According to an Executive Mansion release, Mr. Mulet, who was accompanied by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Liberia, Ambassador Karin Landgren, is in Liberia as part of a Strategic Review Team that is looking into UN peacekeeping, as the transition and drawdown of the UN Mission in Liberia moves ahead. He will visit Nimba and Grand Gedeh Counties before continuing to Côte d’Ivoire to assess the situation there as the peacekeeping force in that country, ONUCI, also draws down.

Mr. Mulet informed President Sirleaf that the Strategic Review Team has been holding meetings with various interlocutors in Liberia, including legislators, political parties and civil society organizations, for discussions on such national issues as security, reconciliation, constitutional review and electoral reform, as well as on regional cooperation. He briefed the President on the Team’s findings, which will be reflected in the next Report of the Secretary-General on Liberia.

SRSG Landgren encouraged the government to work with UNMIL on innovative ways on redeploying its investments during the transition.

Responding, the President described the Team’s assessment of the Liberia situation as quite broad and deep in content, and she elaborated on the government’s position on security sector reform and the pace of the UNMIL drawdown; the work of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights regarding reconciliation and the Palava Hut Initiative; the work of the Constitutional Review Committee; and on the high level of regional cooperation.

Present with President Sirleaf at the meeting, and responding to questions, were: Dr. H. Boima Fahnbulleh, National Security Advisor; Hon. Morris Dukuly, Minister of Internal Affairs; and Cllr. Wheatonia Dixon Barnes, Acting Minister of Justice.