The Ministry of National Defense/ Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) and major stakeholders of the security sector held a one-day working session on the draft Court Martial Regulation for the new AFL on Thursday December 10, 2020 at the Barclay Training Center (BTC) in Monrovia.
The intent of the one-day workshop was to brainstorm and produce a workable Court Martial Regulation for President George M. Weah to approve.
Honorable Tibli Olandrus Dickson, Deputy Minister of Defense for Administration, in welcoming the participants intimated that the formulation of a Court Martial Regulation of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) is a milestone for the Ministry of National Defense and AFL.
Giving an overview of the Department of Judge Advocate General of the AFL, the Director of the Legal Affairs at the Ministry of National Defense, Attorney Emmanuel B. Yates, said that “The AFL Judge Advocate General (JAG) Department is the legal arm of the new AFL which was established in 2010 and is comprised of seventeen (17) paralegals, four (4) officers and thirteen (13) enlisted with the sole responsibility of performing the task of legal officers at various commands within the Armed Forces of Liberia.
He said with the presence of trained lawyers and Magistrates the department can now operate at a full scale level following the approval of the Court Martial Regulation by the President of Liberia.
For his part, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Major General Prince C. Johnson, III, lauded the partners for their inputs in the formation of the UCMJ.
General Johnson welcomed the inputs from major stakeholders including the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA), the Independent National Human Rights Commission (INHRC), the Law Reform Commission (LRC), Governance Commission (GC) and bilateral partners in making the draft Court Martial document a reality.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff of the AFL thanked the partners for their support towards the professionalization of the AFL.
The one-day stakeholders’ workshop which took place was graced by the Independent National Human Rights Commission (INHRC), the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA), the U.S. Embassy and other major stakeholders in the security sector.
Liberia’s Defense Minister Daniel D. Ziankahn today Tuesday, October 20, 2020, met and held fruitful discussions with the newly accredited European Union Ambassador to Liberia H.E. Laurent Delahousse at the Ministry of National Defense Minister Ziankahn assured the European Union Envoy of the ministry’s willingness in continuing the already strong relationship between the Ministry of National Defense and the European Union.
He lauded the EU for her numerous assistance to the Liberian Military, especially in area of maritime.
For his part the EU Ambassador to Liberia Laurent Delahousse expressed gratitude to Minister Ziankahn for the warmed reception accorded him at the Ministry of National Defense. He said as EU Ambassador to Liberia he will continue to foster the already strong ties between the two institutions.
Both men highlighted the issue of piracy within the Gulf of Guinea and expressed willingness in working together to tackle the issue of piracy.
