FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monrovia, Liberia – October 27, 2026
Distinguished members of the press, fellow Liberians, ladies and gentlemen:
We welcome you to this press conference convened by the CSO Consortium on Minerals, Mining, and Inclusive Sustainable Development to present civil society’s collective position on the ongoing reform of Liberia’s Mineral and Mining Law.
Liberia’s mineral resources represent enormous opportunities for inclusive and sustainable national development. Yet, decades of mineral extraction have not translated into commensurate economic opportunities, improved, inclusive and gender responsive public services or meaningful benefits for many mining-affected communities. Weak regulatory enforcement, corruption, limited value addition, inadequate transparency, environmental degradation, and insufficient community participation continue to undermine the sector’s contribution to wealth creation, benefits equitable benefits sharing for communities and overall national development.
Recognizing these challenges, civil society organizations and representatives of mining-affected communities convened on October 1, 2026, to examine the sector’s governance challenges and develop a common reform position. Furthermore, on October 21, 2026, the Consortium convened a multi-actor roundtable in Monrovia, involving development partners, relevant state institutions, the private sector, civil society and affected communities, whereby it presented a draft reform proposal and solicited valuable additional inputs, which have culminated into this common position on the future on mining operations in Liberia.
We applaud the Government of Liberia for her commitment to reform and modernize governance of the mining sector. Our position is that the revision of Liberia’s Mineral and Mining Law must go beyond updating existing provisions. It must fundamentally address the governance, economic, environmental, and social challenges that have historically prevented Liberians, including women, persons with disabilities and other marginalized persons, from realizing the full benefits of their mineral wealth.
Our Immediate Call for Action:
Ladies and gentlemen of the press:
The Consortium calls on the Government of Liberia, especially the Executive branch, through the office of President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Sr. and the Legislature to institute a Moratorium on the allocation and ratification of new Mineral Development Agreements until a comprehensive and modern Mineral and Mining Law is enacted. We strongly believe that entering into new or additional long-term mineral development agreements under an outdated legal framework risk perpetuating existing governance weaknesses and limiting Liberia’s ability to secure fair and sustainable benefits from its mineral resources.
Civil Society’s Priority Reform Proposals:
Beyond the above-indicated Call to Action, the Consortium advances the following priority recommendations for consideration in the revised or restated mineral and mining law of Liberia.
- Institutionalize transparency, accountability, and meaningful public participation.
The revised law must establish enforceable requirements for transparency, accountability and integrity in mining agreements, licensing, mineral production, and revenue sharing and management. It must guarantee meaningful and maximum participation of citizens and mining-affected communities in decisions that affect their lands, livelihoods, and environment, consistent with Article 7 of Liberia’s Constitution.
- Strengthen regulatory enforcement and accountability.
The law must establish clear enforcement responsibilities, effective monitoring mechanisms, and appropriate sanctions for violations by mining companies and public officials. It must also guarantee communities access to effective grievance and legal redress mechanisms when their rights are violated.
- Protect community rights and establish enforceable benefit-sharing arrangements.
The revised law must respect and strengthen community rights under the Land Rights Law of 2018 and other applicable legislation. It must establish a transparent and equitable benefit-sharing framework that ensures mining-affected communities receive meaningful development benefits proportionate to the impacts they experience.
- Promote domestic value addition and greater Liberian participation.
The law must move Liberia beyond the predominantly export-oriented extraction of unprocessed minerals by introducing enforceable provisions for progressive mineral processing, local industrial development, technology transfer, and skills development. Mining companies must prioritize employment opportunities for qualified Liberians and procurement from Liberian-owned businesses.
- Strengthen environmental protection and mine rehabilitation.
The revised law must establish stronger environmental safeguards and enforceable obligations for mine closure, land reclamation, environmental restoration, and rehabilitation. Mining companies must be held accountable for environmental damage, while regulatory institutions must be adequately empowered to monitor and enforce compliance.
- Ensure gender-responsive and inclusive mining governance.
The reform must introduce specific measures to protect and promote the rights and economic participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities. This should include addressing barriers to employment, entrepreneurship, decision-making, and access to benefits within the mining sector. It must also strengthen the prevention of and response to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment, through safe and confidential reporting mechanisms, access to survivor-centred support services, and accountability for perpetrators.
- Strengthen revenue transparency and oversight of mining concessions.
The law must reinforce the principles of the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, including beneficial ownership disclosure, transparent concession allocation, and public reporting on mineral production, exports, and revenues. Tax incentives and exemptions must be subject to rigorous assessment to ensure demonstrable benefits to Liberia.
- Improve coordination among regulatory institutions.
The revised law must clearly define and strengthen coordination among the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, Liberia Revenue Authority, National Bureau of Concessions, LEITI, and other relevant institutions to eliminate regulatory gaps and strengthen oversight.
- Reform artisanal and small-scale mining.
The law must provide a stronger regulatory framework for artisanal, small-scale, and mechanized mining, including sand and quarry operations. It should promote responsible mining practices, improve environmental and public health safeguards, and establish practical pathways for formalization and regulatory compliance.
- Ensure sustainable and equitable management of mineral resources.
The revised law must establish a long-term framework that balances mineral extraction with economic diversification, environmental sustainability, local development, and the interests of future generations. The management of Liberia’s mineral wealth must prioritize national development rather than short-term extraction benefits.
The above Call to Action and Priority Reform Proposals reflect our strong conviction that investment in the mineral and mining sector must take place within a transparent, accountable, predictable, fair, equitable, gender responsive and enforceable legal framework and governance system that adequately and verifiably protect Liberia’s national interests by ensuring that mining operations
Signed:
Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia
Integrity Watch Liberia
Sustainable Development Institute
Medica Liberia
Action Aid Liberia
Integrated Development and Learning
Civil Society Independent Forest Monitors
Sustain Earth and Equity Defenders