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.
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 List of countries with which Liberia maintains diplomatic relations: #CountryDate1234—56789101112131415161718192021—222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131—132133134135136137138139140141142Unknown143Unknown
Bilateral relations Africa Country Formal Relations BeganNotes6 March 1959Both 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.
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.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
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.
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. By 2002, the United Nations estimated that three million people, or one in five people of the Mano River Union countries, were displaced.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
Guinea has an embassy in Monrovia. Liberia has an embassy in Conakry.1 April 1974See Liberia–Libya relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 April 1974.
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.28 April 1990Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 April 1990
In 1960, Liberia and Ethiopia brought litigation against apartheid South Africa in the International Court of Justice to end its illegal occupation of Namibia. NewLiberian.com, 15 July 2008 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.Liberia and Namibia to trade more The Namibian, 15 July 2008 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.NDF to probe Liberia sex scandal The Namibian, 26 May 2005 Liberia is accredited to Namibia from its embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. Namibia is accredited to Liberia from its high commission in Abuja, Nigeria.Liberia began recognizing the SADR on 31 July 1985. Liberia revoked its recognition in September 1997. By 2012, Liberia had re-established relations with the SADR.8 June 1962See 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.
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. Guinea and Sierra Leone have accused Liberia of backing rebels who have devastated their countries.
Liberia has an embassy in Freetown. Sierra Leone has an embassy in Monrovia.
Americas Country Formal Relations BeganNotes29 June 1952Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 June 1952. Haiti and Liberia recognized each other in 1864. The two countries established treaties of friendship and commerce the same year.22 June 1976Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 June 1976 Liberia is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.Embassy of Liberia in the United States Mexico is accredited to Liberia from its embassy in Accra, Ghana.23 February 1864Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 February 1864 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. 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.
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.
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. Due to intense pressure from the international community and the United States, Charles Taylor resigned his office on August 11, 2003.
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, and 200 marines as well as warships were sent to Monrovia's airport to support the peace-keeping effort. The United States committed $1.16 billion to Liberia between 2004 and 2006.Liberian president invites rebels into government, CNN, August 12, 2003 In 2009, A 17.5 million dollar contract to support elections was offered to Liberia with International Foundation for Electoral Systems as the conduit. This money is meant to support the presidential election of 2011 and the general election of 2014.
Liberia has an embassy in Washington, D.C., and consulate-generals in New York City, Atlanta and Minneapolis. United States has an embassy in Monrovia.
Asia Country Formal Relations BeganNotes17 February 1977See 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. The PRC broke off relations with Liberia on October 10, 1989, in response to Liberia's recognition of the Republic of China (Taiwan).Taiwan Edges Out China for Liberia's Diplomatic Recognition, Global News No. GL970-25, February 21, 1997
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.Cross-Strait Scramble for Africa, A Hidden Agenda in China-Africa Cooperation Forum, Harvard Asia Quarterly, Volume V, No. 2. Spring 2001 In 1997, Charles Taylor's government proclaimed to recognize "two Chinas" and the PRC subsequently severed diplomatic relations.' China and Liberia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, August 8, 2003
Liberia dropped diplomatic relations with the ROC on October 12, 2003, and reestablished ties with the People's Republic of China. 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.
China has an embassy in Monrovia. Liberia has an embassy in Beijing.7 July 1960See India–Liberia relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 July 1960
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. 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.
India has an embassy in Monrovia. Liberia maintains an honorary consulate in New Delhi.2 June 1975Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 June 1975 In 2023, an Iranian drone struck the Liberian flagged chemical tanker Chem Pluto.22 August 1957See Israel–Liberia relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 August 1957. Liberia and Israel established ties in 1957 with the accreditation of Israeli ambassador Ehud Avriel. Liberia severed ties with Israel over the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Relations are re-established in 1983.