{"id":5560,"date":"2026-07-11T23:23:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T23:23:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mru.int\/en\/?p=5560"},"modified":"2026-10-04T12:31:31","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T12:31:31","slug":"mru-member-states-agree-on-joint-plan-of-action-to-harmonise-regional-intelligence-framework","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mru.int\/en\/mru-member-states-agree-on-joint-plan-of-action-to-harmonise-regional-intelligence-framework\/","title":{"rendered":"MRU Member States Agree on Joint Plan of Action to Harmonise Regional Intelligence Framework"},"content":{"rendered":"

Security officials from the four Mano River Union (MRU) member states, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and C\u00f4te d’Ivoire, have concluded the two-day Third Ordinary Technical Committee Meeting on Peace, Security and Defence, held under the theme \u201cHarmonizing Defence Framework for Regional Stability\u201d at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from 10 to 11 July 2026.<\/p>\n

The meeting brought together National Security Advisers, Chiefs of Defence Staff, Inspectors General of Police, and technical representatives from the Ministries of Defence, Internal Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture and Gender of all four Member States, with the aim of moving the sub-region from fragmented national security protocols toward a unified, cohesive regional security strategy.<\/p>\n

Opening the meeting, Secretary-General of the Mano River Union, Ambassador Simeon M. B. Moribah, noted that the security environment across the sub-region is evolving rapidly and cautioned that unresolved border matters could undermine decades of progress if not managed with wisdom and diplomacy. He called for regular high-level consultations among technical experts through established committees to address these challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe security environment in our sub-region is evolving rapidly, and the challenges we face today are both complex and interconnected. Across West Africa, the spread of violent extremism and terrorism in the Sahel continues to pose a significant threat, with increasing concerns about possible spillover into coastal states, with our sub-region as a prime target. In parallel, our borders remain vulnerable to transnational organised crime, including illicit drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms smuggling and money laundering. These activities undermine state authority, weaken institutions, and threaten the safety and well-being of our citizens,\u201d <\/em>Ambassador Moribah said.<\/em><\/p>\n

Speaking on behalf of the Liberian delegation, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Edward Mulbah urged Member States to move beyond policy frameworks toward practical implementation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe sincerely recognise and appreciate the multiple policies, frameworks, communiqu\u00e9s and treaties in place, which the MRU and even ECOWAS have produced. The question is: to what extent are these instruments functional, and positively impacting our people and strengthening peace within our borders? Security is a shared job. Joint patrols, information-sharing and border management must move from theory to practice,\u201d <\/em>Deputy Minister Mulbah said.<\/p>\n

The Head of the Cote d’Ivoire Delegation, IG Dosso Siaka, Deputy Director-General of the National Police in charge of Public Safety, said his delegation was pleased to contribute to deliberations aimed at building sustainable peace and security in the sub-region, and that the meeting itself reflects a shared regional will, which Cote d’Ivoire is committed to translating into concrete action for the good of all citizens of the subregion.<\/p>\n

“What matters now is follow-through. C\u00f4te d’Ivoire supports the resumption of joint border operations and stands ready to contribute personnel, expertise and coordination to make the Joint Plan of Action a reality, not another document on a shelf.” <\/em>IG Dosso Siaka said.<\/p>\n

Cote d’Ivoire’s Representative to the MRU Secretariat and Deputy Secretary-General for Peace and Security, Democratic Governance and Social Affairs, Ambassador Ange Konan Monu, noted that while the Union has made significant strides in transitioning from past conflict to sustained peace, reflected in regular, credible elections across Member States, the sub-region continues to face complex and evolving security challenges, including cross-border crime, small arms proliferation, illicit trafficking and the spillover of violent extremism from the wider Sahel.<\/p>\n

The head of the Guinean delegation, Mr. Michel Dopavogui, said Guinea remains fully committed to the spirit of brotherhood that founded this Mano River Union. Border matters are sensitive, but they are best resolved through the patient, technical dialogue the Meeting provides, not through unilateral action.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe threats we face- trafficking, extremism, organised crime- do not respect our borders, and neither should our response. Guinea will continue to work with our sister states to strengthen the Joint Border Security and Confidence Building Units and ensure this Union delivers real security for our people\u201d <\/em>Mr. Dopavogui said.<\/p>\n

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In his keynote address, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Internal Affairs, retired AIG Morie Lengor, echoed calls for the demilitarisation of Yenga and unhindered movement of people and goods across the sub-region.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur people, from Freetown to Monrovia, to Abidjan and to Conakry, and especially those living in the border communities, are anxiously and eagerly waiting, holding their breath and hoping for tangible outcomes of this meeting so that tension along our borders will be permanently eliminated, and there will be free and unhindered movement of people, goods and services within the MRU space,\u201d <\/em>The Keynote Speaker said.<\/p>\n

Delegates reviewed the MRU’s 15th Protocol on Peace, Security and Defence (2012), the Cross-Border Security Strategy, and the status of the Joint Border Security and Confidence-Building Units (JBSCBUs), which have operated with limited resources since 2017. The meeting concluded with the adoption of a Joint Communiqu\u00e9, in which Member States committed to:<\/p>\n