Policing Crucial to Peace and Development

Effective Policing Crucial to Peace and Development, Stresses UN Agency

The head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Liberia stressed the importance of providing the National Police (LNP) with all the resources necessary to enforce the rule of law, during a hand-over of a newly-constructed police station today.

“As we build these police stations, we also have to focus on other demands, such as the cost associated with running them,” said UNDP Country Director, Dominic Sam, at the ceremony for the Tubmanburg Police Station.

“We also need to think about supporting continuous training and provision of essential logistics to enable the LNP carry out its statutory responsibilities successfully,” Mr. Sam added.

The new police station, which was funded by Norway with backing from UNDP and the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), contains a women and children protection unit, with tackling rape in particular tasked as well as other forms of gender-based violence.

“Norway’s contribution has proved instrumental in encouraging the expansion of the Women and Children Protection programmes in 21 locations throughout Liberia,” said Acting Commissioner of UN Police, Ibrahim Idris.

Mr. Idris also pointed out that the programmes have also helped in strengthening the LNP’s ability to protect vulnerable groups, especially by building confidence and trust between victims, police and communities.

Meanwhile, in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, participants at a high-level forum on employment in Africa said the creation of jobs across the continent would also bring important peace and security benefits.

“There is no lasting peace without jobs,” said a senior official of the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) for Africa, Mpenga Kabundi.

“Decent jobs [are necessary] for a just society and a sustainable route out of poverty,” he added, while speaking at the ILO-backed forum yesterday.

ENDS

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