The Mano River Union Internet Governance Forum (MRU IGF) has announced that two prominent members of the Liberian Legislature—Hon. Nehker E. Gaye, Chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Hon. Ellen Attoh-Wreh, Representative of Nimba County District #3—will serve as Special Guests of Honor at the upcoming MRU IGF 2025, scheduled for 10–11 December 2025 in Monrovia.
This year’s forum, themed “Building Regional Digital Trust and Connectivity for Inclusive Development,” is expected to convene over 250 delegates from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire. It marks a significant moment for Liberia as the country steps forward to host the second edition of this emerging subregional platform for digital policy dialogue. The decision to host the 2025 edition in Monrovia underscores Liberia’s growing leadership in the digital governance space and the continued efforts of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MOPT) to strengthen national and regional cooperation on ICT development.
According to the MRU IGF Secretariat, Liberia’s selection followed the successful maiden edition of the MRU IGF held in Freetown in 2024 and reflects the Liberian government’s commitment to positioning the country as an active voice in shaping the subregion’s digital future. “Liberia’s leadership in hosting the MRU IGF 2025 demonstrates the government’s commitment to strengthening digital cooperation, enhancing regional connectivity, and building a resilient and inclusive Internet ecosystem for all MRU member states,” said Peterking Quaye, Regional Convener and Head of the MRU IGF Secretariat. He added that the ministry’s support was pivotal: “The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, under its current leadership, has played a decisive role in securing Liberia’s hosting of this landmark event and ensuring that national institutions, parliament, and regional partners are aligned for success.”
As Chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Nehker Gaye plays a pivotal role in shaping Liberia’s regional engagement, and his presence at the MRU IGF underscores the growing intersection between digital policy and diplomacy. His participation signals Liberia’s commitment to coordinated regional action on connectivity, cybersecurity, data governance, roaming harmonization, and digital rights. Likewise, Hon. Ellen Attoh-Wreh has been selected as a Special Guest of Honor for her strong record in legislative oversight, community development, and ICT-driven youth empowerment. Her leadership within the MRU Parliamentary Caucus and her advocacy for digital skills, educational technology, and women’s participation align directly with the core priorities of the MRU IGF 2025.According to Mr. Quaye,” Having both Hon. Gaye and Hon. Attoh-Wreh address the MRU IGF is not only symbolic—it is strategic. Their roles in foreign affairs and parliamentary representation reflect the importance of political leadership in advancing regional digital cooperation. Their voices will help guide the commitments we expect to emerge from the 2025 forum.”
The MRU IGF 2025 comes at a critical moment as the subregion confronts shared challenges, including undersea cable disruptions, rising cyber threats, low 5G penetration, weak data protection enforcement, persistent digital inclusion gaps, and growing risks to Internet freedom. As host nation, Liberia will lead discussions on practical, regionally coordinated solutions grounded in policy alignment and multistakeholder collaboration. The forum will feature a Youth IGF Track (9 December), high-level panels on roaming, digital rights, and cybersecurity, technical workshops with regional and international partners, a ministerial roundtable, and the official presentation of the 2025 MRU IGF Communiqué.
As preparations intensify, the MRU IGF Secretariat has emphasized the importance of inclusive participation from government institutions, the private sector, academia, civil society, youth, and international development partners. The involvement of senior legislators such as Hon. Nehker E. Gaye and Hon. Ellen Attoh-Wreh sends a clear signal of Liberia’s readiness to champion a stronger, more coordinated digital future for the Mano River region. “This is a defining opportunity for Liberia to help shape digital governance in West Africa’s most interconnected subregion,” Mr. Quaye noted. “Our parliamentarians’ engagement ensures that the outcomes of MRU IGF 2025 will have both political weight and long-term regional impact.” The MRU IGF Secretariat will release additional program details in the coming days.
