Monrovia — A 16-member South Sudanese delegation, predominantly comprising women, is currently in Liberia for a week-long learning visit to gain insights into the country's successful electoral practices and women's political participation.
With representatives from the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, civil society, and media sectors, the delegation aims to understand Liberia's transition from conflict to peace. This visit, facilitated by UN Women from South Sudan and Liberia, comes at a crucial time as South Sudan prepares for its first democratic election following independence.
The delegation is particularly interested in observing how Liberian women have excelled in the political arena and navigating through the complex political landscape on the African continent. Engaging with key electoral stakeholders in Liberia, the South Sudanese delegation seeks to incorporate gender-sensitive lessons into their electoral processes back home to contribute to peaceful and credible elections.
Hon. Charity Yakob Kimbo, a Parliamentarian from the South Sudanese Transitional National Legislature Assembly, expressed admiration for Liberia's achievements in democracy and governance, emphasizing the importance of learning from Liberia's experiences.
"We want to learn how Liberia women have managed to be so successful in politics. We want to know how they are navigating the political terrain that is so tough on the African continent," Hon. Charity Yakob Kimbo, a Parliamentarian of the South Sudanese Transitional National Legislature Assembly told the Daily Observer in an interview after a meeting with CSOs in Monrovia. "We have heard a lot of success stories about Liberian women politicians and how peaceful and orderly the country's electoral processes have been. We want to learn how these are happening here so that we can take the strategies back home."
Parliamentarian Kimbo, who is also the Secretary for Finance for the South Sudanese Women Parliamentarian Caucus, said that Liberia is fast becoming a model for democracy and good governance on the African Continent, making it the ideal place to draw experiences from.
"We and Liberia also shared some unique connections. Liberia is the oldest independent nation in Africa while we are the youngest...who else to learn from than your eldest sister?" she asked rhetorically. "Both countries have also experienced civil wars. Coming from such a background as us and doing so well in conducting elections is so admirable. We want to know how Liberians are doing this because this is what we also want in our country. The level of political maturity we have heard and read about in this place is enviable. We want to learn from your experiences."
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Given the upcoming election in South Sudan involving first-time voters, the delegation is focusing on civic voter education and effective messaging for candidates.
"We want to know the roles CSOs played in the elections. How were they engaging the politicians, the electorates, and the elections commission," Jackline Nasiwa, Executive Director, Center for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice said during the meeting. "The lessons we will learn from here could help to capacitate our civil society organizations back home."
Through meetings with Civil Society Organizations in Liberia, the delegation hopes to delve into best electoral practices, inclusivity, and capacity building for women in political leadership. The visit highlights the shared experiences of Liberia and South Sudan in enduring civil unrest and violence, underscoring the importance of learning from Liberia's successful electoral processes to promote peaceful and harmonious coexistence in South Sudan.
"We want to know how Liberia has managed to achieve this. We all know elections in Africa are contentious and ethnic or tribal-driven, but Liberia has been able to achieve this three times with no conflict. The people are living peacefully side by side," Ochaya James Philip Kulong, a journalist and Executive Director of the National Press Club of South Sudan, said. "We are nervous as we head to ours in December. We don't know what the outcome will be."
The delegation's goal is to glean valuable insights from Liberia's electoral journey and apply them to enhance the electoral processes in their own country as they approach a significant milestone in their democratic evolution.
