CSOs Urge Liberia: Freeze Mineral Development Agreements

• A coalition of Liberian civil society organizations has demanded a freeze on new mineral development agreements.
• This moratorium is sought until a comprehensive new mineral and mining law is enacted in Liberia.
• CSOs argue that the current legal framework perpetuates weak governance, corruption, and inadequate benefits for communities.
• They have proposed ten key reforms, including stronger oversight, environmental protection, and increased Liberian participation.
• The consortium urged President Boakai and the Legislature to prioritize the new law's passage before approving further long-term mining deals.

The coalition firmly believes that proceeding with additional long-term mineral development agreements under the existing, outdated legal framework risks entrenching current governance deficiencies and hindering Liberia's capacity to secure equitable and sustainable benefits from its natural resources.

A prominent coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) in Liberia has formally urged the government to implement an immediate freeze on the allocation and ratification of any new Mineral Development Agreements (MDAs). This demand, issued on October 28, 2026, during a press conference held in Monrovia, stems from a deep concern that continuing to approve such agreements under the nation's current legal framework poses significant risks.

The CSO Consortium on Minerals, Mining and Inclusive Sustainable Development, the group behind the call, emphasizes that a moratorium should remain in effect until a comprehensive new mineral and mining law is successfully enacted. Their primary contention is that the existing legal structure is inadequate to ensure transparency, accountability, and the equitable distribution of Liberia's vast mineral wealth, thereby jeopardizing the nation's long-term development prospects.

Speaking on behalf of the consortium, Cllr. Yah Vallah Parwon, Country Director for Medica Liberia, highlighted a critical historical context: despite decades of extensive mineral extraction, the benefits have largely failed to materialize for the majority of Liberians, particularly those residing in mining-affected communities. She identified several systemic issues plaguing the Liberian mining sector, including insufficient regulatory enforcement, pervasive corruption, a lack of transparency, severe environmental degradation, and limited participation from local communities.

The coalition firmly believes that proceeding with additional long-term mineral development agreements under the existing, outdated legal framework risks entrenching current governance deficiencies and hindering Liberia's capacity to secure equitable and sustainable benefits from its natural resources. While acknowledging the government's stated commitment to Liberia mining law reform, the consortium insists that any proposed legislation must comprehensively address these longstanding economic, environmental, social, and governance challenges to truly transform the sector.

To facilitate meaningful reform, the CSO Consortium on Minerals, Mining and Inclusive Sustainable Development organized consultations on October 1 and 21. These sessions brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including civil society representatives, communities directly impacted by mining operations, various government institutions, international development partners, and private sector entities, all contributing to the formulation of recommendations for the forthcoming law.

The coalition has outlined ten priority reforms crucial for enhancing Liberia mineral resource governance. These include strengthening regulatory oversight, fostering greater public participation, ensuring robust community benefit-sharing mechanisms, implementing stringent environmental protection measures, and mandating comprehensive mine rehabilitation. Further proposals advocate for increased Liberian involvement in mineral processing, employment opportunities, and technology transfer, alongside enhanced protections for vulnerable groups such as women, youth, and persons with disabilities. The consortium also stressed the importance of improved revenue transparency, mandatory beneficial ownership disclosure, better coordination among regulatory agencies, and significant reforms to the artisanal and small-scale mining sub-sector.

The consortium's urgent appeal underscores the critical juncture Liberia faces regarding its mineral resources. They have specifically called upon President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and the national Legislature to prioritize the swift passage of the revised mineral and mining law before considering the approval of any further long-term mining agreements. This strategic sequencing is deemed essential to prevent the perpetuation of past failures and to ensure that future President Boakai mining agreements are underpinned by a robust, equitable, and transparent legal framework.

Ultimately, the civil society groups, including endorsing organizations like the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), Integrity Watch Liberia, Sustainable Development Institute, Medica Liberia, and ActionAid Liberia, maintain that comprehensive legal reforms are indispensable. Their collective goal is to guarantee that Liberia's mineral wealth genuinely contributes to the nation's sustainable development, benefiting both current and future generations of Liberians.

Lawyers advising on new mining investments or existing Mineral Development Agreements (MDAs) in Liberia should anticipate potential delays or a moratorium on new deals, and closely monitor the legislative process for the new mineral and mining law. This new law is expected to introduce significant changes to regulatory oversight, environmental protection, community benefit-sharing, and transparency requirements, necessitating a review of compliance strategies for current and future operations.

Source: Reporting based on information from New Dawn.