The Mano River Union Youth Parliament (MRUYP) has issued several recommendations to the Mano Union Countries to address issues of border insecurity. In a statement issued in Monrovia on Monday, July 16, 2012, the MRU youth parliament called on MRU countries [Liberia, Sierra Leone Guinea and Ivory Coast] to strengthen regional cooperation in an effort to maintain peace and security.
The group also wants members of the MRU basin to tackle the issue of youth un-employment particularly in Liberia and promote peaceful dialogues amongst conflict groups. It would be difficult if not impossible to maintain peace and security in the sub-region if young people continue to go hungry and unoccupied, the MRUYP contends.
"We the youth of the MRU countries see youth un-employment as a threat to peace and security so we worried and want our government the MRU basin to jointly manage crisis along the border through peaceful dialogues." The group adds that youth un-employment, peace and security in the sub-region were very critical to the stability of the fragile MRU basin.
The group also said the Liberia/Ivory Coast border in the southeast and the Yenga Border of Sierra Leone and Liberia in particular must be given urgent attention to avoid full scale border conflict. At the same time, the group has called on the Governments of the MRU countries to increase support to youth development and ensure that the youth parliament is fully functional in their respective countries.
The group also urged the governments and the National Youth Commission of Sierra Leone to ensure that the third session of the MRUYP is held according to schedule this year.