CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA – In a defining milestone for domestic governance and sustainable peace, House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon has formally accepted a landmark petition from civil society organizations and successfully advanced it to the House Plenary. Received with high diplomatic regard, the formal request calls for an institutionalized, non-discretionary budgetary allocation of 0.1% from Liberia’s $1.2 billion national budget to rescue the nation’s civic space from an existential sustainability crisis.
True to his stated commitment to treating the third sector as an “indispensable partner for national development,” Speaker Koon expedited the petition immediately after its formal submission. On Thursday, June 25, 2026, the proposed CSO Bill was officially introduced on the floor during the plenary session of the 55th Legislature, where it was read, adopted, and subsequently transmitted to the House Governance Committee for review and timely reporting.
The petition was formally presented at the Capitol Building on June 24, 2026, by Augustine S. Arkoi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Better Future Foundation (BFF), acting on behalf of a powerful collaborative network: the Consortium of CSOs-Partners for Democracy and Good Governance (PdG). Facilitated by Representative Thomas Romeo Quioh, the historic presentation was witnessed by key civil society leaders, including Ambassador Lionel Johnson, President of the Federation of Disabilities Organizations of Liberia; Vice President Mrs. Sarah Wallace; and Mr. Mark Miller, Program Officer of the Liberia Elections Observation Network (LEON). During the presentation, Speaker Koon noted that upon successful passage of the law, it would be highly prudent to consider community chairmen for honoraria to incentivize localized leadership.
Shifting from External Dependency to National Ownership
For decades, Liberia’s vibrant third sector, the CSO, has been the primary vehicle for grassroots service delivery, land dispute mediation, human rights monitoring, and democratic oversight. However, this essential architecture faces an acute funding void brought on by the withdrawal of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), the closure of critical international NGO programs, the dissolution and expiration of key USAID projects, and the shutdown of Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) initiatives.
“Over-reliance on fluctuating external donor priorities compromises national ownership and threatens the continuity of vital peace consolidation initiatives,” stated BFF CEO Augustine S. Arkoi during the presentation. This legislative push bridges the gap by enacting the long-delayed legal frameworks outlined in the 2016 GoL-CSO ACCORD and Section 7.2.1.5 of the Government of Liberia Civil Society Partnership Policy, which explicitly mandates the creation of a Civil Society Trust Fund.
International Best Practices and Justification
The request for an institutionalized 0.1% budgetary allocation to support more than 2,500 recorded CSOs is grounded in proven global and regional governance frameworks. Advanced democracies and emerging economies alike recognize that state-funded independent accountability mechanisms yield immense social returns:
The European Model of Civic Subsidiarity: Across several European Union nations, state budgets actively subsidize accredited CSOs through independent statutory funds to implement public service, civic education, and healthcare initiatives without compromising their independent watchdog status.
West African Precedents: Countries across the ECOWAS sub-region are increasingly turning toward domestic asset mobilization. By allocating local state resources via competitive, transparent “Calls for Proposals,” governments maximize the unparalleled access CSOs have to remote, underserved populations where formal line ministries lack reach.
The bill represents a rational paradigm shift from treating CSOs as mere external entities to treating them as constitutional pillars. The petition draws robust legitimacy from the 1986 Liberian Constitution—specifically Article 1 (inherent power of the people), Article 5 (state obligation for national reconciliation), and Article 17 (the right to petition the government). By funding CSOs domestically, Liberia ensures that its democratic development is insulated from foreign policy shifts and remains aligned with purely Liberian national interests.
Rigid Safeguards to Defeat Corruption and Political Interference
To counter any risk of political co-optation, conflict of interest, or financial mismanagement, the proposed legislation builds an ironclad wall of accountability. Funding will not be handed out as discretionary political favors. Instead, disbursements will be governed through a competitive, merit-based framework evaluated by an independent, multi-stakeholder board comprised of government officials, the National Civil Society Board of Liberia, and external auditors.
To be eligible for the proposed 0.1% allocation, CSOs must strictly meet mandatory baseline criteria:
1. Legal and Financial Compliance: Proof of valid incorporation, official accreditation, and full compliance with Liberian tax and labor regulations.
2. Institutional Maturity: A minimum track record of three years of active, verifiable operation.
3. Fiduciary Soundness: Submission of independently audited financial statements for the preceding two fiscal years, prepared by a certified Liberian accounting firm.
4. Strict Non-Partisanship: Execution of a binding legal affidavit verifying absolute non-partisanship and zero affiliation with political parties or candidates.
A Call for Swift Legislative Passage
As the bill moves to the House Governance Committee, the petitioning consortium—supported by NARDA, the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), CENTAL, and the Voices of The Elders (VOTE)- Republic of Liberia—urges lawmakers to recognize its strategic urgency. Investing 0.1% of the state budget into a specialized, tightly audited Trust Fund will accelerate the localization of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID). Furthermore, the bill satisfies Article 5 of the Constitution by calling for the statutory establishment of a National Peace & Reconciliation Commission to institutionalize peace education, civics curriculum, and anti-drug sensitization in schools nationwide.
One of the prominent signatories to the proposed CSO bill, Dr. D. Evelyn S. Kandakai, Former Liberian Minister of Education, said: “Liberia stands at a historic crossroads. The National Legislature has the profound opportunity to lead West Africa in civic sustainability. By swiftly passing this bill, lawmakers will ensure that the oversight, peace, and stable development of the Republic are funded by the state, owned by the people, and preserved for generations to come.”
Meanwhile, key international stakeholders and prominent rights advocates have swiftly welcomed the Legislature’s decisive action adopting the CSO bill as a major positive step toward resolving the long-standing sustainability crisis within Liberia’s civil society sector. In separate expressions of support, the Country Representative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Christian Mukosa; the Executive Director of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), Urias Pour; and the Secretary General of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC), Rev. Dr. Christopher Toe, along with other leading activists, all praised the lawmakers’ intervention. They emphasized that addressing the financial and operational vulnerabilities of CSOs is vital for maintaining a robust civic space, protecting human rights, and safeguarding democratic governance.
Adding her voice to the wave of support, veteran educator and keynote speaker during the December 2025 validation, adoption, and signing of the proposed CSO bill, Sister Mary Laurene Browne, OSF, hailed the legislative intervention as an unprecedented and visionary act of statesmanship that will be permanently etched in the annals of history and deeply appreciated by posterity. Sister Mary Laurene Browne noted that by taking proactive ownership of this sustainability crisis, the National Legislature has not only validated the tireless, grassroots efforts of peacebuilders and civic advocates, but has also laid a resilient foundation for enduring national development and reconciliation across Liberia.
BFF is a Liberian-based CSO dedicated to building peace, supporting democracy, promoting development, and international cultural understanding and cooperation.
