By Amin Kef (Ranger)
The much-anticipated launch of the GOLA-REAP (Resilience, Empowerment, Access, and Peacebuilding) project will take place on, Thursday, February 27, 2025 at Bo Waterside, Liberia. The event will be led by Liberia’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Francis Sakila Nyumalin, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Morie Lengor, and the UN Resident Coordinators for Liberia and Sierra Leone, Seraphine Wakana and Christine N. Umutoni, respectively.
The project, funded with US$4 million from the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), is aimed at strengthening cross-border collaboration, resilience, sustainable livelihoods, and peacebuilding between the communities, law enforcement agencies, and governments of Liberia and Sierra Leone. The PBF supports initiatives that combine development, humanitarian, human rights, and peacebuilding efforts, addressing key opportunities to foster peace and stability in both nations.
The GOLA-REAP project is designed as a joint effort among various stakeholders, including government representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Youth & Sports, Environment, Liberia’s Forestry Development Authority (FDA), Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), and their Sierra Leonean counterparts. Additionally, chiefdom members from both countries, local authorities, and other beneficiaries will attend the event.
The launch event will mark a significant milestone in introducing the project to all involved parties, emphasizing its core objectives and the positive impact expected. Among the key outcomes are strengthening peace and security along the shared border, enhancing social cohesion, improving border management, supporting local governance, and promoting climate-smart agriculture to reduce conflict risks and enhance economic resilience. These outcomes signal a promising future for cross-border cooperation and development.
The GOLA-REAP project is a collaborative venture led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the World Food Programme (WFP) in both Liberia and Sierra Leone. IOM will leverage its expertise in migration and border management, while WFP will apply its experience in food security and nutrition, working closely with national governments, local authorities, civil society organizations, and regional bodies such as the Mano River Union (MRU).
