CEMESP and AREPT Join Forces to Boost Public Awareness on
Asset Recovery and Anti-Corruption in Liberia

By: Stephen N. Sonpon

In an effort to strengthen Liberia’s fight against corruption and promote
transparency in public asset management, the Center for Media Studies and
Peacebuilding (CEMESP) and the Liberia Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval
Taskforce (AREPT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to
collaborate on public awareness and civic engagement efforts.

The agreement outlines joint initiatives including town hall meetings, radio
talk shows, and policy brief development, targeting Nimba, Bong, Montserrado,
and Grand Bassa Counties. These platforms aim to educate citizens on the
benefits of asset recovery, encourage public dialogue, and highlight government
efforts to address impunity.

Speaking at the ceremony, CEMESP Executive Director Malcolm Joseph described
the partnership as a vital step toward civic empowerment.

“This collaboration allows us to bring the conversation to communities and
build the public pressure needed to demand accountability,” Joseph said.

AREPT Chairman, Cllr. Edwin Kla Martins, reaffirmed the Taskforce’s
commitment to public outreach, stating: “Public understanding is essential.
With CEMESP, we can effectively communicate the importance of asset recovery
and reinforce trust in the process.”

The awareness activities are funded under CEMESP’s existing grant from the
Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa
(GIABA), as part of its 2025 thematic focus on “Asset Recovery & Social
Accountability.”