STATEMENT
The Unity Party convened the first rotational inter-party dialogue on Friday, October 21, 2022 at its Headquarters with the objective to review the 2017 Farmington Declaration, possibly make adjustments and incorporate enforcement mechanisms in the run-up to 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections.
The meeting was a sequel to a joint ECOWAS-United Nations inter-party-political dialogue held October 12, 2022 at the One UN House. The October 12 meeting was designed to foster positive working relationship and promote peaceful coexistence among political parties as part of efforts to engender collective problem-solving amongst the different political parties and individuals.
Both ECOWAS and UN urged political party leaders to promote frequent interactions on issues of mutual interest, facilitate processes that minimize tension, ensure peaceful coexistence while also building trust for the holding of a violence free elections in 2023.
Based on the request from ECOWAS and UN for parties to begin working together in efforts to find local solution to problems, representatives of political parties along with ECOWAS and UN jointly agreed that political parties will begin to hold rotational meetings, and that the Unity Party will convene the first rotational meeting to review the Farmington Declaration to which political leaders committed to participate in a violence-free election in 2017.
The Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), after having committed to attend the rotational meetings, declined to show up at the first meeting convened at the UP Headquarters.
The Unity Party thanks ECOWAS, UN, and other partners for their mediatory role in promoting initiatives that foster peaceful coexistence and a violence-free political space that reinforces citizens’ confidence in the lead-up to the 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections.
Unity Party remains fully committed to these efforts and will work with all stakeholders to promote peace and unity among Liberians.
