MONROVIA — The Ducor Institute, with support from the Office of the United Nations HighCommissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the European Union, on Wednesday convened a high-level policy dialogue aimed at advancing Liberia's long-delayed reparations agenda under the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report.
The forum, held at the European Union compound in Mamba Point, brought together government officials, diplomats, academics, civil society leaders and transitional justice experts to examine what participants described as one of the most neglected components of Liberia's postwar recovery.
Organized under the theme "Reframing and Expanding Transitional Justice Discourse to Facilitate Adequate Policy Formulation," the dialogue sought to move the national conversation on reparations beyond recommendations toward practical policy frameworks for implementation.
Reflecting on Liberia's Democratic Progress
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Delivering welcome remarks, Dr. Aaron Weah, director of the Ducor Institute, situated the discussion within Liberia's broader democratic journey since the end of the country's civil conflicts.
"We are convening these policy dialogues under the theme 'Reframing and Expanding Transitional Justice Discourse to Facilitate Adequate Policy Formulation,"' Dr. Weah said.
He acknowledged that Liberia has made notable democratic progress in recent years, including conducting several peaceful elections and achieving orderly transfers of power.
"We've held four elections, and the transfer of power from one government to the next has been seamless," he said. "We have moved from a humanitarian phase to a development track, and we should be proud of this accomplishment."
However, Dr. Weah cautioned that Liberia's progress may reflect stronger state-building rather than deeper nation-building, noting that distrust between citizens and political elites remains a challenge.
"How much of this development trajectory has been more a function of state building and less of nation building?" he asked.
According to him, the lingering gap between citizens and institutions is partly tied to the country's incomplete transitional justice process.
"Transitional justice remains a development choice that has been ignored, neglected and sometimes partially engaged with," he said.
Transitional Justice in African Context
Dr. Weah also pointed to the African Union's Transitional Justice Policy Framework adopted in 2019, arguing that restorative justice traditions are deeply rooted in African societies.
"Truth-telling dialogues and restorative justice are consistent with the African way of life," he said. "This is about social re-engineering between yesterday and today -- between elites and citizens, between the state and society."
He referenced President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's national apology in July 2025 to victims of decades of political violence and civil conflict, describing it as an important step toward national healing.
"It was not limited to victims of the civil war alone," he noted. "It extended to generations of the 1980s and pre-1980s."
The next challenge, he said, lies in developing practical policies to address reparations for victims across different historical periods.
"How do we design reparations for political activists of the 1970s who were 28 years old and are now in their late 70s? How do we approach reparations for a 15-year-old child of war who is now 51?" Dr. Weah asked.
"This dialogue is framed across temporalities, pre-1980, 1980 and the civil war period, to ensure inclusivity."
EU Urges Liberia to Lead the Process
Representing the European Union Delegation to Liberia, EU Chargé d'Affaires Zoltan Szalai reaffirmed the bloc's support for Liberia's transitional justice efforts but stressed that the process must remain Liberian-led.
"I arrived here one and a half years ago, and my first encounter with Liberia was in Brussels, receiving a solid update on transitional justice," Szalai said. "This illustrates that this is priority number one for us."
However, he emphasized that the responsibility ultimately lies with Liberian stakeholders.
"We do not have a silver bullet," he said. "This is for Liberia to decide what fits and what doesn't fit. Whatever you decide, you can be sure the European Union will support you, but we will not do this whole transitional justice procedure for you."
While acknowledging progress such as the development of institutional frameworks and a national roadmap, Szalai cautioned that implementation will be the true test.
"It was not easy to talk the talk," he said, "but it will be even more difficult to walk the walk."
Sweden Highlights Broader Meaning of Reparations
Sweden's Ambassador to Liberia, Karl Backéus, echoed the importance of national ownership while emphasizing that reparations extend beyond monetary compensation.
"This is a wholly Liberian-owned process, and that's why it's so important," he said.
Backéus noted that reparations can take multiple forms, including acknowledgment, memorialization, rehabilitation, restitution and guarantees of non-recurrence.
"The incomplete transitional justice process and delayed justice contribute to lack of healing and social cohesion," he said.
"Liberia stands at a critical juncture. The choices made now will determine whether future generations inherit a healed society or one still carrying the wounds of the past."
Reparations Remain Most Overlooked Element
Christian Mukosa, Country Representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, described reparations as one of the most difficult and often neglected aspects of transitional justice worldwide.
"Everyone talks about reparations, but it is very difficult and very complicated to realize them," Mukosa said. "Sometimes they come really late, after years and years."
He emphasized that reparations should not depend solely on judicial rulings but must also be pursued through non-judicial mechanisms.
"They must be considered before courts decide and through non-judicial mechanisms as well," he said.
Mukosa also referenced the Jan. 6 submission of draft legislation by the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia, which proposes creating both a War and Economic Crimes Court and a National Anti-Corruption Court.
"These courts will decide not only on punishments but also on reparations," he noted.
At the same time, he cautioned that transitional justice is a long-term process.
"Transitional justice is not a sprint; it's a marathon," Mukosa said. "But let us not take too much time. Those who suffered are waiting."
Governance Commission: Reparations Are a Right
Governance Commission Commissioner Matthew B. Kollie Jr. described the dialogue as both a policy discussion and a moral obligation.
"This gathering is more than an academic exercise," Kollie said. "It is a moral obligation."
He argued that reparations should be treated as rights owed to victims rather than acts of charity.
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"They are not favors," he said. "They are essential to restoring dignity, healing wounds and rebuilding trust between citizens and the state."
Kollie called for a comprehensive reparations approach that acknowledges victims from the rice riots of the 1970s, political repression in the 1980s, and atrocities committed during the civil wars of the 1990s and early 2000s.
War Crimes Court Office Emphasizes Process
Cllr. Jallah A. Barbu, Executive Director of the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia, opened his remarks with a moment of silence honoring victims of war and corruption.
"When people reason together, they identify problems and find solutions that engender peace and harmony," he said.
Barbu reaffirmed the government's commitment to establishing both the War and EconomicCrimes Court and the National Anti-Corruption Court.
"This is a process and not an event," he said. "There is no utility in fighting or undermining the process. Every stakeholder is key."
He also raised concerns about limited public access to the TRC report, noting that many universities and research institutions lack adequate access to it.
"Do universities have access? Do researchers have access? Most institutions do not," he said, urging broader dissemination of the report.
Moving From Recommendations to Action
Participants concluded the dialogue with a commitment to produce policy briefs and recommendations aimed at advancing Liberia's reparations agenda.
Stakeholders agreed that while public debates have largely focused on prosecutions, the issue of reparations must now move from recommendation to implementation.
