On 18 August 2005, a new international radio station to promote and defend the ideals of democracy and open society in and among West African countries began a week of text transmissions on short wave. The West Africa Democracy Radio based in Dakar, Senegal, promised to broadcast distinctive programs on transparency and accountability in government, regional economic integration as well as social and culture development. According to a release from the WADR Country Office in Monrovia, the station would also disseminate information on the causes of conflicts and make programs that will give voice to those at the grass root level. It was hoped that local stations would hook up to a digital satellite radio programme and relay or re-broadcasting WADR programs. Though the WADR will be broadcasting throughout West Africa, its initial focus is the Mano River Basin, and has set up Country Offices in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

The project is supported by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa. According to the OSIWA website, WADR will act as an independent broadcaster, whose mission is to create and support the development of independent and diverse media, promote popular participation, facilitate regional integration, economic development and human security, provide improved access to information, and provide a major source of educational materials on health, agriculture, technology, non-violence, gender equality and peace building.
WADR's production strategy involves collaborative teams of journalists and producers who will manage programme production and deliver country-specific programmes to their audiences. Programming will extensively use languages that are generally understood by the majority of the populations in all three countries, and will include news coverage, public debate forum programs, summaries of media coverage as well as addressing regional problems such as the reuniting of families displaced by conflict, human rights and development.

Following several weeks of test transmissions, the West Africa Democracy Radio (WADR) started regular
broadcasting on Monday 14 November 2005. Initially, the station broadcasts from its studios in Dakar, Senegal, on international short wave to West Africa and on 94.9 FM in Dakar. In the near future, it will broadcast online, and also through local community radio partners in the Mano River Union (MRU) countries of
Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. These partners will also generate some of its broadcast content.
For this phase, which ends on 1 January 2006, WADR will broadcast for two hours in English and French starting at 07:00 GMT and will focus on the Mano River Union countries. It has already set up offices in Monrovia, Conakry and Freetown. WADR will later expand to bring onboard other West African countries including Chad and Cameroon.