Six political parties have jointly called for the publication of the Report of the Tripartite Committee.
The political Parties include National Grand Coalition (NGC), the National Unity and Reconciliation Party (NURP), and the National Democratic Party, have jointly called for the publication of the Report of the Tripartite Committee.
This recommendation was made in a joint statement assessing the implementation of the National Unity Agreement, which has been submitted to the ECOWAS-AU-UNOWAS Assessment Mission for consideration.
The call came following the submission of the draft, report which was presented by the government representative, Dr. Emmanuel Gaima to Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh June 24, 2024, at the State House in Freetown.
The committee, tasked with reviewing election results, certification processes, observer reports, and the Public Elections Act of 2022, emerged from a communiqué signed by the SLPP and APC in October 2023, following mediation by the international community, including the Commonwealth, African Union, and ECOWAS. The committee’s operations were funded with $1.5 million by the United States government.
The report was presented by the government representative, Dr. Emmanuel Gaima to Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh June 24, 2024, at the State House in Freetown.
The political parties, which are not signatories to the Agreement for National Unity between the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) led government and the All People’s Congress (APC), convened a meeting to discuss and assess the current political climate and its implications for peace and stability in Sierra Leone.
The meeting also addressed the invitation from the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) for senior political party leaders to meet with the joint ECOWAS/AU/UNOWAS follow-up mission, currently deployed in Sierra Leone to evaluate the implementation of the main provisions of the Agreement for National Unity.
Key highlights from the meeting included concerns about the tense political climate following the multi-tier elections on June 24, 2023. The parties unanimously agreed that the political situation is strained due to multiple complex challenges that have emerged.
The parties recommended consolidating the diverse mediation and implementation processes of the Agreement for National Unity. They called for the development of a coherent implementation roadmap with clear benchmarks, monitoring and evaluation indicators, timelines, and defined roles and responsibilities.
In their statement, the parties emphasized their desire to ensure future national elections are conducted in a peaceful, fair, transparent, and accountable manner. They requested that the draft Report of the Cross-party Tripartite Committee on the review of electoral laws, institutions, and processes be shared with the senior leadership of all registered political parties for their input and suggestions. They stressed that concerns of all registered political parties and their supporters should be adequately reflected in the report.
Additionally, the parties called for strengthening the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee. They urged the international community to assist the government in enhancing this committee, which they believe is the right forum for fostering political cooperation and national unity among all registered political parties and other stakeholders.
The following parties and officials endorsed these recommendations:
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) –Sheriff Barrie,
Deputy Chairman, National Grand Coalition (NGC) – Jesmed F. Suma,
Chairman, National Unity and Reconciliation Party (NURP) Jonathan Sandy
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh announced that the committee has diligently addressed 86 identified issues, successfully resolving 69 of them.
After receiving the report on Monday, Sengeh wrote: “The Tripartite Committee on Electoral Systems and Management Bodies Review has done 6 months of great national service. As Chief Negotiator, I received draft findings and recommendations today. We will quickly review for final submission to President Bio.”
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