High-level meetings have started in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, as the Executive Director of the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion joins regional leaders and partners at the BUSINESS4PEACE forum.
The three-day meeting, running from May 18 to 20, brings together member states of the Mano River Union — Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone — alongside key partners including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), African Union (AU), ECOWAS, and the African Export-Import Bank.
The forum is held under the theme: “Leveraging Trade Opportunities to Enhance Peace and Prosperity in the Mano River Union.” It focuses on tackling cross-border trade challenges and protecting gains in democracy and economic cooperation in the region.
Speaking during a panel session, the ICPNC Executive Director stressed the need for community involvement in peacebuilding, noting that maintaining peace across borders should be owned by people living in those communities.
Organisers say the meeting also serves as an emergency response effort to strengthen regional cooperation and prevent tensions that may affect trade and stability.
Participants are expected to explore dialogue, policy alignment, and legislative cooperation as tools to turn trade into a driver of peace, stability, and shared prosperity across the Mano River Union.
