08/07/2026
๐ท๐น๐ฌ๐บ๐บ ๐บ๐ป๐จ๐ป๐ฌ๐ด๐ฌ๐ต๐ป๐
๐ช๐๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐
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๐ต๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ๐
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๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐๐๐'๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ฉ๐๐๐
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๐ต๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Monrovia, Liberia โ June 8, 2026: The Civil Society Oil Palm Working Group (CSO-OPWG) expresses grave concern over the increasing threats posed to Liberia's forests, local communities, biodiversity and national security by the growing presence of undocumented foreign migrants and cross-border settlers, particularly those reported to be entering from Burkina Faso and neighboring countries.
The CSO-OPWG notes that these concerns are not new. As far back as March and April 2025, civil society organizations publicly warned about the increasing influx of undocumented migrants into Liberia's forest landscapes, the expansion of illegal mining and agricultural activities, growing land conflicts, and the occupation of protected and customary lands.
On March 27, 2025, an NGO Coalition of Liberia called on the Government to address the increasing influx of Burkinabรฉ and Ivorian nationals and its impact on forests, land rights, and community security. This was followed on April 3, 2025, by a public statement entitled: "NGO Coalition Frowns on Illegal Burkinabe," which urged the Government to take swift action to address illegal immigration, forest encroachment, and escalating land disputes. These concerns were widely reported in the Liberian media and reflected the growing anxiety of affected communities.
Reports from affected communities, the media, and civil society monitors indicate a disturbing rise in illegal forest encroachment, unauthorized land clearing, informal agricultural expansion, illegal mining and other activities contributing to deforestation and environmental degradation.
These developments are not only undermining Liberia's forest conservation efforts, but are also fueling tensions and conflicts within host communities placing increasing pressure on law enforcement institutions, immigration authorities, and local governance systems.
These concerns were further reinforced by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's recent remarks regarding the growing number of Burkinabรฉ nationals residing in Liberia. In a statement broadcast on national media and published on the Executive Mansion Website, the President disclosed that approximately 140,000 migrants from Burkina Faso are currently living in the country. Counties reporting the presence of Burkinabรฉ communities include Nimba, Grand Gedeh, Gbarpolu, Sinoe, B**g, Grand Kru, River Cess, and River Gee. The President emphasized the need for lawful migration management and coordinated government action.
The CSO-OPWG is particularly concerned about: The expansion of unauthorized agricultural and settlement activities into forested areas and community lands;
Growing disputes between local communities and migrant populations over land ownership, resource access, and traditional land-use rights; Weak enforcement of forestry, land, immigration, and environmental regulations; The increasing vulnerability of protected areas, community forests, and other high conservation value landscapes; The potential loss of critical biodiversity and ecosystem services that support local livelihoods and national development goals.
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, the CSO-OPWG recalls the following incidents involving conflicts among migrant populations and between migrants and local communities:
Chronology of Major Reported Incidents
1. March 2, 2025 โ Krahn-Grebo National Park, Grand Gedeh County
Two Forestry Development Authority (FDA) officers, Selma Kolako and Oliver Jelleh, reportedly fled an area surrounding the Krahn-Grebo National Park after receiving warnings of a possible arrest by traditional authorities while conducting awareness activities on protection of the park
2. March 27, 2025 โ Civil Society Raises National Alarm
The NGO Coalition of Liberia publicly called on the Government to urgently address the influx of Burkinabรฉ and Ivorian nationals allegedly engaged in illegal mining and cocoa farming, warning that the situation was accelerating deforestation, increasing land conflicts, threatening protected forests, and posing governance and national security risks.
3. April 3, 2025 โ NGO Coalition Issues Public Statement
The NGO Coalition issued another public statement, "NGO Coalition Frowns on Illegal Burkinabe," expressing concern over illegal immigration, forest encroachment, destruction of protected areas, and violent land conflicts, while urging immediate Government intervention.
4. August 12, 2025 โ B'hai Administrative District, River Gee County
A Burkinabรฉ national identified as Noufou, along with 15 others, was arrested following violent clashes over farmland ownership in the Gboryeazon Forest. The conflict reportedly resulted in significant property damage and left three persons seriously injured.
5. June 15, 2026 โ Druwoh Town, Konobo District, Grand Gedeh County
Law enforcement officers, including the FDA Regional Forester, were reportedly detained while conducting an operation targeting suspected illegal mining around the Cavalla River and the Krahn-Grebo National Park.
6. June 16, 2026 โ Kparblee District, Nimba County.
A violent confrontation among Burkinabรฉ nationals reportedly resulted in one person sustaining serious injuries following a dispute inside a forest settlement.
๐ต๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐:
The CSO-OPWG believes that these developments now extend beyond environmental management and constitute an emerging national security concern requiring urgent Government attention. The increasing occupation of remote forest landscapes by undocumented migrants, coupled with weak immigration controls and limited law enforcement presence, presents risks including:
โขExpansion of illegal settlements in protected forests and customary lands
Transboundary movement of undocumented persons without effective screening or registration
โขIncreased opportunities for organized illegal mining, illicit trade, and other transnational criminal activities
โขEscalating land disputes between migrant populations and host communities;
Growing threats to protected areas, biodiversity, and Liberia's climate commitments
Potential exploitation of porous forest borders by criminal networks; and
Increasing pressure on national security institutions responsible for forest regulation, border management, immigration, environmental protection, and public order.
The CSO-OPWG emphasizes that these concerns relate specifically to undocumented migration and unlawful activities and should not be interpreted as a condemnation of migrants who are lawfully present in Liberia and who respect the country's laws.
These challenges require urgent, coordinated, and evidence-based responses from all relevant government institutions. Addressing these challenges solely through a security lens will be insufficient.
A comprehensive approach combining effective border management, immigration enforcement consistent with human rights, strengthened forest governance, land administration community engagement, environmental protection and regional cooperation is urgently required.
The CSO-OPWG therefore reiterates its call for an inter-agency national response involving the Liberia Immigration Service, Forestry Development Authority, Liberia Land Authority, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Environmental Protection Agency, Joint Security, county authorities, and development partners to safeguard Liberia's forests, communities, and national security.
The CSO-OPWG emphasizes that Liberia's forests are a national heritage whose protection requires collective responsibility. Failure to address these emerging challenges could have far-reaching consequences for biodiversity conservation, climate commitments, national security, food security, community stability, and sustainable economic development.
We urge all stakeholders to act decisively and collaboratively to safeguard Liberia's forests and ensure that natural resource governance remains transparent, inclusive, and accountable and consistent with Liberia's constitutional obligation to protect its territorial integrity, natural resources, and the rights of its citizens.
