Liberia: Democracy in Focus

Three young men die while sleeping in a sealed room. Experts warn they were likely killed by fumes from fresh paint. The deportation of a former rebel commander to liberia from the united states sparks safety fears among war crimes witnesses As more people go online, fraud is surging —authorities say stopping it isn’t easy and everyone is at risk. Theres a new drug promising a breakthrough malaria...

Three young men die while sleeping in a sealed room. Experts warn they were likely killed by fumes from fresh paint. The deportation of a former rebel commander to Liberia from the united states sparks safety fears among war crimes witnesses As more people go online, fraud is surging —authorities say stopping it isn’t easy and everyone is at risk Theres a new drug promising a breakthrough malaria...

As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court and national anti-corruption court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with experts and stakeholders about how the courts will work. In this interview, I speak with Michelle Reyes Milk, senior counsel in the International Justice Program at Human Rights Watch and the new point person for Liberia. We spoke on the sidelines...

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives, Okay FM and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens. As planning for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with experts and stakeholders about how the courts will work. In this interview, I speak with Binta Mansaray, Registrar of the Residual S...

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives, Okay FM and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens.  As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with experts and stakeholders about how the courts will work. In this interview, I speak with Elise Keppler, who held a range of senior pos...

Coming up in this episode.  Doctors warn that the rampant misuse of medications like antibiotics is fueling the rise of deadly superbugs —that are killing thousands and leaving patients defenseless. As Liberia marks sixteen days of activism against gender violence, a mother of six is killed by her husband. Experts say it exposes deep gaps in protection for rural women.  And as justice advocates pu...

Coming up in this episode.  At this year’s cop climate change summit, global powers move forward with green energy expansion despite U.S. withdrawal. But vulnerable nations like our own rage as adaptation funds fall short. A survey finds Liberians are among the world’s biggest worriers as experts link rising stress to chronic diseases, especially in women. Justice advocates lobby to kill a surpris...

As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court and national anti-corruption court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international experts and stakeholders about how the courts will work. In this interview, Anthony Stephens speaks with Fatou Bom Bensouda, a former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, on the sidelines of the African Investi...

COMING UP IN THIS EPISODE.  AS LIBERIA’S DRUG CRISIS WORSENS, UNLICENSED REHABILITATION CENTERS ARE PROFITING FROM FAMILIES’ MISERY. EXPERTS WANT THEM CLOSED.  AS A BILL THAT WOULD LEGALIZE ABORTION IS AGAIN DEBATED IN THE SENATE, MEDICINES THAT END PREGNANCIES ARE QUIETLY SAVING LIVES. WITH NO INFORMATION ABOUT MARKET PRICES, RURAL FARMERS SAY MIDDLEMEN ARE EXPLOITING THEM AND PAYING TOO LITTLE F...

In this interview, I speak with Lofa County Senator Joseph Jallah — who along with Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence - has introduced two bills to establish Liberia’s war and economic crimes courts.   The bills have surprised the court’s proponents because they have seemingly come out of nowhere and they have some controversial elements that contradict a bill submitted to the legislature in 202...

Coming up in this episode.    The country’s drug crisis takes center stage. Citizens march on the capitol demanding action as vigilantes destroy drug dens. The massive cuts to us aid being felt across economy. From street sellers to medium sized businesses the loss of business is hurting.  After years of delay a seawall meant to save thousands of homes from being swallowed by the sea in West Point...

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens. As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international experts and stakeholders about how the courts could work. In this interview, I speak with Cecil Griffiths, head of th...

Coming up in this episode.  Following a chaotic rollout process, the government indefinitely suspends its compulsory national ID registration program.   As climate change causes more and more farms to fail, rural dwellers turn to charcoal production to survive in a renewed threat to Liberia’s forests  At the same time, the end of international funding for ecoguards, has forced many back to the for...

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens. It’s not news to anyone that Liberia has been one of the countries most impacted by US President Donald Trump’s cuts to aid. Hundreds of Liberian NGO jobs have been lost. But a new online donation platform called Liberia giving Month hopes to bring donor money...

In this special bonus episode of Democracy in Focus, Anthony Stephens has an exclusive interview with Ambassador Mark Toner on his decision to retire just one year into his two year post.  Ambassador Toner's announcement came a day before Liberian President Joseph Boakai had a coveted meeting at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump. Toner denied his decision had anything to do wit...

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens. As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international experts and stakeholders about how the courts could work. In this interview, I speak with Leymah Gbowee, one of two L...

Coming up in this episode.  Liberia wins a seat on the un security council. Ambassadors and President Boakai applaud the historic moment. Nobel laureate, Leymah Gbowee urges government to seize the win to drive war time justice beginning with economic crimes.  As US aid cuts end a more than $US100 million maternal and infant mortality program, experts and pregnant women fear the worst.  Welcome to...

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens. As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international experts and stakeholders about how the courts could work. In this interview, I speak with Rwanda’s Ambassador to Libe...

President Boakai quiets doubters with a renewed mandate for the war crimes court office and a big increase in budget to two million dollars  As Rwanda commemorates thirty-one years since its genocide, its ambassador says the world can learn from its path to reconciliation and justice. And… a report says a lack of competence and inflated salary claims by the Weah administration stopped the country...

 In this episode..A silent killer is stalking Liberians. Heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other so called non communicable diseases are reaching crisis levels. Experts say awareness campaigns are needed. Thousands of teachers pursuing degrees in education are ejected from us aid- funded scholarships. Experts say Liberia’s school children will lose out again.  And.. as the World Bank reports tha...

Heart disease, cancer, mental illness and diabetes are some of a group of diseases that are growing at an alarming rate in Liberia, killing far more people than better known killers like malaria and typhoid.  More than one in three deaths are now caused by so-called lifestyle diseases – preventable diseases that are primarily caused by diet, stress, a lack of exercise and sleep, and environmental...

Coming up in this episode.  As Liberia comes to terms with us aid cuts, economists warn of lost jobs and public services with more aid cuts looming. Local NGO heads worry about the ripple effects as staff are laid off, scholarships end and drugs run out.  And…..the aid cuts situation also throws into jeopardy, Liberia’s much-heralded campaign to establish a war and economic crimes court. Welcome t...

 COMING UP IN THIS EPISODE.  WE SPEAK WITH THE NEW HEAD OF LIBERIA’S WAR AND ECONOMIC CRIMES COURT DR JALLAH BARBU. VICTIMS DEMAND TOUGH PUNISHMENT AS FORMER LURD REBEL COMMANDER “K1 GOES ON TRIAL IN THE US   GOVERNMENT CELEBRATES AS CARBON TRADING WINS APPROVAL AT THE UN COP 20 CLIMATE SUMMIT. BUT FOREST COMMUNITIES SAY THEY’RE BEING LEFT OUT. AND…..THE RAINS SUBSIDE AFTER THE WORST RAINY SEASON...

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens. In this exclusive interview, I speak with Jallah Barbu, newly appointed executive director of the Office of War and Economic Crimes Courts. Dr. Barbu will lead Liberia’s long overdue effort to hold those who upended the country and left 250,000 dead, accountabl...

In this interview, Anthony Stephens speaks with Seidu Swaray, a leading mental health counsellor and executive director of the Liberia Association of Psychosocial Services. Swaray’s group provides psychosocial services to Liberians, including victims of the civil wars.  He describes the profound mental health challenges facing the country after the civil wars and advises people how to deal with tr...