A two-day high-level Conference of the Mano River Union is expected to begin in Liberia shortly. The conference is to be attended by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ivory Coast and host Liberia. The High-Level Meeting will bring together Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Defense, and Stakeholders from the MRU member states to discuss ways of strengthening the MRU and its various organs to facilitate trade and economic integration in the sub-region and to prepare the MRU as a viable organization for collective action on emerging security and economic issues in the sub-region. The conference will take place from July 21-22, 2024, at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial complex in Congo town. According to Assistant Foreign Minister for Public Affairs, Sawah Gbah, the high-level meeting will also develop strategies aimed at improving the well-being and living standard for citizens of the region. The Assistant Foreign Minister for Public Affairs also described the hosting of the high-level meeting by Liberia as a great fete for the country. She spoke Thursday, July 18, 2024 in an interview with state radio, ELBC. Among other things, the dialogue will seek to address critical issues concerning strengthening of the MRU Secretariat: Discussions on institutional reform and funding to create a more efficient and responsive organization. Discussions will also focus on implementation of the ECOWAS Institutional framework, including the free movement and free trade between the MRU countries, ECOWAS Biometric ID Card: Exploring its use as a legal travel document within the MRU. It will also focus on Conflict Resolution Strategies: Addressing and ensuring peace and security between MRU countries, the agenda for the upcoming MRU Heads of State Summit among others. Source: LINA