The second edition of the Mano River Union Internet Governance Forum (MRU IGF 2025) officially kicked off today 10th December ,2025 at the Paynesville Town Hall, out Monrovia with top government, parliamentary and civil-society figures in attendance, advancing a tightly focused regional agenda on connectivity, digital trust and youth empowerment.
Opening the forum, the Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications confirmed Hon. S. Mohammed Massaley, Deputy Minister for Technical Services, as keynote speaker. The ministry’s public roster lists Hon. S. Mohammed Massaley in that portfolio. The two-day conference brings together ministers, regulators, civil society, industry and youth delegations from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire to translate the outcomes of last year’s maiden MRU IGF in Freetown into concrete regional action. The MRU IGF Secretariat expects more than 250 delegates for this edition.
“Monrovia is not simply a venue — it is a responsibility,” said Peterking Quaye, Regional Convener and Head of the MRU IGF Secretariat. “This year we move from analysis to implementation: resilience for our networks, harmonized roaming, and measurable youth skills and employment commitments are non-negotiable.” Quaye framed the forum as an opportunity to finalize regional roadmaps on roaming, data protection and cybersecurity that emerged from last year’s discussions.
A special presentation was presented Senator Francis Saidy Dopoh II, Chair of the Senate Committee on Post & Telecommunications — a leading parliamentary voice on national ICT reforms and technical education initiatives. Senator Dopoh was honored with a Special Recognition Award for his legislative leadership in advancing Liberia’s digital policy framework. Public profiles confirm Senator Dopoh’s role and parliamentary priorities.
The forum also features an intervention from Ms. Lorpu P. Page, Executive Director of the Independent Information Commission (IIC), reflecting the event’s strong emphasis on access to information, transparency and data governance. Ms. Page’s leadership at the IIC is well documented in recent national reports and programs. Hon. Ellen Attoh-Wreh, Chairperson of the MRU IGF Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for 2025, joined officials in urging cross-border cooperation. “Hosting the MRU IGF consolidates Liberia’s founding role in the Mano River Union and is a strategic chance to anchor regional commitments into law and practice,” she said in opening remarks. International participation includes representatives from the UN IGF Secretariat in Geneva and CIPESA, whose cross-regional research and advocacy on digital rights and access add comparative perspective to MRU discussions. The UN IGF’s global convening this year has highlighted the growing importance of regional NRIs (national and regional initiatives) — including the MRU IGF — in translating global norms to local practice.
The MRU Youth IGF pre-event (held on 9 December) fed practical youth demands into the main forum: cyber hygiene labs, media-literacy fact-checks, startup pitch showcases and a youth communiqué that will be annexed to the main MRU IGF communiqué. Youth leadership remains central; organizers emphasized that youth outcomes must convert into internships, pilot projects and mentorship commitments. “Today’s Youth Track is where ideas meet delivery,” said James Samuel Kaptor, Chairperson of the MRU Youth IGF. “We have a clear mandate: skills-to-jobs roadmaps, cross-border mentorship, and actionable pilot programmes for community connectivity.” Kaptor urged private-sector partners to fast-track internship and incubation pledges for MRU youth.
