“I recall the civil war in Liberia vividly,” says Elfreda Dennice Stewart, a United Nations Police (UNPOL) officer serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

My parents managed - with many sacrifices on their part - to put me through high school during a time of great turmoil in my country, following which I started doing a number of jobs to help out financially.”

Elfreda braided hair and tutored younger children in her community, often returning home late at night, afraid of being raped at a time when sexual violence was rife in Liberia.

Dreams shattered

Rachel Briggs, another UNPOL officer from Liberia deployed to the world’s youngest country, has a similar story. “I had so many dreams but the war in my country shattered them. I was separated from my mother in 1990 and until today, I don’t know if she is dead or alive. I continue searching for her, but my life has moved on,” she reveals.

For UNPOL officer Alfreda Tozay, it’s the memories of people being killed, destroyed properties and extreme hunger, which still resonate.

“Liberia, when I was growing up, was an endless saga of horrors. My parents didn’t have enough food for us, and I would go to the bush, make charcoal to sell on the streets. I would sell bread on the roadside. But still, there was never enough to eat,” she recounts.

But their lives changed after the former UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) was deployed in September 2003. The UN’s mandate in Liberia was to monitor the ceasefire agreement following the second Liberian civil war.

Beacon of hope

But ‘blue helmets’ on the ground didn’t merely broker a hard-fought peace for the troubled country; they were a beacon of hope for the Liberian people, especially women, to rise up and contribute towards shaping a brighter future.

Elfreda, Rachel, and Alfreda joined UNMIL’s police training and became some of the first women to join the Liberian National Police.

Now, these remarkable women are part of the first-ever deployment of UNPOL officers from Liberia to UN Peacekeeping.

South Sudan, and specifically Bor in Jonglei state, where all three are stationed, holds a special place in their hearts.

‘If we can do it, so can you’

“When I came to Bor and started patrolling among communities, I knew exactly what they are going through because I and all the Liberian people have suffered the same,” says Elfreda. “This made me uniquely positioned to form a bond with the South Sudanese people and calm any tensions.

“When they hear my stories, they feel like they have found a sister. I always tell them—look where Liberia was and look how peaceful we are now. If we can do it, so can you.”

For Rachel, empathizing with the South Sudanese communities she serves has been, at once, harrowing and rewarding. “After my first patrol in Bor, I returned to my accommodation in the mission and cried.

“It was like watching history repeat itself in South Sudan. But I knew I could make a difference and bring hope to communities living here. I tell them about my childhood, and I keep emphasizing a single point—forget the past and join together to build a better future for your children,” she states passionately.

An honour to serve

“Our experience of a 14-year civil war and the impact that UN peacekeepers had, is real and tangible for the people we are on the ground to serve,” adds Alfreda. “We benefited so much from peacekeepers, and it is our honour to now serve in this young nation under the iconic blue flag.”

Elfreda, Rachel and Alfreda were among nine Liberian UNPOL officers who recently received the prestigious UN medal for their service to the cause of building a lasting peace in South Sudan.

“Being shortlisted for UNMISS was a dream come true and everyday as we enhance capacities of our local counterparts in the South Sudan Police Service, we ask them to look at us as an example of what a country and its women can achieve, with help from the UN,” continues Rachel with a smile.

“We learnt a lot from UNMIL peacekeepers. Now, as UNMISS peacekeepers, it is our time to give back to South Sudan,” says Elfreda in conclusion.

‘No greater joy’

The historic medal ceremony for these nine outstanding Liberian police officers was full of special moments. A particularly poignant one was when Murat Isik, UNPOL Chief of Staff for UNMISS - who had previously served with the UNMIL from 2004-2005 as the instructor of the Liberian Police Service Training Academy - pinned the medal on one of his former cadets, Togba Massaquoi.

"There can be no greater joy than to see Togba serve ably as my deputy at UNMISS, helping create a more peaceful, prosperous South Sudan. Togba and every awardee from Liberia are living examples of the power of peace," said Mr. Isik, eloquently.  

The moving occasion was attended by UNMISS Police Commissioner, Christine Fossen, and Deputy Special Representative as well as Resident Coordinator for South Sudan, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, who hails from Liberia herself. - United Nations

TEHRAN – Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) held an online seminar on Iran-Tanzania trade on Saturday in which the trade capacities and the existing obstacles in the way of developing the economic relations between the two countries were explored and discussed.

The webinar was attended by senior officials from the two sides including Chargé d'Affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Tanzania Hossein Alvandi, President of Tanzania Chamber of Commerce Paul Koyi, Director-General for the Arab-African States in ICCIMA International Department Shahram Khasipour, and Vice President of Iran-East Africa Joint Chamber of Commerce Masoud Berahman, as well as some businessmen from the two sides.

As the ICCIMA portal reported, the attendees of the online event stressed the need for resolving banking and transportation problems and the implementation of customs agreements as major factors contributing to the development of economic ties between the two sides.

Speaking in this webinar, Alvandi mentioned the positive political relations between the two countries and noted that there are great opportunities for trade and investment between Iran and Tanzania.

Referring to Tanzania's membership in the East African Community (EAC), he continued: “This has created a good condition for Iranian businessmen to access the markets of East African countries since Iranian businessmen can use the tariff facilities of this regional union to export their goods to the region.”

Further in the seminar, Koyi referred to the long-standing relations between Iran and Tanzania, saying: “Iran is a very important and advanced country in the region, and Tanzania Chamber of Commerce is interested in expanding economic relations between the private sectors of the two countries.”

He underlined the fields of energy, petrochemicals, mining, and agriculture to be the most important areas for cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries and called on the Iranian companies to have a stronger presence in Tanzania's economic projects. - Tehran Times (Mehr News Agency, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License)

EF/MA