Welcome Message
I am delighted to welcome you to the website of the Embassy of Ireland in Liberia. It is an honour for me to have taken up duty as Ambassador of Ireland to Liberia in November 2021.
The Government of Ireland first opened a development cooperation office in Liberia in 2010. This was upgraded to an Embassy in 2018 to demonstrate our commitment to deepening and strengthening the relationship and close ties between Liberia and Ireland.
The work of the Embassy is guided by a five year Mission Strategy: Ireland in Liberia, 2019-2023. Our Mission Strategy sets out Ireland’s ambition to deepen bilateral, political, economic and cultural cooperation between Ireland and Liberia. It reflects our priorities across the five pillars of Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World, and has as its overarching goal to promote Ireland’s values and interests in Liberia. Ireland’s development cooperation in Liberia is aligned to A Better World: Ireland’s Policy for International Development. Equity, gender equality and inclusion are at the centre of the strategy which identifies two core outcomes for our work:
1. That citizens can participate in inclusive democratic processes
2. That poor women and girls are better nourished and live healthier, safer and more empowered lives
Our team in Monrovia is committed to working as a constructive and collaborative partner to the Government of Liberia in support of the aims of the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development. To this end we also work closely with Government, Multilateral partners and Civil Society partners.
There is a vibrant Irish community here. Irish Missionaries came to Liberia many years ago to work in the health and education fields. This interest in partnership and working towards a shared vision for a better future continues to the present day, with Irish people working with and within civil society and international organisations here.
Our team at the Embassy provides consular services to the Irish community and guidance on visas to Liberians interested in travelling to Ireland. The Embassy also manages the Ireland-Africa Fellows Programme for Liberia, a scholarship initiative that aims to nurture future leaders and develop in-country capacity to achieve the SDGs.
I hope you will learn more about our work on the pages of our website and I invite you to follow us on Twitter at @IrlEmbLiberia where you will see regular updates on our activities.
We look forward to meeting and working with you here in beautiful Liberia!
Céad Míle Fáilte,
Claire Buckley
Biography
Claire Buckley took up duty as the (non-resident) Ambassador of Ireland to the Republic of Liberia in November 2021.
She joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2002 and has enjoyed both policy roles in European Union and Political Divisions as well as operational roles in Protocol Division, Irish Abroad Unit and Human Resources. She was posted to Athens and undertook a temporary assignment to the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the UN in New York.
Claire holds a degree in European Studies from Trinity College, Dublin and a post-graduate diploma from the Technological University Dublin in Legal Studies.
Claire is married with three sons.