UN And Liberian Government Form Centre

UN And Liberian Government Form Centre To Maintain Security During Elections

New York, Oct 9 2005

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the country's transitional government have established a Joint National Security Operations Centre to ensure the smooth conduct of elections scheduled for later this month.

Speaking at the Centre's official opening on Saturday at the Liberia National Police Headquarters, the senior UN envoy to the country, Alan Doss, called it "the nerve centre of the security operations to protect and secure the elections."

UNMIL's support to the electoral process "is all about having an election that is free and fair, so that the Government that comes in can go forward with the work of rebuilding this country after so many years of destruction and death," he noted.

The Joint National Security Operations Centre brings together UN Civilian Police as well as Liberia's military and security forces to coordinate and monitor the elections an can quickly respond to any developments.

Mr. Doss pledged the UN's continued support during the transition. "We are only in the first stage of what I think needs to be long-term help to rebuild the police service to emphasize the primacy of civilian policing in the security of the new Liberia," he said.

ENDS

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