Monrovia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has issued a sweeping directive restricting official foreign travel by Cabinet Ministers and senior government officials, citing the need for a stronger focus on pressing national priorities.
The immediate directive imposes stringent conditions on all foreign trips undertaken by ministers, heads of agencies and commissions, ambassadors, and other senior officials.
Issuing the “Cabinet Directive on Official Foreign Travel” during a cabinet meeting, President Boakai stressed that some travels have negatively affected Cabinet participation and disrupted key government operations, depriving the administration of critical policy input and leadership at important decision-making levels.
The President further noted that repeated international trips place financial burdens on the government at a time when resources are urgently needed for national development priorities.
Under the directive, no government official may embark on official foreign travel without the express prior approval of the President.
The Liberian leader also introduced a “Virtual Participation First Policy,” directing all ministries, agencies, and commissions to prioritize participation in international meetings through platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams whenever practical.
All travel requests must now include detailed justifications: the strategic relevance of the trip to Liberia, estimated costs, funding sources, delegation composition, and an explanation of why virtual participation would be insufficient.
President Boakai stressed that physical attendance at conferences and international engagements will only be approved where it is “demonstrably necessary” and clearly in Liberia’s national interest.
Except under extraordinary circumstances, no Cabinet Minister or senior official may undertake more than one official foreign trip per quarter unless expressly authorized by the President. Additionally, travel requests will be denied if the official’s absence is likely to affect Cabinet deliberations, institutional leadership, urgent decision-making, or critical government functions.
The directive reinforces strict compliance with government travel regulations, including limitations on class of travel, per diem allowances, accommodations, and related expenditures. Implementation and monitoring will be jointly supervised by the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs and the Cabinet Office, while the President reserves the right to grant exceptions for compelling national interests.
President Boakai cautioned that all officials are expected to fully comply with the new policy in the interest of responsible governance, operational efficiency, and prudent management of public resources.
