The Head of Delegate of the European Union (EU) to Liberia, Ambassador Laurent Delahousse, has told members of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) that the rule of law is cardinal to any nation building effort, with Liberia no exception.
Ambassador Delahousse, who served as guest speaker on the occasion marking the 17th induction ceremony of LNBA-elected code of officers at the Ministerial Complex, Oldest Congo Town, outside of Monrovia over the weekend, noted that the European Union and Liberia have similar histories.
He said even if the colonial scramble for Africa contributed to shaping the development and pressure on the borders of emerging countries, Liberia was spared.
Ambassador Delahousse stated that Liberia and Europe share the same ideals that inspired both founders over the last two centuries, and that Liberia proudly celebrates the bicentennial of 2022.
He said Liberia is a vibrant, liberal democracy with a long and proud tradition of the respect for and application of the rule of law. The EU Head of Delegation said the European Union (EU) and Liberia embrace the common purpose and common destiny of developing and nurturing free societies.
According to him, the two countries have independently developed democratic systems based on the following principles: The sovereignty of the people, the constitutional separation of power between the branches of government, which provides checks and balances fulfilled by specific institutions as well as the legal profession, political parties, civil society organizations, whistleblowers, among others.
Ambassador Delahousse noted that development, democracy and respect for human rights go together. He added that human rights are not second to development, but that the two work together.
The EU boss to Liberia also mentioned that the rule of law is not only about civil law, law specific to each nation according to its own history, but it is also about genuine and international laws such as those governing human rights.
The Ambassador told members of LNBA that they must never lose sight of the vision of their founding fathers and mothers for free societies, which he said was one of the main purposes of liberal democracies to serve their citizens.
He said the power vested in officers of the state to serve and its citizens is why they are called “civil servants” or “servants of the state”.
The EU Head of Delegation commented on a wide range of national and international human rights issues affecting Liberia and the EU, but ended up calling on local and national actors to respect the rule of law at all levels.
The seventeenth LNBA induction ceremony was well attended by hundreds of its members, including the president of the African Bar Association, among other distinguished guests.