Bo, Sierra Leone – On April 3, 2025 the Ministers of Internal Affairs in Sierra Leone and Liberia and the United Nations Resident Coordinators for both countries co-chaired the initial Cross-Border Project Steering Committee meeting for the GOLA-REAP (Resilience, Empowerment, Access and Peacebuilding) project in Bo, Sierra Leone. Funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), this 30-month project originally launched on February 27, 2025 aims to  strengthen social cohesion, improve border management, enhance local governance, and promote climate-smart agriculture as a means to mitigate conflict risks and foster economic resilience in the Gola Forest Landscape, a critical and protected ecosystem shared between Liberia and Sierra Leone that supports biodiversity, livelihoods, and cross-border trade. The project is jointly implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the World Food Programme (WFP) in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The Cross-Border Project Steering Committee serves as a platform for promoting strategic oversight and fostering collaboration to ensure effective project implementation. This inaugural meeting convened a diverse range of stakeholders critical to GOLA-REAP’s success, including representatives and leaders from government, including the Ministries of Internal Affairs; Youth; Agriculture; and Planning and Economic Development. Also present were representatives from immigration and law enforcement authorities, environmental agencies, implementing UN missions, the Mano River Union Secretariat, local District Councils, the Gola Rainforest National Park, civil society organizations, and implementing partners in both countries.

Key achievements included validation of project governance structures and the 2025 joint work plan, collective alignment on project objectives, reflection on lessons learned from prior PBF projects in the region, and strengthening stakeholder collaboration.

Honourable John Abu, Resident Minister for Sierra Leone’s Southern Region, welcomed the group to Bo and set the stage for the Steering Committee agenda. “Our purpose today is to outline key priorities and ensure alignment as we move forward with GOLA-REAP. The engagement requires collective effort, strategic planning, and informed decision-making, and I am confident that with our shared expertise, we will achieve our objectives.”

Looking ahead, representatives at the Steering Committee committed to implementing the agreed work plan, initiating baseline assessments and project activities, and convening the next meeting to monitor progress. Continued collaboration between governments, UN agencies, and local organizations will be crucial in achieving the project’s long-term objectives, promoting peacebuilding and sustainable development efforts in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Christine N. Umutoni, UN Resident Coordinator for Liberia, closed her remarks with the themes of sustainability and shared futures of Sierra Leone and Liberia. “We are here to protect one of the most vital natural resources in West Africa, the Gola Forest Landscape. The region is not just a geographical space—it is a symbol of shared history, identity, and future.”

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For more information, please contact:

In Monrovia, Serge Lenaud, IOM Liberia, slenaud@iom.int  

In Freetown, Sam Whitlow, IOM Sierra Leone, rwhitlow@iom.int