Liberia: County Superintendents Off to Sweden - Obtain Foreign Capacity Building

Stockholm — Eleven County Superintendents are currently in the Northern European Nation of the Kingdom of Sweden to participate in the oversea phase of an ongoing training exercise under the auspices of the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA). Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) is the Swedish Government Agency for peace, security and development.

The County Superintendents, along with thirteen (13) County Security Council Program Officers are attending the final phase of the Security Sector Leadership Seminar series. The training which started on Monday, November 7, 2022 is also being attended by Honorable Varney A. Sirleaf, Minister of Internal Affairs and National Security Advisor to the President Honorable Jefferson S. Kanmoh.

The training which was developed by the National Security Council Secretariat and the Folke Bernadotte Academy in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs has over the years been providing County Security Council leadership training for 15 County Superintendents and 15 County Security Council Program Officers in an effort to enhance the capacity of the membership of the County Security Councils of Liberia as defined by the National Security Reform and Intelligence Act.

According to a Press Release issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the current exercise taking place in Sweden is the fifth and final phase of the County Security Council Leadership Seminar sponsored by the Folke Bernadotte Academy, and is in addition to the previous four phases which took place in Liberia over the years.

The release quotes Minister Varney A. Sirleaf as saying, the training exercise has been addressing County Security Councils' Leadership capacity gaps in the areas of elections related violence and conflict management, early warning and conflict sensitivity, conflict resolution, understanding community policing concept, environmental and health hygiene, time management, effective communication among others.

Speaking at ceremony marking the opening of the seminar held in the Stockholm Peninsula of Sando, Honorable Sirleaf commended the Swedish Government for the continuous bilateral cooperation subsisting between it and Liberia. He described Sweden as a true partner who has always stood by Liberia.

Minister Sirleaf expressed President George Manneh Weah's commitment to ensuring the sustainable of the County Superintendent County Council framework.

He also praised the Swedish Embassy in Liberia for facilitating the travel of his delegation in a timely manner, while describing Ambassador Urban Sjostrom as his good friend.

The Internal Affairs Minister recounted the invaluable contribution made by the County Security County Training for the Counties and the Government as a whole.

He said, with the capacity building carried out by the FBA, the County Security Council structure which is in the framework of the Decentralization and Peacebuilding programs of Liberia has improved greatly through the sharing of relevant information and prompt responds in most cases. He emphasized that with the pending 2023 Legislative and Presidential Elections, the County Security County Council, made up of key actors at the local level will play a significant role.

Superintendents attending the foreign training are drawn from Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Sinoe, Grand Kru, Gbarpolu, Margibi, Rivergee, Nimba, Lofa, Bong and Grand Gedeh.

Meanwhile, the local government delegation is expected back home over the weekend.

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