The Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA), said its unwavering and unequivocal stance on enhancing a pragmatic rule of law regime in West Africa has been validated and acknowledged by the recent overwhelming election of its National Secretary General, Cllr. Bornor M. Varmah, as next Vice President of the West African Bar Association (WABA), at the just concluded annual general conference of that regional body. The LNBA stated that their Secretary General Varmah, as Vice President of the West African Bar Association (WABA), took place in Cotonou, Benin Republic. The annual conference of WABA took place from June 25 to 27, 2024, in partnership with the United Nations Office for West Africa and Sahel (UNOWAS). LNBA said the objective of the conference was to adopt the amended constitution of WABA and elect members of WABA’s governing bodies. LNBA in the release said various Bar Association in the sub-region, as well as the WABA secretariat, UNOWAS and partners from the United Nations system, took part in the annual conference. During the conference, the Bar Association and legal practitioners exchanged views on a variety of subjects, including the role of the lawyers and of an organization such as WABA in ensuring a democratic and peaceful society free from tension and conflict. LNBA indicated that at the end of the proceedings, the participants adopted the new WABA constitution and elected for two year term, a new executive committee drown from the three language groups of the sub-region, including francophone, anglophone and lusophone. The Malian Bar President, Ousmane Bouba Traore, was elected as President, LNBA Secretary General Varmah as Vice President and the Secretary General of the Nigerian Bar Association, Adesina Adegbite as WABA’s Secretary General, among others. WABA, which brings together leading members of Bar Councils and lawyers in the sub-region, was created in 2024, in response to human rights and rule of law challenges that undermine efforts to promote democratic consolidation, good governance, sustainable peace and development in the region. Since its inception, the Association’s primary role has been to mobilize Bar Associations and legal practitioners to play a proactive role in the development of efforts to deepen democratic governance through respect for the rule of law and human rights. In a related development, the LNBA National President, Cllr. Sylvester D. Rennie, has returned to the country from the United States of America, after successfully participating in the Justice and the Rule of Law Global Forum, Organized by the World Bank’s Governance Global Practice which brought together over two hundred (200) partners, leaders and practitioners from government and judiciaries, the private sector, academia, civil society and other international development organizations working in area of Justice and rule of law. At the meeting in Washington DC, the LNBA President Rennie assured the World Bank of the LNBA’s continuous collaboration with the Bank to enhance global rule of law. The LNBA said the cost for the two trips to Washington DC, USA and Cotonou Benin Republic, were fully sponsored by the World Bank and the United Nations Office for UNOWAS.
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