Liberia: Guinea Border Dispute Update Stalled, Troops Remain

• Liberia has not publicly clarified the ownership of territory allegedly occupied by Guinean soldiers for five months.
• Opposition leader Clarence K. Moniba criticizes the Liberian government for negotiating while foreign troops remain on claimed soil.
• Moniba questioned the lack of public reports from presidential discussions with regional leaders and a legislative border visit.
• The government has not addressed whether illegal mining occurred in the disputed area or settled the land's ownership.
• Moniba highlighted that more effort was spent expelling a lawmaker for comments on the dispute than resolving the border issue.

The government has also yet to provide public clarification regarding whether illegal mining activities have taken place within the contested zone or to definitively resolve the fundamental question of the land's rightful ownership.

Five months after Guinean soldiers reportedly entered disputed territory, the Liberian government has yet to publicly clarify whether the land belongs to Liberia. These foreign troops reportedly continue to occupy the area while the Liberian government engages in negotiations, a situation that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures.

According to Clarence K. Moniba, the political leader of the Liberia National Union opposition party, negotiations should not proceed as long as foreign military personnel occupy land claimed by Liberia. He emphasized that a fundamental principle of diplomacy and negotiations dictates maintaining the status quo, meaning no foreign armed forces should occupy national soil while discussions are underway. Moniba highlighted that this principle is clearly not being upheld, given the continued presence of Guinean soldiers on what he described as Liberian territory, prompting him to question the efficacy and transparency of any achievements or truths emerging from these talks.

In response to the ongoing Liberia Guinea border dispute, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai engaged regional leaders in discussions concerning the territorial dispute, and subsequently, a delegation of lawmakers undertook a visit to the border area. However, Moniba noted that neither the presidential discussions nor the legislative delegation's trip resulted in any public disclosure of their findings or agreements, leading him to question the financial expenditure associated with these two separate initiatives.

Recalling the initial incursion months prior, Moniba pointed out that after President Boakai's meetings with regional leaders, his spokespeople asserted that the matter was being addressed diplomatically. He then posed critical questions regarding the financial burden these executive and legislative travels placed on the Liberian populace and what tangible outcomes had been achieved. The government has also yet to provide public clarification regarding whether illegal mining activities have taken place within the contested zone or to definitively resolve the fundamental question of the land's rightful ownership, Moniba added, specifically inquiring about the presence of illegal mining and the ultimate sovereignty over the territory.

Moniba drew a stark contrast between the government's slow response to the Liberia Guinea territorial dispute and the Legislature's swift action concerning former Montserrado County District 10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah, who faced expulsion after commenting on the ownership of the disputed territory. He observed that a disproportionate amount of effort and energy was directed towards Kolubah's expulsion rather than addressing critical national issues.

Moniba highlighted the ongoing reality that five months later, while Kolubah is no longer in his position, Guinean soldiers persist in their presence on Liberian soil. This continued presence of Guinean military personnel on what is claimed to be Liberian soil underscores the lack of resolution in the Liberia Guinea border dispute update. Ultimately, Moniba asserted that the Liberian government is obligated to provide its citizens with a comprehensive account of all developments since the reported incursion, encompassing the results of its diplomatic engagements with Guinea, emphasizing the need for Liberia border negotiations transparency.

This ongoing, unresolved territorial dispute between Liberia and Guinea, and the Liberian government's lack of transparency, creates significant legal uncertainty. Lawyers advising clients with interests in the border region, particularly regarding land or resource rights, should closely monitor developments for potential impacts on property ownership, investment stability, and international law implications.

Source: Original reporting via Liberian Investigator, published by AllAfrica.