President George Manneh Weah has weighed in on benefits Liberia stands to accrue in maintaining the country’s hard-won peace, reiterating his stance that the world could disintegrate in the absence of peace.

 

Addressing reporters upon arrival at the Roberts International Airport Thursday, November 15, the Liberian leader called on citizens to strive for peaceful co-existence and to join peoples of the world to sustain global peace, adding, “Our world will not be stable without peace.”

 

The President said events he attended in Paris, France, marked the centenary of the end of WW1 and that the events were an illustration of compelling global commitment to keeping the world peaceful. 

 

“Every country that participated in the war now wants peace,” the President said. “So, that tells you that peace is essential for our growth.”

 

He added: “So I admonish all Liberians to continue to promote peace because without peace, we cannot gain growth and our national agenda will not be implemented. Our history is that we came from war; we need to be more mindful of what we say to each other and what we do, and we should promote peace because the entire world is promoting peace.”

 

President Weah said Liberians needed to take pride in United Nations’ declaration that Liberia is a UN peacekeeping success story.

 

He paid homage to French President Emmanuel Macron for inviting him to celebrate the 100 Anniversary of the end of World War I with other world leaders. 

 

The President also said world leaders used the Paris Peace Forum to discuss threats that fake news poses to global peace and security.

 

According to him, the safety of a country also depends on the kind of news that goes out to the people because some journalists, for some reasons, are bent on sending hate messages that could destroy the entire nation.

 

“It was a very important subject. So, we have to filter what is coming into the news for our people and what we are listening to, and see how we can counter fake news because it is not good for our country,” the President stressed. “It is not good for our growth.” 

 

The President also committed and acknowledged division amongst Liberians regarding the establishment of war crimes court, stating that Liberians need to make a determination between maintaining peace and war crimes court.

 

“We have our liberty,” President Weah further asserted in response to a reporter’s inquiry about his thoughts on growing calls for war crimes court. “We all have different minds and views on this issue. Some are calling for war crimes court; others are calling for reconciliation. What we need to do is to find out what we need as a people. We, the leaders, are under obligation to do for our people and nation what is in their best interest. Liberians need to come together to talk about the advancement of the country.” 

 

President Weah was met upon arrival at the RIA by an array of government officials led by Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor and Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill, who steered the affairs of the cabinet in the President’s absence.