Monrovia, Liberia; March 31, 2026: Liberia has taken a major step toward deepening democratic governance and political cohesion with the formal inauguration of the Secretariat of the Inter-Party Consultative Committee (IPCC) on Friday, 27 March 2026, in Monrovia.
The event marked a renewed commitment to structured political dialogue and collaboration among political parties.
Representatives from political parties, the National Elections Commission (NEC), government institutions, civil society, and development partners attended the ceremony, underscoring a collective resolve to sustain peace and foster inclusive political processes.
Speaking at the event, Gabriel B. Saydee, Jr., National Coordinator of the IPCC Secretariat, emphasized the historic responsibility of political actors to prioritize national unity over individual party interests.
“We must stand not as representatives of individual parties, but as stewards of the collective democratic interest. This is not a competition with government; it is a complement to Liberia’s democratic process,” he stated.
Saydee outlined three key priorities for the newly inaugurated Secretariat:
1. Fostering constructive political engagement
2. Strengthening electoral processes
3. Building institutional resilience
He stressed that dialogue remains central to preventing conflict. “If we can resolve issues here,” he noted, “we will not need to fight them in the streets.” Initially formalized through a 2005 Memorandum of Understanding that designated the NEC as Secretariat, the framework underwent significant revisions in 2016 and again in July 2025 to enhance its independence and strengthen political party ownership.
This transition builds on agreements reached during a two-day meeting in Gbarnga in December 2025, where political parties adopted the IPCC constitution and bylaws and elected members of the Secretariat—marking a decisive shift toward a fully-led structure aimed at promoting cooperation, inclusivity, and sustained dialogue.
The initiative forms part of ongoing UNDP and partner support through the Liberia Electoral Support Project, aimed at ensuring that Liberia’s democracy remains peaceful, inclusive, and resilient.
The Liberia Electoral Support Project is managed by UNDP and implemented in partnership with UN Women, the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, and the NEC, with support from the European Union, Ireland, and Sweden.