Liberia (April 1995)

In December 1994 a peace agreement was signed in Accra, Ghana. Improved security since the implementation of the peace accords and adherence to the cease-fire have improved access for humanitarian aid; food convoys have been able to cross into Nimba County from Cote d’Ivoire. Additional cross-border convoys are reportedly planned from Guinea to support internally displaced Liberians and those fleeing the conflict in Sierra Leone.

The mandate of the UN Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) expired on 13 April 1995. The UN Secretary-General stated that an extension of UNOMIL was possible if all warring parties showed clear political commitment to the peace process.

It is estimated that 1.8 million people remain in need of humanitarian assistance; of these, 0.5 million people are outside the ECOMOG (Economic Community of West Africa Ceasefire Monitoring Group) controlled areas, which are receiving only sporadic relief.

Events in Sierra Leone have caused significant refugee movement into Liberia, necessitating a further increase in humanitarian aid to the country. WFP reports that the food pipeline is very weak, and there is a need for early provision of cash funds for staffing and logistical support costs to ensure adequate distribution, monitoring and coordination.