Press Release
Monrovia, Liberia –A consortium of Liberian media and leading civil society organizations has announced the hosting of two major presidential debates for all candidates ahead of the October 10, 2023 polls. The initiative is part of support for electoral democracy in Liberia.
Funded by USAID Media Activity, the presidential debate seeks to promote informed decision-making, enhance electoral transparency, foster civic engagement, facilitate policy analysis, and ensure equal representation of all candidates.
The two debates will be held on October 3 and October 6. The October 3 edition of the debate will be held at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Monrovia, while the Gbarnga Administration Building in Bong County will host the October 6 debate.
All 20 presidential candidates certified by the National Elections Commission (NEC) to contest the October 10 polls have been officially invited to attend these debates. Ten candidates will feature in the first phase of the debate in Monrovia while the other 10 will participate in the second phase in Gbarnga.
“The USAID Media Activity facilitates the presidential debate to support the electoral process and ensure informed decision-making by the Liberian people,” said Lien Bach, Chief of Party for Internews, speaking on behalf of the debate-organizing Consortium that includes the Liberia Media for Democratic Initiatives (LMDI), the Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding (CEMESP), the Amos C. Sawyer Foundation, the Association of Community Radios (ALICOR), Local Voices Liberia, and the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL), amongst others.