Liberian and Ivorian district officials have inaugurated a wooden canoe on the Cavalla River to ferry people between the border towns of Garley in Liberia and Zilebly in Côte d’Ivoire. The Cavalla River is part of Liberia’s southeastern boundary with Côte d’Ivoire.

The 12-seater wooden vessel was provided by the Ivorian Prefecture of Gbloleken. Besides facilitating the movement of people and goods to boost cross-border trade, it will also be used to repatriate Ivorian refugees returning home from Liberia.

Launching the canoe on 28 January, officials and community leaders from the two countries praised the initiative, terming it as a means to consolidate peace and reconciliation among local communities.

The Commissioner of Gbloleken, Claude Koffi Yao Kan, encouraged Ivoirian refugees in Liberia to return home, assuring them that the war was over. He urged the two nations to work harder at consolidating peace and promoting development in the region. Olaska Barh, representing the Grand Gedeh County administration, noted that the reactivation of cross-border traffic signified the return of peace and stability to western Côte d’Ivoire.

The inauguration was attended by officials from UNMIL, UNOCI and OCHA. The Head of the UN Field Office in Grand Gedeh County, Thomas Mtaisi, seized the occasion to assure the authorities in Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire of UN support to all efforts in pursuit of peace and development in the two countries.

Mtaisi said the inauguration of the canoe at the Cavalla border crossing was a significant milestone, as it could provide an additional route for repatriating refugees from Liberia to Côte d’Ivoire.