By Sulaiman Jalloh
On April 3, 2025, Liberia and Sierra Leone wrapped up their inaugural joint steering committee meeting for the Gola Resilience, empowerment, access, and Peacebuilding (REAP) Project in Bo, marking a milestone in their shared mission to foster peace, resilience, and sustainability across the Gola Forest region.
Lenaud Serge Desire, IOM Liberia Country Coordinator and Officer-in-Charge, kicked off the session with an overview. Gola REAP is built for the long haul, he said, embedding best practices into local governance and empowering communities for lasting impact. Launched in January 2025, the three-year initiative set to run until July 26, 2027 targets key districts Tewor and Porpka in Liberia’s Grand Cape Mount County, Kongba in Gbarpolu County, and Sierra Leone’s Makpele Chiefdom in Pujehun and Normor Chiefdom in Kenema.
Liberia’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Francis Nyumahlin, framed the project as a cornerstone of President Joseph Boakai’s ARREST agenda for inclusive development. This is about secure livelihoods and peaceful communities, he said, by bolstering social cohesion, governance, and climate-smart agriculture, Gola REAP tackles conflict risks head-on, he credited the UN Peacebuilding Fund for its pivotal support, noting its role in safeguarding the Gola Forest a vital transboundary ecosystem and fostering regional harmony.
UN Resident Coordinator for Liberia, Christine Umutoni, hailed the project as a blueprint for cross-border collaboration, it weaves development and peacebuilding into a shared vision of regional integration and environmental care, she said, reflecting on the project’s February 27 launch at Bo Waterside. We left that day united and driven, she urged swift action on the meeting’s outcomes validated terms of reference, an adopted work plan, and next steps like baseline assessments and coordination frameworks stressing, This is your project; we’re here to support, not lead.
Seraphine Wakana, UN Resident Coordinator for Sierra Leone, echoed the call for ownership, this steering committee is our compass for strategic oversight, she said. Success rests on robust government leadership, aligned with Sierra Leone’s new UN Cooperation Framework, Gola REAP aims to nurture transboundary peace and resilience, she added.
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Morie Lengor, reaffirmed his government’s resolve under President Julius Maada Bio, our shared history binds us, he said. We’ll enhance border management for safe mobility and curb smuggling, he highlighted the newly formed Cross-Border Project Steering Committee (PSC) as a tool for transparency and guidance, thanking partners for fueling a more inclusive, peaceful Africa.
Spanning districts in both nations, Gola REAP tackles intertwined threats: weak governance, economic fragility, and climate pressures, by training forest rangers, border security, and local leaders, it seeks to protect the Gola Forest while building economic and social stability. The meeting solidified a roadmap assessments, coordination, and reporting to turn ambition into action.
As Liberia and Sierra Leone deepen their partnership, this first steering session signals a bold step toward a transboundary peace park, blending conservation with community empowerment. For the Gola region, it’s a promise of a greener, safer future.