Agreement on Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities Between the Government of the Republic of Liberia and Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia

• Country/entity

  Liberia
  
• Region

  Africa (excl MENA)
  
• Agreement name

  Agreement on Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities Between the Government of the Republic of Liberia and Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia
• Date

  17 Jun 2003
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Liberian Civil Wars (1989 - 1997) (1999 - 2005) )
• Stage

  Ceasefire/related
• Conflict nature

  Government
• Peace process

  Liberia peace process
• Parties

  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the duly authorized representatives of the Parties have signed the Agreement. Done at Accra (Ghana), this 17th Day of June 2003 in nine (9) originals in the English language.
  
  Hon. Daniel L. Chea Snr.
  Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Liberia For the Government of the Republic of Liberia
  
  
  Mr. Kabineh Janneh
  For Liberians United for Reconciliation and F
  
  Mr. Tiah J.D. Slanger
  For the Movement for Democracy in Liberia
• Third parties

  As Witnesses:
  
  General Abdulsalami Abubakar
  Former Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria The Mediator
  
  Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas Executive Secretary of ECOWAS
  
  Mr. Abou Moussa
  Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Peace-Building Support Office in Liberia
  For the United Nations
  
  Ms. Adwoa Coleman For the African Union
  
  Ambassador Giancarlo Izzo Representative of Mr. Hans Dahlgren
  The European Union Co-Chair of the International Contact Group on Liberia
  
  Hon. Nana Akufo Addo
  Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ghana and Co-Chair of the International Contact Group of Liberia
• Description

  This agreement agrees a ceasefire and its modalities between the warring parties and commits the parties to the development of a comprehensive peace agreement within 30 days of the signing of this ceasefire.

• Agreement document

  LR_030617_Agreement on Ceasefire Between the Government_LURD_MODEL.pdf | Download PDF

Groups

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

Agreement on Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities Between the Government of the Republic of Liberia and Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia

PREAMBLE

We the Parties to this Agreement;

CONSIDERING Article 52 of the UN Charter on regional arrangements for dealing with matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security as are appropriate for regional action;

REAFFIRMING the provisions of Article 3 of the Constitutive Act of the African Union which, inter alia, guarantee all Member States the right to their sovereignty and territorial integrity;

REAFFIRMING our determination to establish sustainable peace, stability and security in Liberia;

MINDFUL of the decisions of the Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on the situation in Liberia held in Yamoussoukro on May 17, 2002;

CONSCIOUS OF ECOWAS' strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of Liberia;

ALSO RECALLING the establishment of an International Contact Group on Liberia (ICGL) to support the ECOWAS Peace Plan on Liberia;

GRAVELY CONCERNED that the fighting in Liberia has led to the loss of innumerable lives and the displacement of populations, and that the persistent instability places the lives of all those in Liberia at risk;

FURTHER CONCERNED about current deteriorating humanitarian situation where people are denied access to food, health care and adequate shelter;

DESIROUS for an immediate resolution of the Liberian crisis, which if left unchecked, will continue to be a serious threat to sub-regional security;

DETERMINED to undertake concrete actions that would restore normality within Liberia and ensure the safety and security of its peoples through a peaceful settlement of the crisis;

ALSO DETERMINED to adopt confidence-building measures so as to create a conducive environment for the negotiation of a general framework for the resolution of the crisis in Liberia

CONVINCED of the need for a cessation of hostilities in Liberia which will be followed by negotiations relating to the establishment of an appropriate political arrangement for Liberia;

HEREBY AGREE AS FOLLOWS:

To declare and observe a ceasefire beginning 0001 hours on 18th June 2003.

To refrain from committing any act that might constitute or facilitate a violation of the ceasefire as provided for in paragraph 9 of this agreement.

Joint Verification Team (JVT).

To establish an ECOWAS-led JVT comprised of two representatives from each of the parties plus representatives of the UN, AU, and ICGL.

Locations.

Each party shall identify the locations of its units including combat equipment, and communicate this information to the JVT in writing within 72 hours of the signature of this agreement.

The JVT will visit the locations to verify the information provided and plot unit locations on a map.

This document shall be signed by all the parties and will be the reference document on the limits of their locations.

Humanitarian.

The Parties shall provide security guarantees for safe and unhindered access by humanitarian agencies to vulnerable groups, free movement of persons and goods, as well as for the return and resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC).

To establish a JMC to supervise and monitor the ceasefire.

The JMC will be chaired by a representative of ECOWAS and include equal representation from the Parties, as well as representatives of the UN, AU and ICGL.

The JMC will report daily to ECOWAS Headquarters and will investigate reports of ceasefire violations by the Parties.

International Stabilization Force (ISF).

The Parties agree on the need for the creation and deployment of an international stabilization force and commit themselves to cooperation with it.

They shall accord complete freedom of movement to the ISF at all times in the execution of their duties.

Political Reconciliation.

The signing of this agreement shall be followed immediately by the engagement of the GOL, LURD and MODEL with all other Liberian political parties and stakeholders in dialogue, to seek, within a period of thirty (30) days, a comprehensive peace agreement.

The peace agreement shall amongst other issues, cover the following:-

Deployment of an international stabilization force;

Commencement of a Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration programme;

Restructuring of the security forces (Security sector reform);

Human rights issues/Reconciliation;

Humanitarian issues;

Socio-economic reforms;

Reconstruction/Rehabilitation;

Creation of a democratic space;

Formation of a transitional government, which will not include the current President in accordance with his June 4th 2003 declaration in Accra, made at the inauguration of the "ECOWAS Peace Talks";

and

Elections.

9.

Ceasefire Violations.

Violations of a ceasefire shall include the following:-

a.

All attacks by any of the parties against the locations of the other parties, as well as acts of sabotage, laying of mines, hostage taking and seizure of material belonging to one of the

other parties;

b.

Harassment, attacks, hostage taking, and arrest of combatants as well as seizure of arms and equipment belonging to another party;

c.

Harassment, attacks, hostage taking or unlawful arrest of civilians and personnel of

humanitarian agencies as well as seizure of properties of individuals and corporations;

d.

Attempts to occupy new ground locations and the movement of military forces and resources from one location to another, without prior agreement of the JMC;

e.

Any importation or resupply of arms, munitions and other weapons of war by the

Government of Liberia (GOL), Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL);

f.

Obstruction of the activities of the JVT, JMC, ISF and Humanitarian Agencies as described

in paragraphs 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 above;

g.

All hostile propaganda amongst the Parties, including defamatory, untruthful or derogatory statements, both within and outside the country;

h.

Military movements within 20 kilometres of contact lines including reconnaissance and

reinforcements, except as authorised by the JMC;

i.

Recruitment of combatants.

Communication.

Parties shall ensure that the terms of this ceasefire agreement and written orders requiring compliance are immediately communicated to all their forces.

Terms of the agreement shall concurrently be communicated to the civil population via print, electronic and other media.

Amendments.

The agreement may be amended by written agreement of the parties.

Entry into Force.

The agreement shall enter into force upon signature.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the duly authorized representatives of the Parties have signed the Agreement.

Done at Accra (Ghana), this 17th Day of June 2003 in nine (9) originals in the English language.

Hon. Daniel L. Chea Snr.

Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Liberia For the Government of the Republic of Liberia

Mr. Kabineh Janneh

For Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy

Mr. Tiah J.D. Slanger

For the Movement for Democracy in Liberia

As Witnesses:

General Abdulsalami Abubakar

Former Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria The Mediator

Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas Executive Secretary of ECOWAS

Mr. Abou Moussa

Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Peace-Building Support Office in Liberia

For the United Nations

Ms. Adwoa Coleman For the African Union

Ambassador Giancarlo Izzo Representative of Mr. Hans Dahlgren

The European Union Co-Chair of the International Contact Group on Liberia

Hon. Nana Akufo Addo

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ghana and Co-Chair of the International Contact Group of Liberia