Liberia’s War Crimes Court Office Receives Partial Funding; Experts Urge Full Pledge Fulfillment
The Office of War and Economic Crimes Court of Liberia (OWECCL) has received a partial payment of $300,000, representing 15% of the $2 million promised by President Joseph Boakai for 2025. The funds, disbursed quarterly, were expected to total $1 million by now. The office had previously exhausted $368,000 received in January.
Jallah Barbu, OWECCL’s executive director, disclosed the partial funding during a National Transitional Justice Coordination Committee meeting. He expressed relief, stating that the money would primarily cover staff salaries and basic operational expenses. Barbu also revealed an upcoming trip to Abuja, Nigeria, to meet with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) president, seeking official partnership for Liberia’s international crimes court.
Transitional justice experts welcomed the president’s partial fulfillment of his pledge. Hassan Bility, director of the Global Justice and Research Project, praised the move while emphasizing the need for full funding. He urged the government to prioritize the courts and consider reallocating funds from less important projects.
Mark Toner, the outgoing U.S. ambassador to Liberia, echoed the call for increased support, stressing the importance of funding the broader transitional justice process. The OWECCL, which launched a national outreach campaign in July, requires adequate funding to engage the public and counter misinformation about its role in Liberia’s peace and justice process.
While acknowledging the significance of the partial funding, advocates criticized the scale of support, with Bility describing the $300,000 as “a drop in the ocean.” They called on the government to fully fund the OWECCL and the proposed courts.
Barbu expressed confidence in receiving continued government support, particularly from President Boakai. He confirmed that the office plans to undertake study tours in Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and the Central African Republic, despite concerns about limited donor funding.
This story is a collaboration between Media Talk Africa and New Narratives, with funding provided by the Swedish Embassy in Liberia, which had no influence on the story’s content.
