Publications
1989 - 1997
Civil war in Liberia claimed the lives of almost 150,000 people - mostly civilians - and led to a complete breakdown of law and order. It displaced scores of people, both internally and beyond the borders, resulting in some 850,000 refugees in the neighbouring countries. Fighting began in late 1989, and by early 1990, several hundred deaths had already occurred in confrontations between government forces and fighters who claimed membership in an opposition group, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), led by a former government official, Mr. Charles Taylor.
From the outset of the conflict, a subregional organization, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), undertook various initiatives aimed at a peaceful settlement. The United Nations supported ECOWAS in its efforts to end a civil war. These efforts included establishing, in 1990, an ECOWAS's observer force, the Military Observer Group (ECOMOG). The Security Council in 1992 imposed an arms embargo on Liberia, and the Secretary-General appointed a Special Representative to assist in talks between ECOWAS and the warring parties.
After ECOWAS brokered a peace agreement in Cotonou, Benin, in 1993, the Security Council established the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL). Its task was to support ECOMOG in implementing the Cotonou peace agreement - especially compliance with and impartial implementation of the agreement by all parties. UNOMIL was the first United Nations peacekeeping mission undertaken in cooperation with a peacekeeping operation already established by another organization.
Delays in the implementation of the peace agreement and resumed fighting among Liberian factions made it impossible to hold elections in February/March 1994, as scheduled. In the following months, a number of supplementary peace agreements, amending and clarifying the Cotonou agreement, were negotiated. With the ceasefire in force, the United Nations successfully observed the conduct of the elections in July 1997. Mr. Charles Taylor was elected President. Following his inauguration on 2 August 1997, President Taylor formed a new Government and announced a policy of reconciliation and national unity. UNOMIL's principal objective was achieved.
1997 - 2003
In November 1997, following the completion of UNOMIL's mandate on 30 September, the United Nations established the United Nations Peace-building Support Office in Liberia (UNOL), headed by a Representative of the Secretary-General. That first United Nations post-conflict peace-building support office was tasked primarily with assisting the Government in consolidating peace following the July 1997 multiparty elections.
With the full support of the Security Council, UNOL facilitated the promotion of national reconciliation and good governance and helped mobilize international support for the implementation of reconstruction and development programmes. In the most recent period, UNOL worked to fulfil the terms of a revised mandate, approved by the Security Council on 23 April 2003. Under the terms of that revised mandate, and in addition to its initial tasks, UNOL was to focus on assisting the Government of Liberia in addressing its expressed capacity needs in the areas of human rights and the conduct of elections, as well as on developing a peace-building strategy integrating political objectives, programme assistance and human rights considerations.
However, the peace-building efforts of UNOL were seriously hindered by the inability of the Government and opposition party leaders to resolve their differences over key issues of governance. Meanwhile, the promotion of national reconciliation was undermined by systematic abuses of human rights, the exclusion and harassment of political opponents and the absence of security sector reform. These elements contributed to the resumption of civil war in Liberia, prompting the international community to call on the warring parties to seek a negotiated settlement of the conflict.
On 8 July 2003, as fighting between Government forces and various warring factions intensified and humanitarian tragedy threatened, the Secretary-General decided (S/2003/695) to appoint Jacques Paul Klein of the United States his Special Representative for Liberia. He was entrusted with the task of coordinating the activities of the United Nations agencies in Liberia and supporting the emerging transitional arrangements. On 29 July, the Secretary-General outlined (S/2003/769) a three-phased deployment of international troops to Liberia, leading to a multidimensional United Nations peacekeeping operation. He also indicated that, in view of the appointment of Mr. Klein, and the envisaged establishment of a United Nations operation in Liberia, the mandate of UNOL would naturally have to be terminated.
Since that time the situation in Liberia has developed rapidly. On 1 August 2003, the Security Council adopted resolution 1497 (2003), authorizing the establishment of a multinational force in Liberia and declaring its readiness to establish a follow-on United Nations stabilization force to be deployed no later than 1 October 2003. On 18 August 2003, the Liberian parties signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Accra. By that Agreement, the parties requested the United Nations to deploy a force to Liberia under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations to support the National Transitional Government of Liberia and assist in the implementation of the Agreement. With the subsequent deployment of the ECOWAS Mission in Liberia, the security situation in the country improved.
For the more complete account of the events leading to the establishment of UNMIL , including the 11 August resignation of President Charles Taylor and the peaceful transfer of power in Liberia, please click here (S/2003/875).
UN peacekeeping mission is recommended
As requested by the Security Council, the Secretary-General submitted on 11 September a report (S/2003/875) providing update on the situation in the country, and containing his recommendations on the role the United Nations could play to facilitate the effective implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, as well as on the size, structure and mandate of a peacekeeping operation in Liberia.
The Secretary-General recommended that the Council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, authorize the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping operation with a troop strength of up to 15,000, including 250 military observers, 160 staff officers, up to 875 civilian police officers and an additional five armed formed units each comprising 120 officers, and a significant civilian component and necessary support staff.
He said that the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) would be a multidimensional operation composed of political, military, civilian police, criminal justice, civil affairs, human rights, gender, child protection, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, public information and support components, as well as an electoral component in due course. The Mission would include a mechanism for the coordination of its activities with those of the humanitarian and development community. UNMIL would coordinate closely with ECOWAS and the African Union. In order to ensure a coordinated United Nations response to the many subregional issues, UNMIL would also work closely with the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), the United Nations Mission in Cote d'Ivoire (MINUCI) and the United Nations Office for West Africa.
The Mission would be headed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, who would have overall authority for the activities of the Mission and of the United Nations system in Liberia. The Special Representative would be assisted by a senior management team consisting of, among others, two Deputies, a Force Commander with the rank of Lieutenant General, and a Police Commissioner.
A senior gender adviser, with staff, would be part of the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to undertake and support gender mainstreaming within the various pillars of the Office and with civil society and other external partners. An HIV/AIDS policy adviser, with supporting staff, would also be attached to the Office of the Special Representative, to coordinate activities in the Mission area for the prevention of HIV transmission among civilian and military personnel and host communities.
The Secretary-General proposed that the mandate of UNMIL would be to support the National Transitional Government of Liberia and the other parties in the effective and timely implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement; to monitor adherence to the ceasefire agreement of 17 June; to assist the National Transitional Government in extending State authority throughout Liberia; to provide security at key government installations, in particular, ports, airports and other vital infrastructure; to ensure the security and freedom of movement of United Nations personnel; to facilitate the free movement of people, humanitarian assistance and goods; to support the safe and sustainable return of refugees and internally displaced persons; and to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence in the areas of immediate deployment of United Nations formed military units.
In addition, the force would advise, train and assist the Liberian law enforcement authorities and other criminal justice institutions; assist the National Transitional Government in the implementation of a disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme; guard weapons, ammunition and other military equipment collected from ex-combatants and assist in their subsequent disposal or destruction; assist in the preparation of elections; monitor and report on the human rights situation and provide training and capacity-building in the field of human rights and child protection; provide support for gender mainstreaming, including training; support the establishment and operations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; and cooperate with ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations on cross-cutting political and security issues.
In his report the Secretary-General observed that the transfer of power from President Charles Taylor to Vice-President Moses Blah and the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement by the Liberian parties offered a unique window of opportunity to end the suffering inflicted on the people of Liberia and to find a peaceful solution to a conflict that had been the epicentre of instability in the subregion. While the United Nations and the international community at large stood ready to support the Liberian peace process, the effective and successful implementation of the Peace Agreement remained the primary responsibility of the Liberian parties themselves, he stressed.
UNMIL established
On 19 September, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1509 (2003) welcoming the Secretary-General's report of 11 September 2003 and its recommendations. It decided that UNMIL would consist of up to 15,000 United Nations military personnel, including up to 250 military observers and 160 staff officers, and up to 1,115 civilian police officers, including formed units to assist in the maintenance of law and order throughout Liberia, and the appropriate civilian component. The mandate of the Mission was established for a period of 12 months. The Council requested the Secretary-General to transfer authority to UNMIL on 1 October from forces led by ECOWAS, which it commended for its rapid and professional deployment. Among other things, the Council also took note of the intention of the Secretary-General to terminate the mandate of UNOL and to transfer the major functions performed by that Office to UNMIL.
As scheduled, UNMIL took over peacekeeping duties from ECOWAS forces on 1 October. Some 3,500 West African troops who had been serving with ECOMIL vanguard force were provisionally 're-hatted' as United Nations peacekeepers. In a statement issued on that day, the Secretary-General welcomed this very important development and saluted ECOWAS for its role in establishing the security climate that paved the way for the deployment of UNMIL. He commended the Governments of Benin, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo who have contributed to UNMIL, as well as the United States for its support to the regional force. The Secretary-General expressed confidence that UNMIL would be able to contribute in a major way towards the resolution of conflict in Liberia, provided all parties concerned cooperate fully with the force and the international community provides the necessary resources.
Deployment of Troops
The deployment of UNMIL throughout the country’s four sectors helped to restore peace in Liberia. Beginning 10 October 2003, following the transfer of a Bangladeshi battalion from the Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), UNMIL began deploying beyond capital Monrovia with patrols to Nimba, and later to Bong and Rivercess counties where fighting between armed groups continued.
Major deployments beyond Monrovia began in late December 2003. Pakistani peacekeepers were deployed at Klay Junction on 27 December. By June 2004, UNMIL had achieved full deployment throughout Liberia creating the security conditions necessary for the implementation of its mandate.
As at 1 March 2006, a total of 15,071 military troops from 48 troop contributing countries are deployed throughout the country in addition to over 1,000 police personnel from 35 contributing countries.
Disarmament
Paragraph 3 of resolution 1509 (2003) mandated UNMIL to implement a Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DDRR) programme for combatants of Liberia’s civil crisis.
The initial phase of the programme was launched on 7 December 2003 for former Government of Liberia (GOL) forces at the Camp Scheiffelin cantonment site. With more than 12,000 combatants presenting themselves, the process encountered some difficulties, including the lack of capacity to accommodate the huge turn-out. As a result, on 17 December 2003, the programme was suspended to ensure necessary arrangements were in place for a better coordinated and secure operation. By then, 12,664 ex-GOL combatants had disarmed and 8,686 assorted weapons had been collected.
The process resumed in Gbarnga on 15 April 2004 and later at eight other cantonment sites around the country. The exercise officially ended on 31 October 2004. At a symbolic ceremony on 2 November, 48 “commanders” from the three warring factions handed in their weapons and demobilized. Consequently, on 3 November 2003 the three faction leaders signed a joint declaration disbanding their forces and command structures.
A total of 101,495 combatants (22,370 women, 8,523 boys and 2,440 girls) disarmed; 28,314 assorted weapons, 6,486,136 small ammunitions and 33,604 heavy ammunitions were collected and destroyed.
Some 65,000 demobilized combatants have so far benefited from reintegration and rehabilitation opportunities through projects funded by the UNDP Trust Fund. Approximately 37,000 ex-combatants are still waiting to be placed in reintegration programmes.
UNMIL continues to collect and destroy remaining weapons and ammunition, willingly surrendered or discovered through cordon and search operations. From such efforts so far, 462 weapons, 59,972 small arms and ammunition and 671 heavier munitions have been collected.
Additionally, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has begun the implementation of a Community Arms Collection for Development Programme, which provides community projects in exchange for weapons in Grand Gedeh, Lofa and Nimba counties.
Security Sector Reforms
As part of its mandate, UNMIL, in collaboration with its international partners, is restructuring the Liberia National Police.
The recruitment of cadets for the new police commenced 5 May 2004 and the National Police Academy reopened on 12 July, 2004. Targeting 3,500 new police officers, training began for a first group of 132 recruits immediately thereafter.
By 30 November 2004 the first batch of newly trained officers of the Liberia National Police began being deployed to the counties. As at 1 June 2006, 2,468 trainees have been recruited of which 1,712 have already graduated from the Police Service Training Academy. Likewise, 155 Liberian Seaport Police and 358 Special Security Service personnel have also been trained.
As part of the restructuring of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), the demobilization of the former AFL soldiers began on 30 June 2005 and was completed in December 2005. Recruitment of trainees for a 2000-strong new army began on 18 January 2006. As of 1 March 2006, 3,436 applicants had signed up for training but only 1,524 applicants passed the initial screening. Basic training is set to begin in July 2006. The restructuring of the new army is financed by the United States.
Voter Registration and Elections
One of the major aspects of the entire peace process was ensuring a democratic transition. UNMIL played a critical role in conducting a credible, transparent, free and fair national election by offering logistical support to the National Elections Commission (NEC). In addition to providing maximum security, UNMIL played an advisory role in matters ranging from operational issues, legal concerns and external relations. Some 4,000 Liberians were hired and trained by UNMIL for the voter registration exercise and nearly 18,000 were hired as polling staff, to assist during the elections.
A new electoral law came into effect in December 2004 and on 31 January 2005, NEC began its civic education campaign to educate the voters. Voter registration was conducted from 25 April to 21 May 2005, while an additional week (23 May to 04 June) was offered to returning refugees to register. A total of 1,352,730 eligible Liberians registered to vote, half of them (676,390) women.
The first round of elections was held on 11 October 2005 with 22 registered political parties, two alliances and one coalition putting forward some 205 Senate and 513 House of Representative candidates, while there were 22 presidential candidates with their running mates. Of the 762 candidates, there were 110 female candidates constituting 14 per cent. The voter turn-out was 74.9 per cent, representing just over one million voters.
On 26 October 2006, the NEC announced the results. Because no presidential candidate received the required 50 per cent plus one vote, a run-off became inevitable. The top two contenders were George Manneh Weah of the Congress for Democratic Change with 28.3 per cent of votes and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of the Unity Party with 19.8 per cent of votes.
During the election, 369 international electoral observers, some 35,000 representatives of Liberian political parties and independent candidates, and 3,829 representatives of 53 Liberian civilian society organizations who were accredited by the NEC to observe the elections characterized the exercise as peaceful, orderly, free, fair transparent and well-administered.
On 8 November 2005, a run-off Presidential election took place between George Manneh Weah and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
The final results of the run-off Presidential Election was announced by the NEC on 23 November 2005. Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was declared Liberia’s President, winning 59.4 percent of the valid votes cast. She thus became the first ever elected female Head of State in Africa.
The 23rd President of the Republic of Liberia, along with the leadership of the National Legislature, was inaugurated on 16 January 2006.
Refugees and IDPs
Facilitated by UNHCR, the International Organization for Migration and the World Food Programme, the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) officially began on 8 November 2004 and ended on 20 April 2006. Over the period, 312,015 IDPs and 9,732 “displaced returnees” totaling 321,747 persons living in Liberia’s 35 IDP camps and spontaneous settlements as well as returnees from Sierra Leone were provided return assistance packages made up of food ration, non-food items and a transportation allowance to go back home.
As of 30 May 2006, over 67,000 Liberian refugees from neighbouring countries have returned home through organized repatriation out of 166,152 refugees registered with UNHCR numbered 166,152 persons. An estimated 200,000 refugees have returned home spontaneously since October 2004.
Recovery
UNMIL’s Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) continue to address rehabilitation and recovery needs through projects aimed at supporting the restoration of community services throughout Liberia.
As of March 2006, QIP has approved US$3.05 million for 232 rehabilitation projects. Of these, 134 projects have been completed costing US$1.84 million. Nearly half of all the projects approved are aimed at renovating Liberia’s dilapidated schools.
Located throughout the country, the projects also include the renovation of clinics, public institutions and other critical infrastructure. Other projects are road repairs, street lighting, the rehabilitation of markets and the construction of wells and public latrines.
Road Rehabilitation
Since April 2004, the Civil Engineering Section, together with UNMIL’s military engineers, mainly from Bangladesh, China and Pakistan, has rehabilitated more than 2,000 kilometer-long road networks, including bridges. While civil engineers guide the assessment and planning as well as provide technical advice and materials, the military colleagues provide equipment and implement the projects.
To date, UNMIL has undertaken emergency repair of 800 km of primary roads, known as the Main Supply Routes, which connect Liberia’s capital city, Monrovia, to other provincial cities like Tubmanburg, Gbarnga, Zwedru and Voinjama. Also repaired and maintained by the mission is more than 1,200 km of the Secondary Supply Routes that connect the provincial cities to other major towns. A number of bridges, both wooden and bailey, have also been repaired or constructed.
Besides keeping its supply and operational lines open, the improvement of the roads have also provided the local population with better access to markets and increased employment opportunities, in addition to facilitating the return of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons.