he wrote, highlighting the importance of institutional memory in regional diplomacy.
Konneh recalled that in 2007, the MRU Heads of State convened in Conakry, Guinea, to revive the organization after years of civil conflict. The first test of the Union’s conflict-resolution mechanisms came in July 2007 during tensions between Guinea and Sierra Leone over Yenga village. “While the Guinean troops withdrew then, they recently returned, prompting Sierra Leone to seek diplomatic and legal avenues alongside Liberia’s peaceful efforts,” Konneh said.
The Senator identified two main reasons for the current escalation. First, he argued, Liberia and its neighbors stopped communicating effectively at both political and bureaucratic levels. “From 2008 until I left government in 2016, we prioritized in-person meetings among technocrats, Ministers, and Heads of State. This sustained engagement enabled us to overcome challenges like the 2014 Ebola outbreak and implement regional initiatives such as the CLSG cross-border electricity project,” he explained.
Second, Konneh pointed to a loss of outstanding leadership within the MRU Secretariat. “The Secretariat’s role is crucial for peacebuilding and border security. Leaders like Dr. Saran Daraba Kaba ensured that cooperation was substantive and that border security mechanisms like the Joint Border Security and Confidence Building Units (JBSCBU) functioned effectively,” he stated.
The JBSCBU framework, established under MRU Protocol 15, brought together stakeholders including security officials, chiefs, youth, women representatives, civil society actors, and forestry guards to share information and make decisions at the border level. “Just such a structure might have nipped this border crisis in the bud, or at least mitigated it before it required presidential intervention,” Konneh added.
Despite a decade of neglect, Konneh acknowledged recent positive steps. The 2024 High-Level MRU Meeting reactivated Protocol 15, committing member states to regular joint military exercises and centralized intelligence sharing. “Institutional memory still exists in the Secretariat and security sectors. Policymakers who managed these systems remain willing to revive and upgrade them if called upon,” he noted.
Konneh called on Liberia’s Secretary General, Dr. Simeon Moriba, to leverage his experience to restore MRU coordination mechanisms. “Dr. Moriba must shuttle between MRU capitals and reactivate technical and political-level coordination mechanisms, including the JSBCBU. President Boakai and his counterparts must support him fully,” the Senator urged.
He also emphasized Liberia’s historical commitment to peace and diplomacy. “We have consistently chosen cooperation over confrontation, even when territories like Yenga were disputed. Our continental and global leadership legacy obliges us to sustain these principles,” Konneh explained.
Highlighting Liberia’s cultural and economic ties with neighboring states, Konneh argued that peace is a shared interest. “Market women, cross-border traders, and ordinary citizens have maintained relations across Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Côte d’Ivoire for generations. This social fabric reinforces our claims and underlines the importance of diplomacy,” he said.
The Senator underscored the need for proactive, consistent engagement: “Diplomacy, Mr. President, especially MRU diplomacy, requires constant old-fashioned engagement, saying or doing the right things at the right time, and avoiding saying or doing the wrong things at any time.”
In conclusion, Konneh endorsed President Boakai’s strategy of dialogue and negotiation, stressing that Liberia’s security and sovereignty are best preserved through patience, regional cooperation, and institutional discipline. “I endorse your approach, Mr. President. Peace through diplomacy, understanding, and negotiation has always been our preferred method,” he said.
