The Liberia National Commission on Small Arms, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), on Tuesday July 25, 2017 trained more than fifteen personnel from local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on Community Engagement for Security and Development. Participants came from local CSOs in 8 border counties: Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland, Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, Lofa, Bong and Nimba counties.
The training was held in Ganta City, Nimba County under the framework of the ECOWAS-EU Small Arms Project - “Arms for Development”. It was jointly implemented by LiNCSA and UNDP and the objective was to sharpen community engagement skills of local CSO actors within the context of security and development. The training also addressed strategy of community cohesion plans and provided some technical tools for outreach activities in their respective counties.
Two local peacebuilding and development practitioners MR. Maxim Kumeh from the Liberia Action Network on Small Arms (LANSA) and Mr. Oscar Bloh from Election Coordinating Committee (ECC) facilitated the workshop. The training was followed by a one day Stakeholders Engagement and Lessons Learned session with Superintendents from the 8 border counties mentioned above. The session which took place in Ganta City on July 28th reviewed the pilot phase of the Arms for Development Project in South-east Liberia. Preparations are underway for extension of the project into 5 additional border counties: Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, Lofa, Bong and Nimba counties.
The Superintendents’ session was presided over by the Small Arms Commission’s Chairman, Hon. James M. Fromayan while LiNCSA Commissioner Knuckles sat in on the 3-day Training Sessions.
