USAID/OTI Liberia Field Report October 2004
Program Description
The Liberia Transition Initiative (LTI) supports efforts to advance prospects for an inclusive, peaceful, political transition in Liberia in the context of the 2003 Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA). By restoring critical transitional governance and civil society functions, increasing public understanding of key political transition issues, and promoting community reintegration and peaceful resolution of conflict, LTI is enhancing the momentum for building peace. Creative Associates International, Inc. implements the $15,000,000 LTI program through a small grants component, the Youth Education for Life Skills (YES) program, and technical assistance for the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP).
Country Situation
DISARMAMENT ENDS – The U.N. Mission in Liberia ((UNMIL) officially ended the disarmament and demobilization components of its mandate on October 31, 2004. Estimates of the number of ex-combatants disarmed range from 50,000 to 100,000.
WARRING FACTIONS REQUIRED TO DISBAND – The CPA that ended the fighting in Liberia in July 2003 calls for the disbanding of all factions to coincide with the end of disarmament. However, the ongoing leadership struggle within the former faction, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), suggests this provision of the CPA will not be met. On October 27, LURD “executives” and members elected Kabineh Ja’neh as the faction’s new chairman. Recognition of this election by the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) and international community remains in question.
VIOLENCE FLARES IN MONROVIA – What reportedly started as a land dispute on October 29 deteriorated into three days of mosque and church burning and widespread looting in Monrovia and surrounding suburbs. The NTGL Chairman imposed a curfew and joined the U.S. Ambassador and others in appealing for calm and urging residents not to allow religion to be utilized as a divisive force in Liberia.
ELECTION REFORM BILL DEBATE – The National Transitional Legislative Assembly (NTLA) began debate on an electoral reform bill. Despite consultations with the National Elections Commission, NTGL Chairman, and U.N. and European Union representatives, passage of the bill remains stalled.
USAID/OTI Highlights
A. Narrative Summary
Eighty Youth Education for Life Skills (YES) program local facilitators (LFs) from 40 communities have been trained in participatory training methodologies and curriculum content. Following 11 days spent on developing training techniques and an additional 11 days devoted to learning the curriculum, LFs have returned home to field test their new skills. The local facilitators will now begin to deliver the YES program to 1,400 youth.
Procurement actions have been finalized for the printing of 10,000 sets of primary curriculum textbooks, which will be distributed to students participating in accelerated learning programs funded by USAID. The textbooks are a critical input for the successful implementation of Accelerated Learning Program efforts.
B. Grant Activity Summary
| Civil Society Support |
$63,507 |
$341,075 |
3 |
13 |
| Community Impact Activities |
$7,000 |
$670,313 |
1 |
20 |
| Conflict Management |
$82,300 |
$407,645 |
4 |
15 |
| Election Process |
$1,285 |
$1,285 |
1 |
1 |
| Justice/Human Right |
|
$441,700 |
|
15 |
| Media |
$164,103 |
$312,771
| 4 |
7 |
| Good Governance |
$80,653 |
$1,234,798 |
5 |
34 |
| Youth Training |
|
$20,000 |
|
1 |
| TOTAL |
$398,848 |
$3,429,586 |
18 |
106 |
C. Indicators of Success
LTI grants have supported positive initiatives to mitigate tensions sparked by recent mob violence. These grants are intended to assist communities in developing strategies to reduce the potential for the destabilization of the peace process.
LTI leveraged support provided to the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG) to enable the Ministry of Education to advocate for additional resources from the NTGL. Similarly, the TJWG grant provided hard data that indicated the desire of Liberians to hold elections next year, putting some pressure on the NTLA to accelerate its work on the election reform bill.
D. Program Appraisal
The YES and ALP program components are proceeding on schedule, and especially regarding the training of local facilitators for the initial YES roll-out. Concurrently, the program development team continues to make strides in leveraging small grants for advancing focus area objectives. Program development officers, however, will need to continue to anticipate potential violent flashpoints in order to respond quickly with mediation initiatives at the community level. LTI will use local media outlets even more as a tool for conflict reduction.
NEXT STEPS/IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
- Expand the YES program nationwide through the review and preparation of cooperative agreements.
- Establish a Curriculum Review Committee to review and update the national primary curriculum in support of the Accelerated Learning Program.
- Identify linkages between YES communities and grants to support community-based initiatives in line with LTI objectives.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington: John Gattorn, Liberia Program Manager, 202-712-4168, jgattorn@usaid.gov
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