The Pathfinders, in collaboration with Wilton Park, and with the support of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) and the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) recently appointed Foreign Minister, H.E. Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., along with Lindiwe Zulu, Minister of Social Development of South Africa; Patricia Danzi, Director General of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Switzerland; and Fiorella Salazar Rojas, Minister of Justice and Peace, Costa Rica to serve as Co-Chairs on the High-Level Task Force on Halving Global Violence.
Delivering his acceptance speech during the First Meeting of the High-Level Task Force on Halving Global Violence, Minister Kemayah expressed delight to be a part of this global movement with the overarching goal of halving global violence by 2030; and more so; extended thanks and appreciation for his preferment to serve as Co-Chair of this global High-Level Task Force on Halving Global Violence.
According to a Foreign Ministry release, Minister Kemayah said the impact of violence cannot be overly emphasized, noting that violence threatens social and economic progress; wrecks political and social structures; undermines democracy; and regrettably; leads to the loss of lives globally.
The Foreign Minister commended the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies; Wilton Park; the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom; the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC); and the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO); for the outstanding role and leadership they are providing in driving the movement to halve global violence.
Accordingly, Minister Kemayah mentioned that he is pleased to participate in the inaugural meeting of the Task Force; and looked forward to working with other Co-Chairs and members of the Task Force for the attainment of the mandate.
He said when he received the invitation to serve as Co-Chair on the High level Task Force, comprising of global eminent personalities, he responded in the affirmative, as a further manifestation of the unwavering commitment towards engendering peaceful, just and inclusive societies in general and, in particular, concerted efforts aimed at reducing all forms of violence.
“Indubitably, violent conflicts are some of the most brutal and devastating forms of violence. Liberia has had its share of the devastating effects, and has taken significant strides, aimed at ending fragility and addressing the root causes of conflict, decreasing violent tendencies, fostering social cohesion and reconciliation, sustaining peace and improving overall national security,” Minister Kemayah said.
In the light of these realities, he noted, the flagship national development plan, the “Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD)”, among others, seeks to promote a more peaceful and unified society that enables economic transformation and sustainable development, ensures access to justice and equal opportunity for all, the rule of law, human rights, and build accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Minister Kemayah stated that the Government of Liberia (GOL), under the astute Leadership of His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, continues to work with communities and partners in addressing the drivers of violence, including exclusion and marginalization, gender and sexual-based violence through the implementation of social protection interventions, aimed at decreasing economic inequalities, decreasing regional disparities, as well as sustaining the gains that have been made.
The key step in this effort for Pathfinders is to forge a high-ambition platform that inspires political leadership, recruits champions and drives national and local action towards an equally ambitious goal of halving global violence by 2030.
This platform was launched at the Peace One Day event in September 2020. Pathfinders are currently building a multi-stakeholder coalition of political and civil society leaders, policy influencers and renowned experts, and activists and community organizers who will act as champions of Halving Global Violence, and be key advocates for evidence-based solutions, innovative partnerships and new ways of financing to achieve the target of worldwide 50% violence reduction.