-With MRU Parliament Launch
By Vaye A. Lepolu
Monrovia, Liberia — A new chapter in West African regional cooperation has begun with the official launch of the Mano River Union Parliament (MRUP), a groundbreaking initiative bringing together lawmakers from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire. At the heart of this regional milestone was Hon. Moima D. B. Briggs Mensah, a prominent Liberian lawmaker and regional governance advocate.
Hon. Mensah served on the Liberian Committee responsible for formulating and drafting the foundational documents that gave birth to the MRUP.
Her role in the process was both strategic and visionary, involving months of in-depth consultations, regional policy dialogue, and comparative research on parliamentary frameworks from across Africa and beyond.
Leveraging her experience as Liberia’s only female Member of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Mensah helped shape a legislative body rooted in inclusivity, transparency, and regional accountability.
Her contribution ensured that the MRUP would not be a ceremonial institution, but one capable of delivering real impact for over 50 million people across the sub-region.
“She consistently championed gender balance, oversight authority, and regional responsiveness in the design of the new Parliament,” said a member of the drafting team. “Her work reflects a long-standing commitment to pan-African democratic development.”
The official signing ceremony, held in Monrovia on July 20, 2025, brought together Speakers of Parliament and legislators from across the Mano River Union, celebrating the institutional birth of a new mechanism for peace, economic collaboration, and intergovernmental coordination.
For Hon. Mensah, the MRU Parliament represents more than political symbolism—it’s a legacy project that will strengthen the Union’s capacity to tackle regional challenges through collective legislative action.
“This is a platform for shared progress, where our voices as individual nations come together to shape a united future,” she said at the ceremony.
With her leadership now woven into the very foundation of the MRUP, Hon. Mensah’s legacy as a trailblazer in regional governance and representation is firmly secured.
