Overview
Situated along West Africa’s Atlantic coast, Liberia has a population of around 5 million. Two decades of civil war ended in 2003, and since then the country has achieved political stability, exemplified by the conduct of democratic elections. Liberia is rich in natural resources and holds great potential in agriculture, fisheries and forest.
Our partnership
The EU-Liberia partnership fosters sustainable and inclusive growth, bolsters the country’s resilience to climate change, and promotes social inclusion, particularly for women and young people.
Our initiatives prioritise the transformation of key value chains in agriculture, fisheries, and forestry to boost productivity, create jobs, and strengthen economic resilience, while conserving Liberia’s vast natural resources. This collaboration aligns with Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, the EU’s Green Deal and the Global Gateway strategy.
Team Europe in Liberia brings together the EU, the European Investment Bank, France, Germany, Ireland, and Sweden. Initiatives focus on sustainable food systems, forest and biodiversity.
The EU has allocated EUR 289 million in grant funding for our partnership with Liberia over the period 2021-2027. The country also benefits from various EU multi-country and globally supported initiatives.
EU-Liberia partnership programming documents can be found in the 'Related documents' section below.
Our key initiatives
- Agriculture and fisheries
The EU and Liberia are working together to strengthen the agriculture and fisheries sectors. Innovative initiatives are promoting food security, boosting economic opportunities, and promoting environmental sustainability. Our support focuses on:
- Strengthening agri-food systems governance and modernising food and nutrition security information.
- Promoting safe, sustainable food systems which enhance food and nutrition security, with a focus on the rice, cassava, and coffee value chains.
- Investing in climate-smart agriculture and agroecological practices while improving market infrastructure to boost local food production and reduce food imports.
- Empowering smallholder farmers, agribusinesses, and rural communities through training, access to finance, and sustainable farming techniques.
- Boosting the competitiveness of the fish value chain by investing in fish processing and preservation facilities, increasing value addition, and empowering artisanal fishing communities.
- Strengthening fisheries governance through community co-management associations to ensure sustainable fishing practices and to protect marine ecosystems.
- Environment and biodiversity
The EU is helping Liberia to protect its forests through sustainable forest management, conservation, and community-driven initiatives. The aim is to balance environmental protection with economic growth. These efforts contribute to global climate goals while empowering communities that depend on forests for their livelihoods. Key initiatives include:
- Strengthening forest governance to combat illegal logging, improve sustainable forest management, and ensure equitable access to forest resources.
- Promoting agroecology, conservation, and reforestation to restore biodiversity and strengthen ecosystems in priority landscapes.
- Supporting agroforestry and responsible timber production to promote sustainable resource management and long-term environmental resilience.
- Strengthening the wood value chain by fostering local manufacturing and trade that boosts the forest economy.
- Education and youth
The EU promotes education and youth empowerment in Liberia through the Erasmus+ programme and targeted technical and vocational education and training (TVET) initiatives. These efforts equip young people with essential skills, promote entrepreneurship, and align training with job opportunities in key sectors. Our support focuses on:
- Developing young people’s skills and increasing youth employability and entrepreneurship through a nationwide TVET programme, focusing on the agriculture, fisheries and forest sectors.
- Partnering with the private sector to develop TVET models that match market needs.
- Ensuring skills are aligned with job opportunities created by investment, trade, and other market dynamics.
- Investing in TVET infrastructure and equipment across Libera’s 15 counties.
- Private sector development
The EU and Liberia are working together to improve the investment climate and create an environment that supports entrepreneurship and decent jobs, particularly in agriculture, fisheries, and forest. Key actions include:
- Supporting responsible business practices, aligning with internationally recognised norms and principles to ensure ethical and sustainable business operations.
- Boosting the competitiveness of micro, small, and medium enterprises by enhancing their productive capabilities, market linkages, and value addition.
- Infrastructure
The EU is working with Liberia also on hard infrastructure investments. Key actions include:
- Energy – expanding access to energy through electrification in rural areas in the South-East of Liberia
- Transport – rehabilitating 47km of the road connecting Sanniquelle and Loguatuo
- Digital – promoting digital governance and supporting the extension of digital network through the extension of the EurAfrica Gateway Medusa West Africa extension connecting the EU with Africa along the Atlantic ocean trough a secure submarine cable.
- Governance and democracy
The EU is collaborating with Liberia to foster good governance, strengthen democracy, uphold human rights, foster gender equality and empower civil society. Initiatives to promote a more inclusive and accountable society include:
- Supporting public financial management reforms, to improve the government’s transparency and accountability.
- Promoting electoral transparency and credibility.
- Advocating for human rights defenders and prisoners ensuring justice and dignity for all.
- Leading the Liberia Spotlight Initiative 2.0 to reduce sexual and gender-based violence and empower women and girls.
- Empowering media and civil society organisations to improve governance and ensure government accountability.