MONROVIA, LIBERIA, October 23, 2026 — The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC), Liberia’s largest domestic elections observer group, and the Netherlands Institute for Multi-Party Democracy (NIMD) have signed a US$15,000 sub-grant agreement to advance electoral reform advocacy, strengthen legislative oversight, and promote a more inclusive and accountable democracy in Liberia.
The agreement, signed on October 15, 2026, by ECC Chairperson Malcolm Joseph and NIMD Country Director Cllr. Oscar Bloh, will support collaborative initiatives under the Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP), which seeks to promote inclusive and accountable democratic governance, with a particular focus on increasing state accountability through effective legislative oversight.
Speaking on the significance of the agreement, ECC Chairperson Malcolm Joseph said the partnership presents an important opportunity to strengthen civil society engagement in Liberia’s electoral reform process and ensure that reform initiatives receive the attention and support they deserve from policymakers and other stakeholders.
“Electoral reform is fundamental to strengthening public confidence in our democratic institutions. This partnership will enable ECC and the Liberia Elections Observation Network to engage the Legislature, political parties, the National Elections Commission, civil society organizations, and the media in constructive dialogue to advance reforms that promote transparency, accountability, inclusion, and credible elections in Liberia,” Joseph said.
Under the agreement, ECC will collaborate with the Liberia Elections Observation Network (LEON) to mobilize stakeholders around priority electoral reform initiatives. The planned activities include multi-stakeholder dialogues involving the National Elections Commission (NEC), political parties, civil society organizations, and members of the Legislature, as well as targeted advocacy engagements with relevant legislative committees and the leadership of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The two networks will also pursue coordinated media engagements to increase public awareness of electoral reform issues, encourage informed public debate, and build broader support for proposed reforms. The initiative will further explore opportunities to collaborate with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and UN Women on ongoing electoral reform efforts.
The agreement, which runs from October 15 to December 18, 2026, provides for NIMD to offer strategic oversight, technical guidance, and financial accountability support, while ECC leads implementation in collaboration with LEON. The partnership underscores the importance of coordinated action among civil society, democratic institutions, political actors, and the media in strengthening Liberia’s democratic governance.
ECC believes that meaningful electoral reform requires sustained dialogue, effective legislative engagement, and active citizen participation. Through this initiative, the organization intends to contribute to a reform process that strengthens democratic institutions, improves accountability, and promotes greater public confidence in Liberia’s electoral system.
The activities are funded under the Liberia Electoral support project (LESP), funded by the European Union and the Embassies of Ireland and Sweden, and directly managed by UNDP and implemented by NIMD and UN Women.
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