President Boakai Reaffirms War Crimes Court Mandate as Stakeholders Conclude Second National Transitional Justice Coordination Forum

Monrovia, Liberia: In a renewed demonstration of effort toward post-war accountability, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has officially renewed Executive Order No. 131—now Executive Order No. 148—reaffirming his administration’s legal and policy commitment to establishing the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia.

The president’s reaffirmation statement was made at the climax of the national and international stakeholders’ second National Transitional Justice Coordination Committee Meeting in Monrovia.

By: Abraham Sylvester Panto

Issued on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, the renewal of the Executive Order, which extends the legal mandate of the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia (Liberia War Crimes Court Office), coincided with a high-level stakeholder dialogue at the institution’s headquarters.

Participants at the stakeholder’s dialogue reviewed institutional progress and outlined strategic next steps in the transitional justice process.

The dialogue meeting, co-chaired by the Liberia War Crimes Court Office and the executive director of the Women’s NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), brought together a broad spectrum of actors, including representatives from civil society organizations, international partners, key ministries, diplomatic partners, and survivors of mass atrocities committed during Liberia’s successive civil wars.

President Boakai’s directive authorizes the Liberia War Crimes Court Office to continue its assigned responsibilities, including the design of a special prosecutorial model aligned with international standards, the drafting of enabling legislation for a National Anti-Corruption Court, coordination with external partners to mobilize resources and expertise, and the recommendation of the courts’ jurisdictional and operational frameworks.

Prior to the president’s mandate, the OWECC-L forum assessed achievements since the first national coordination meeting, highlighting the office’s progress in stakeholder engagement, inter-ministerial collaboration, technical consultations, and preliminary outreach efforts. Key outcomes included validation of survivor-centered approaches and expansion of county-level dialogues.

Survivor groups present at the meeting stressed the urgency of timely implementation, calling for tangible progress in legislative drafting and public accountability. 

Recommendations emerging from the forum included the need to accelerate the submission of court legislation to the Legislature, deepen inter-agency coordination, and launch the next wave of civic outreach in Bong, Lofa, and Nimba Counties.

Participants further endorsed the Liberia War Crimes Court Office’s institutional model, which centers on legal due diligence, international collaboration, and strategic communication to build public trust.

Executive Order No. 148 provides the legal foundation for these continued efforts, institutionalizing the transitional justice agenda within the broader governance and rule-of-law framework of the Boakai-Koung Administration.

Dr. Cllr. Jallah A. Barbu, Executive Director of the Liberia War Crimes Court Office, reiterated the institution’s commitment to building a credible and participatory transitional justice framework, underscoring transparency, civic engagement, and institutional openness as foundational pillars for public confidence and survivor trust.