Monrovia, Tuesday May 20, 2025 On May 6, 2025, Atty Vakpanah B.K. Wymon, Vice Chairman of the Liberia National Commission on Arms (LiNCA), represented Liberia at a high-level meeting of the Global Counter Terrorism Forum West Africa Capacity Building Working Group (GCTF WA WG) held in Abuja, Nigeria. The intersessional meeting which started on May 6, was a joint initiative proposed by Algeria and Germany in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) which focuses on strengthening collaborative efforts to prevent and counter the acquisition and use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by terrorist groups operating in West Africa. Affirming the Arms Commission's stance on prevention and countering the use of IEDs, the Vice Chair of the Arms Commission, underscored Liberia's commitment to regional and international efforts in combating trafficking and terrorism to prevent the proliferation of explosive devices through capacity building training workshops organized for State Security personnel and concession companies. Emphasizing on the significance of the high-level interactive engagement with counterparts at the just ended meeting in Abuja, Vice Chair Atty Wymon said the meeting was a follow up on the June 2023 intersessional gathering that was held in Lome earlier organized by the Global Counter Terrorism Forum (GCTF) West Africa Working Group and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, was intended to identify best practices and recommendations that culminated into a draft framework known as the "Lome Recommendations" aimed at countering the use of IEDs by terrorist groups in West African States. He also stated that the Abuja meeting which served as a platform to discuss the latest developments related to IEDs threats in the West African States and sub-region, was intended further refine be the draft "Lome Recommendations" with a goal to create an even more comprehensive document tailored to the needs of West African nations, including Liberia. These Member States will ultimately submit this refined document to the CGTF as the first framework document for the West Africa Working Group to adopt a harmonized approach that provide a comprehensive answer to cross cutting issues of IEDs. Speaking further, Vice Chairman Wymon affirmed that the framework document will strengthen intelligence gathering capacities and processes among Member States Security agencies ensuring an effective inter-agency cooperation that provide a strong collaboration and information sharing mechanism for companies operating in sensitive sectors that are manufacturing or using fertilizers, and State Agencies can effectively contribute to fight against the proliferation of IEDs and their components. In an effort to swiftly respond to countering and preventing the illicit use of IEDs by criminal enterprises, Atty Vakpanah B.K. Wymon also stated that the Global Counter Terrorism Forum finalized framework document will adopt standardized measures at a regional level to ensure the harmonization of the response to minimize the possibilities of cross-border trafficking of commercial explosives. Experts have observed that leakages and diversion of commercial explosives usually occur in the cause of their storing and transportation, are often due to low or lack of supervision by authorized regulatory agencies of companies in the usage of these explosives a situation the Arms Commission is concerned about in his assertion. According to United Nations statistics, in 2025, West Africa remains the world's most terrorism affected region when it comes to the acquisition and use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). States in Central Sahel continue to face sustained violence, while coastal States in the Gulf of Guinea are increasingly targeted by expanding terrorist operations. These terrorist groups are not broadening their reach but also enhancing their tactics by incorporating new technologies, significantly increasing lethality. In addition, the global trend of terrorists mounting commercial drones to carry IEDs, marks a concerning development of threat in West Africa. The three day high-level Global Counter Terrorism Forum which started on May 6 2025, ended on May 8, 2025 with Senior Policymakers, Officials if Law Enforcement Institutions, Defense and Security Forces Personnel, Intelligence Agencies, Criminal Justice Systems, Civil Society Organizations and other subject matter Experts across the West African region, Global Counter Terrorism Forum Member States, relevant International Organizations, as well as the Liberia National Commission on Arms in attendance.
