Foreign relations of Liberia: Difference between revisions
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Latest revision as of 16:25, 15 May 2025
Template:Short description Template:Politics of Liberia Liberian foreign relations were traditionally stable and cordial throughout much of the 19th and 20th centuries, with a significant relationship with the United States, sharing close relations until the 1970s.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Citation needed
During the 1990s, Charles Taylor's presidency and the First and Second Liberian Civil Wars underscored Liberian relations with the Western world, the People's Republic of China, and its neighboring countries in Western Africa.Template:Citation needed
Stabilization in the 21st century brought a return to cordial relations with neighboring countries and much of the Western world. Liberia holds diplomatic relations with many western nations, including its long time partner the United States, as well as Russia, Cuba, and the People's Republic of China.
Diplomatic relations
[edit]List of countries with which Liberia maintains diplomatic relations:
Bilateral relations
[edit]| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Flag | 31 December 1971 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 31 December 1971 when Algeria established first Mission and first Algerian Ambassador Mr. Zitouni Messaoudi presented his credentials to President of Liberia.<ref name=":34">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 5 June 1867 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 5 June 1867 when has been appointed Chargé d'Affaires of Liberia to Belgium (resident in Paris) M. le vicomte de Fleury.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 1963 | Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1963 when M. Pierre Cofi, the Ambassador of the Ivory Coast has presented his Letters of credence to President Tubman, from the Presidents of Republics of the Upper Volta, Niger and Dahomey, accrediting him Ambassador of the free states to the Republic of Liberia.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 21 September 2010 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 September 2010 whe Ambassador of Liberia to Botswana Mr. Lois Lewis Brutus presented his credentials to President Seretse Khama.<ref name=":46">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 23 November 1960 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 November 1960 when open Embassy of Cameroon in Monrovia.<ref name=":21">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 17 February 1977 | See China–Liberia relations
Relations between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Liberia have been broken and reestablished several times since February 17, 1977, when diplomatic relations between the PRC and Liberia were first formed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The PRC broke off relations with Liberia on October 10, 1989, in response to Liberia's recognition of the Republic of China (Taiwan).<ref name="chinanews">Taiwan Edges Out China for Liberia's Diplomatic Recognition, Global News No. GL970-25, February 21, 1997</ref> Taiwan had offered $200 million in aid to Liberia for education and infrastructure in exchange for this recognition. The PRC reestablished relations with Liberia on August 10, 1993, and opened an embassy in Monrovia, making Liberia one of the few nations with established diplomatic ties to both the PRC and ROC.<ref name="asiaquart">Cross-Strait Scramble for Africa, A Hidden Agenda in China-Africa Cooperation Forum, Harvard Asia Quarterly, Volume V, No. 2. Spring 2001 Template:Webarchive</ref> In 1997, Charles Taylor's government proclaimed to recognize "two Chinas" and the PRC subsequently severed diplomatic relations.<ref name="prcaffairs">' China and Liberia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, August 8, 2003 Template:Webarchive</ref> Liberia dropped diplomatic relations with the ROC on October 12, 2003, and reestablished ties with the People's Republic of China.<ref name="chinaun">Template:Cite web</ref> This move was seen largely as a result of the PRC's lobbying in the UN and plans to deploy a peacekeeping force in Liberia.<ref name="bbctaiwan">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 31 July 1961 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 31 July 1961<ref name=":22">Template:Cite web</ref>
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| Template:Flag | Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Liberia2">Template:Cite book</ref>
25 July 1963 |
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 July 1963 when was accredited first Ambassador of Denmark to Liberia (resident in Accra) Mr. Hans Adolf Biering<ref name=":25">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 11 June 1958 | Both countries established diplomatic relations and exchange diplomatic representations at ambassadorial level on 11 June 1958.<ref name=":13">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 1980 | Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1980 when has been accredited ambassador of Equatorial Guinea to Liberia, residing in Lagos M. Jose Walterio Okori Dougan.<ref name=":40">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 1958 | Both countries have agreed to exchange diplomatic missions at Embassy level in 1958.<ref name=":15">Template:Cite book</ref> |
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| Template:Flag | 20 April 1852 | See France–Liberia relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 April 1852<ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 3 November 1965 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 November 1965 when has been accredited Ambassador of Liberia to Gambia Mr. R. Francis Okai (Jnr.).<ref name=":28" /> |
| Template:Flag | 23 July 1953 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 July 1953<ref name=":10">Template:Cite web</ref>
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| Template:Flag | June 1957 | Both countries established diplomatic relations in June 1957 when M. Abraham Benjamin Bah Kofi, Ghanaian Charge d'Affaires to Liberia presented his credentials to President Tubman.<ref name=":11">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 6 March 1959 |
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 March 1959 when Mr. Edward Peal, the Liberian Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea, presented his credentials to President S. Toure.<ref name=":16">Template:Cite book</ref> The First Liberian Civil War, instigated by Charles Taylor and the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) on December 24, 1989, eventually spread to neighboring Sierra Leone in 1991 when dissidents of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), led by Foday Sankoh, began using Liberia as a staging ground for NPFL backed military assaults on border towns in Sierra Leone.<ref name="hrw">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="warwithoutend">Yekutiel Gershoni. War without End and End to a War: The Prolonged Wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, African Studies Review, Vol. 40, No. 3 (December 1997), pp. 55-57</ref><ref name="diamondtimeline">Template:Cite web</ref> By 1992, 120,000 people had fled from Sierra Leone to Guinea due to the RUF's practice of targeting civilians. In 2001, Liberian forces along with the RUF began attacking and burning refugee camps and Guinean villages along the border. In an inflammatory speech the Guinean president Lansana Conté, blamed the refugees for the border destabilization and alleged that the vast majority of refugees were rebels.<ref name="hrw" /> He called for the Guinean population to defend its nation. This call precipitated attacks, beatings, rapes, and abductions of refugees by Guinean police and military forces. This reversal of Guinea's previously open policy towards refugees, further escalated the refugee crisis as refugees attempted to cross back through RUF territory.<ref name="warwithoutend" /> By 2002, the United Nations estimated that three million people, or one in five people of the Mano River Union countries, were displaced.<ref name="diamondtimeline" /><ref name="unwestafrica">United Nations Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for West Africa, 2001, U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), March 23, 2001, section 2</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 29 June 1952 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 June 1952.<ref name=":9">Template:Cite web</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 7 July 1960 | See India–Liberia relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 July 1960<ref name=":17">Template:Cite book</ref> Indian-Liberian relations have traditionally been strong and cordial with Liberia's full-fledged support for India's stand on Kashmir and India's aspiration for permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council. In recent years, both nations have developed close and extensive cooperation in trade, military and strategic fields. Amidst India's growing role in Liberia, the Liberian Minister of Mines and Energy, Dr. Eugene Shannon visited India in October 2005 to participate in the Confederation of Indian Industry-Africa Conclave. In 2008, the President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was invited to visit India.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Major items of Indian exports include engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, two wheelers, transportation equipment, steel and plastic products. Major items of imports are gold, diamonds, timber and metal scrap. Following lifting of United Nations sanctions, timber concessions have been awarded to Indian firms. Overall, Indian investments in Liberia have been increased from US$450 million in 2005 to an estimated $2 billion in 2009.
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| Template:Flag | 2 June 1975 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 June 1975<ref name=":38">Template:Cite book</ref> In 2023, an Iranian drone struck the Liberian flagged chemical tanker Chem Pluto.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 1980 | Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1980 when has been accredited Ambassador of Iraq to Liberia, residing in Lagos M. Saffa Mohammed Ali.<ref name=":40"/> |
| Template:Flag | 22 August 1957 | See Israel–Liberia relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 August 1957.<ref name=":12">Template:Cite book</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 5 October 1951 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 5 October 1951 when has been accredited first Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Italy to Liberia Mr. Umberto Campini.<ref name=":8">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Template:Flag | September 1961 |
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| Template:Flag | 21 May 1964 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 May 1964 when Liberia's Ambassador to Kenya, Mr. George Padmore, has presented his credentials to the Governor-General of Kenya.<ref name=":27">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 12 August 2016 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 August 2016
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| Template:Flag | 1 January 1951 | Both countries established diplomatic relations when Liberian and Lebanese Governments to raise their Consulates General to the status of Legations, and a proclamation was issued announcing that the change would take effect from 1 January 1951.<ref name=":7">Template:Cite book</ref> In 1957 both countries raise their Legations to status of Embassies<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 1 April 1974 | See Liberia–Libya relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 April 1974.<ref name=":37">Template:Cite book</ref> Liberia's relationship with Libya has been characterized by Muammar Gaddafi's attempts at bringing Liberia under greater Libyan influence. Relations under the Doe administration were poor, owing to efforts by the United States to undermine Gaddafi's leverage, and Doe's cynicism of the Libyan leader's intentions. Gaddafi financially and militarily backed rebel leader Charles Taylor, under whose regime Liberia sought closer relations with Libya. After Taylor was ousted in 2003, Liberia continued to maintain diplomatic relations with Libya, only severing them after the onset of the Libyan Civil War, and just recently reestablishing them. |
| Template:Flag | 14 October 1960 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 October 1960 when established Embassy of Mali in Liberia and appointed first Chargé d'Affaires Mr. Sango Ibrahima in Monrovia<ref name=":20">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 13 March 1967 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 13 March 1967 when Ambassador of Mauritania to Liberia M. Bakar Ould Ahmedou, has presented his credentials to President Tubman.<ref name=":31">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 22 June 1976 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 June 1976<ref name=":39">Template:Cite web</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 17 December 2008 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 17 December 2008 when has been accredited Ambassador of Liberia to Mozambique.<ref name=":45">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 28 April 1990 |
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 April 1990<ref name=":43">Template:Cite book</ref> In 1960, Liberia and Ethiopia brought litigation against apartheid South Africa in the International Court of Justice to end its illegal occupation of Namibia.<ref>Template:Usurped NewLiberian.com, 15 July 2008</ref> As part of Liberia's support for Namibia's liberation struggle, many Namibian students received Liberian passports which helped them study abroad. As of July 2008, a total of 5,900 Namibia Defence Force troops had been rotated through Liberia as part of the United Nations Mission in Liberia.<ref>Liberia and Namibia to trade more The Namibian, 15 July 2008</ref> Namibia maintained a battalion of about 800 personnel in Grand Cape Mount county for several years, for most of the period part of UNMIL Sector 2, headquartered at Tubmanburg. In May 2005, Namibian troops were accused of sexual exploitation of young girls and women; three Namibian soldiers were sent home from the force after a United Nations investigation found them guilty of "engaging in sexual activity with civilians", which is against United Nations rules for peacekeepers.<ref>NDF to probe Liberia sex scandal The Namibian, 26 May 2005</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 3 May 1949 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 May 1949.<ref name=":5">Template:Cite book</ref>
27 March 1936 has been accredited Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Liberia to the Netherlands Baron Otto van den Bogaerde van Terbrugge.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 1 October 1960 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 October 1960 when the Nigerian Government has agreed to Liberia's raising the status its consulate general in Lagos to that of an Embassy on the same date.<ref name=":19">Template:Cite book</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 1969 | Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1969 when has been accredited Pakistan's first Ambassador to Liberia M. Ali Arshad.<ref name=":33">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 7 June 1972 |
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 June 1972.<ref name=":36">Template:Cite book</ref> Liberia and Russia resumed bilateral relations in March 2010 and cited a recent exploration of mine by a Russian company as a sign of future trade relations.<ref name="RussiaItaly">Russia And Italy Renew Ties With Liberia Government of Liberia, 17 March 2010</ref> |
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| Template:Flag | 1962 | Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1962 when has been accredited Ambassador of Senegal to Liberia M. Amadou Lamine Sall.<ref name=":24">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 8 June 1962 |
See Liberia-Sierra Leone relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 June 1962 when has been appointed first ambassador of Liberia to Sierra Leone Mr. Henry B. Fahnbulleh.<ref name=":23">Template:Cite book</ref> The First Liberian Civil War, instigated by Charles Taylor and the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) on December 24, 1989, eventually spread to neighboring Sierra Leone in 1991 when dissidents of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), led by Foday Sankoh, began using Liberia as a staging ground for NPFL backed military assaults on border towns in Sierra Leone.<ref name="hrw" /><ref name="warwithoutend" /><ref name="diamondtimeline" /> Guinea and Sierra Leone have accused Liberia of backing rebels who have devastated their countries.<ref name="hrw" />
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| Template:Flag | 1980 | Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1980 when has been accredited Ambassador of Somalia to Liberia, residing in Dakar, M. Jaallee-Abdinur Yusuf Mohamed.<ref name=":40"/> |
| Template:Flag | 10 January 1997 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 January 1997<ref name=":44">Template:Cite web</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 18 March 1964 |
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 18 March 1964<ref name=":26">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2001 Bilateral Trade were Exports $7,350,000,000 (Ships, Automobile) Imports $1,270,000 (Used Ships, Mineral Fuel).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 15 May 1950 | See Liberia–Spain relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 May 1950<ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 27 May 1966 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 May 1966 when first Ambassador of Liberia to Tanzania Henry Bima Fahnbulleh presented his credentials to President Nyerere<ref name=":30">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 29 July 1960 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 July 1960 when accredited first Ambassador of Liberia to Togo Mr. John Cox.<ref name=":18">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 6 December 1965 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 December 1965 when was accredited first ambassador of Liberia to Trinidad and Tobago (resident in Haiti) Mr. William B. Fernandez<ref name=":29">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Flag | 1 August 1958 | See Liberia–Turkey relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 August 1958<ref name=":14">Template:Cite book</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 1 August 1849 | See Liberia–United Kingdom relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 August 1849<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> The UK was amongst the first countries to recognise the new republic. After the visit to the UK in 1848 of President Roberts, Queen Victoria put the Royal Navy ship HMS Amazon at the disposal of him and his family, for his return journey to Liberia.<ref>The Times. Monday, Dec 25, 1848; pg. 8; Issue 20055</ref> In 1961, Queen Elizabeth II made a state visit to Liberia, arriving at Monrovia on the HMY Britannia.<ref>The Times Oct 06, 1961; pg. 14, Nov 21, 1961; pg. 8; Issue 55244. Nov 23, 1961; pg. 10; Issue 55246.</ref> President Tubman made a gift of two Pygmy hippopotamus, which arrived by cargo ship in 1962 and were sent to Whipsnade Zoo.<ref>The Times. Jun 04, 1962; pg. 5; Issue 55408.</ref> In 1962, President Tubman and his wife visited the UK.<ref>The Times. Mar 28, 1962; pg. 5; Issue 55351. Jul 10, 1962; pg. 11; Issue 55439</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 23 February 1864 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 February 1864<ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref>
See Liberia–United States relations U.S. relations with Liberia date back to 1819 when the US Congress appropriated $100,000 for the establishment of Liberia.<ref name="statedeptprofile">Template:Cite web</ref> After official US recognition of Liberia in 1862, the two nations shared very close ties until strains in the 1970s due to Liberia's establishment of diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union and other Eastern Bloc countries.<ref name="pbstimeline">Template:Cite web</ref> During the 1980s, the United States forged especially close ties with Liberia as part of a Cold War effort to suppress socialist and Marxist movements in Africa. Liberia received between $500 million and $1.3 billion during the 1980s from the United States government.<ref name="worldsecurity">Template:Cite web</ref> The rise of Charles Taylor's government, the Liberian Civil War, regional instability and human rights abuses interrupted the previously close relations between Liberia and the United States. The United States cut direct financial and military aid to the Liberian government, withdrew Peace Corps operations, imposed a travel ban on senior Liberian Government officials, and frequently criticized Charles Taylor's government.<ref name="statedeptprofile" /><ref name="cnnusun">Template:Cite web</ref> Due to intense pressure from the international community and the United States, Charles Taylor resigned his office on August 11, 2003.<ref name="pbstimeline" /> The resignation and exile of Charles Taylor in 2003 brought changes in diplomatic ties between the United States and Liberia. The United States proposed a United Nations Security Council draft resolution to authorize the deployment of a multi-national stabilization force,<ref name="frontline">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="cnntaylor">Template:Cite web</ref> and 200 marines as well as warships were sent to Monrovia's airport to support the peace-keeping effort.<ref name="bbcwarships">Template:Cite web</ref> The United States committed $1.16 billion to Liberia between 2004 and 2006.<ref name="statedeptprofile" /><ref name="cnntaylorstepsdown">Liberian president invites rebels into government, CNN, August 12, 2003 Template:Webarchive</ref> In 2009, A 17.5 million dollar contract to support elections was offered to Liberia with International Foundation for Electoral Systems as the conduit.<ref name="USAIDLib">Template:Cite news</ref> This money is meant to support the presidential election of 2011 and the general election of 2014.<ref name="USAIDLib" />
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| Template:Flag | 16 March 1965 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 March 1965 |
| Template:Flag | 28 June 2016 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 June 2016<ref name=":47">Template:Cite web</ref>
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| Template:Flag | 3 April 1972 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 April 1972 when first Zambian Ambassador to Liberia Mr. Siteke G. Mwale presented his credentials<ref name=":35">Template:Cite book</ref> |
Diplomatic Agreements
[edit]Liberia is a founding member of the United Nations (see Permanent Representative of Liberia to the United Nations) and its specialized agencies and is a member of the African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), African Development Bank (ADB), Mano River Union (MRU) and the Non-Aligned Movement. Liberia is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98).<ref name="statedeptprofile"/><ref name="ciafactbook">Template:Cite web</ref>
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Template:Foreign relations of Liberia Template:Liberia topics Template:Africa in topic