Africa-Press – Liberia. . Government agencies, civil society organizations, and development partners have advanced a coordinated reform agenda for Liberia’s forest sector following a daylong Forest Sector Partners Dialogue in Monrovia.
The meeting, convened by the Society for the Conservation of Nature in Liberia (SCNL) and Sustain Earth and Equity Defenders (SEED), focused on aligning Liberia’s forest governance reforms with evolving global climate and carbon market frameworks while strengthening coordination among national institutions.
From Forum Commitments to Implementation
Discussions drew heavily on the outcomes of the 2025 National Forest Forum and the Monrovia Declaration on Forests, a multi-stakeholder roadmap that highlighted governance, law enforcement, and financing gaps in the sector. Participants reviewed how those commitments are being translated into legal, policy, and institutional reforms, stressing that civil society inputs must inform decision-making processes rather than remain isolated advocacy positions.
Organizers described the dialogue as a strategic review of progress since late 2025, aimed at identifying realistic priorities for 2026 and areas where stronger coordination is urgently needed.
The “Four Cs” Framework
Central to the dialogue was the concept of Liberia’s emerging “Four Cs” forest economy: Community Forestry, Conservation, Commercial Forestry, and Carbon Finance. Stakeholders said this framework reflects a shift toward managing forests as multi-value landscapes that balance livelihoods, biodiversity protection, responsible timber production, and climate finance opportunities.
However, participants also flagged risks, including governance weaknesses, benefit-sharing disputes, and limited national readiness to engage in international carbon markets.
Sector Challenges and Priority Actions
In community forestry, concerns were raised about weak governance, limited technical capacity, and gaps in benefit-sharing systems. Stakeholders called for stronger compliance monitoring, simplified legal frameworks, and improved coordination among the FDA, Liberia Land Authority, and local government bodies.
In the conservation sector, participants highlighted low political prioritization, insufficient biodiversity data, and increasing land-use pressures from mining and agriculture. Proposed solutions included establishing a high-level inter-ministerial conservation council, expanding digital monitoring systems, and mobilizing long-term financing through the Liberia Conservation Fund and other mechanisms.
For commercial forestry, discussions focused on inconsistent law enforcement, outdated legal frameworks, and gaps in traceability and transparency systems. Stakeholders emphasized the need to harmonize forestry and land laws, strengthen enforcement capacity, improve revenue systems, and expand product traceability.
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