IPNEWS: The National Elections Commission (NEC) on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, commenced a series of regional consultations on its draft Communications Strategy, Policy, and Protocol in Ganta, Nimba County.
The three-day consultation brings together editors, station managers, media development organizations, and NEC magistrates to review and provide input on the new communication frameworks aimed at strengthening transparency, stakeholder engagement, and public access to electoral information.
The consultations form part of NEC’s efforts to modernize its communication systems and enhance its capacity to provide timely, accurate, and credible information throughout the electoral cycle, in line with its new five-year Strategic Plan.
The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP), managed by UNDP in partnership with UN Women and the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, with support from the European Union, Irish Aid, and the Embassy of Sweden.
During the opening session, NEC Executive Director Anthony K. Sengbe reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to strengthening the integrity, transparency, and inclusiveness of Liberia’s electoral processes through improved engagement with the media and other stakeholders.
“The media plays a key role in shaping public perception, disseminating electoral information, and promoting accountability. Electoral communication is a two-way process requiring continuous engagement between the NEC and the media. That is why we are here over the next three days to jointly review these important documents,” Sengbe said.
The President of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), Julius Kanubah, commended the NEC for decentralizing the consultations and ensuring participation from media representatives across the country.
“We are pleased that the NEC has listened to the PUL and other stakeholders to decentralize this consultation. This process provides an opportunity for journalists and media institutions across Liberia to contribute to a communication framework that reflects the democratic aspirations of our country,” Kanubah said.
Kanubah further emphasized the critical role of the media in promoting democracy and encouraged journalists to uphold the highest professional standards in covering electoral processes.
UNDP LESP Communications Specialist Mambu James Kpargoi highlighted the importance of strategic communication in today’s rapidly evolving information landscape.
“These documents provide a strategic framework to strengthen public outreach, media engagement, information management, crisis communication, and institutional coordination throughout the electoral cycle. Their success, however, will depend largely on stakeholder ownership and collaboration,” he said.
Participants underscored the vital role of the media in promoting transparency, accountability, and informed citizen participation in electoral processes. They also highlighted the growing challenges posed by misinformation and disinformation, calling for stronger collaboration between the NEC, media institutions, and civil society organizations to safeguard the integrity of electoral information.
In separate remarks, leaders of professional groups—including the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FEJAL), Internews, the Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding (CEMESP), and Local Voices Liberia, welcomed the initiative and expressed their commitment to providing technical input to strengthen the documents.
Stakeholders emphasized the need for sustained engagement between the NEC and the media beyond election periods to improve public understanding of electoral processes and build confidence in democratic institutions.
The consultations will continue in Ganta before moving to Monrovia and Buchanan, where additional stakeholders will have the opportunity to review and provide recommendations on the draft Communications Strategy, Policy, and Protocol.
The consultation is an initiative of the Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP) managed by UNDP. It provides an important platform for dialogue and collaboration between NEC, the media, and civil society as Liberia continues to strengthen democratic governance and electoral transparency.
LESP supports national institutions and processes to promote inclusive, transparent, and accountable governance.
It is managed by UNDP and implemented in partnership with UN Women, the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, and the NEC, with funding from the European Union, Ireland, and Sweden.
