Liberian - Irish Relations

Ireland established its bilateral relations with Liberia in 2004 and is currently represented by Ambassador Claire Buckley (based in Freetown), and a resident Chargé d’Affaires, Gerard Considine. 

Ireland’s development cooperation programme, Irish Aid, established a small office in Monrovia in 2010 to provide increased monitoring and oversight support to Irish Aid’s Liberia country programme. In 2018, the Government of Ireland upgraded its Mission in Liberia to full Embassy status.

Between 2003 and 2007, Ireland participated in the UN Mission in Liberia through provision of troops from the Irish Defence Forces to support peace-keeping and security activities subsequent to the Liberian civil war. To this day, the performance of Irish Defence Forces personnel remains highly regarded, both by the population and authorities of Liberia.

The opening of Ireland’s Development Cooperation Office in 2010 resulted in deeper engagement in security sector reform, support for the health sector and in programming aimed at the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence. Ireland also played an important coordination and advocacy role during the Ebola outbreak.

Ireland’s current engagement in Liberia is guided by the government’s 2019-2023 Strategy, which aims to deepen development, political and economic cooperation between Ireland and Liberia.

Liberia has made strong progress in maintaining multi-party democracy and consolidating peace and stability; the inauguration of President George Weah in 2018 marked the first peaceful transition of power in over 70 years. Ireland’s priority areas throughout the new strategy period will include poverty reduction, gender equality, nutrition, food security and the promotion and protection of human rights, in particular women’s rights.