Governance Commission, Civil Society Validate Strategy to Strengthen Partnership

By Lewis S. Teh

Monrovia, June 24, 2026 – The Governance Commission (GC), in collaboration with the National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL), has concluded a one-day policy validation workshop on the draft implementation strategy for the Government of Liberia/Civil Society Organizations (GOL/CSO) Accord and Partnership Framework.

The validation, held under the theme, “Bridging the Gap Between Government and Civil Society for Inclusive Governance,” brought together government officials, civil society representatives and development partners to review the strategy aimed at strengthening collaboration between the two sectors.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Acting Governance Commission Chair Prof. Alaric Tokpa said inclusive participation and cooperation have become essential to improving governance in Liberia.

He recalled that relations between government and civil society were once characterized by mistrust and confrontation, with many development partners channeling assistance through non-governmental organizations instead of government institutions because of concerns over governance and accountability.

“Today, it is highly commendable that civil society and the Government of Liberia are finding ways to work together in the best interest of the people of this country,” Prof. Tokpa said.

He described good governance as an interconnected system in which government institutions, civil society and other stakeholders depend on one another to improve the lives of citizens.

Prof. Tokpa expressed confidence that the validation process would strengthen the implementation strategy and provide a practical guide for executing the partnership agreement between the Government of Liberia and civil society organizations.

The GOL/CSO Accord and Partnership Framework, adopted in 2016, was designed to institutionalize collaboration between government and civil society through joint planning, accountability and inclusive decision-making.

Providing an overview of the draft strategy, Governance Commission Policy Analyst Rameses A. Porte said civil society organizations in Liberia have historically operated in a fragmented manner, often driven by donor priorities rather than coordinated national objectives.

He noted that efforts to improve coordination led to the establishment of the National Civil Society Advisory Committee and eventually the formation of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia in 2012 with support from the Governance Commission.

According to Porte, the Government of Liberia and the National Civil Society Council jointly developed and endorsed the GOL/CSO Accord and Partnership Policy Framework in 2016 to promote structured engagement, mutual accountability and inclusive governance.

He said a technical working group comprising the Governance Commission, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the Ministry of Local Government and the National Civil Society Council subsequently developed the draft implementation strategy to operationalize the framework.

Porte explained that the strategy clearly outlines the responsibilities of both the Government of Liberia and the National Civil Society Council while addressing potential challenges, including weak coordination and funding constraints.

He added that the document also promotes inclusive participation by women, young people, persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups in governance and development processes.