By: G. Bennie Bravo Johnson, I.
The United Nations Network on Migration, in partnership with the Government of Liberia, has intensified efforts to strengthen Liberia’s migration governance framework with the conclusion of a high-level one-day workshop aimed at advancing the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), an initiative funded by the European Union.
The workshop was held on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at the D’Calabash Hotel in Oldest Congo Town, Monrovia, bringing together technical-level government officials, inter-departmental working groups involved in GCM implementation, regional and national stakeholders, local organizations, civil society groups, and United Nations agencies.
The engagement was designed to reinforce Liberia’s institutional capacity to implement the GCM by aligning national migration priorities with global standards, strengthening inter-agency coordination, and laying the groundwork for informed reporting and policy development ahead of the 2026 International Migration Review Forum.
Opening the workshop, Mr. Donghyuk Park, Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Liberia, underscored the strategic significance of the GCM, describing it as Liberia’s first inter-governmentally negotiated agreement developed under the auspices of the United Nations to comprehensively address all dimensions of international migration.
Mr. Park recalled that in July 2025, the United Nations Network on Migration facilitated Liberia’s first national GCM training for government officials, an initiative that attracted strong participation across ministries and public institutions. He noted that lessons drawn from that engagement are now actively shaping national policy processes and Liberia’s preparations for the upcoming global migration review.
According to him, Liberia continues to demonstrate leadership by integrating migration into broader inclusive development frameworks. “The workshop constituted a significant step in embedding migration into the national development agenda and advancing constructive dialogue among government, civil society, academia, and partners,” Mr. Park emphasized.
For her part, Mrs. Janice Malekebu, Consultant at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Focal Person on Migration and Diaspora Affairs, highlighted the Ministry’s central role in coordinating migration-related issues and overseeing Liberia’s GCM review and reporting obligations.
She explained that the Ministry has been working closely with relevant government ministries and agencies, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and development partners through a series of consultative meetings aimed at collecting data for the GCM report and reviewing Liberia’s draft national migration policy.
Mrs. Malekebu acknowledged that while Liberia has an existing draft migration policy, it remains outdated and unfinalized. “With the support of IOM and other development partners, this process seeks to revitalize and modernize the national migration policy framework to reflect current realities,” she stated.
She further disclosed that the forthcoming report will provide a comprehensive assessment of Liberia’s migration governance landscape, outlining achievements, challenges, gaps, and priority actions, while ensuring an inclusive and participatory process that promotes national ownership.
Also speaking, Mr. Erasmus Williams, Head of the Diaspora Office at the Office of the President of the Republic of Liberia, reaffirmed the government’s longstanding partnership with IOM, particularly in the area of diaspora engagement.
Mr. Williams described the GCM project as a well-calculated intervention, noting that members of the Liberian diaspora have made substantial contributions to economic development both in their countries of residence and back home. He emphasized that strong transnational ties often exist long before individuals are formally classified as members of the diaspora.
Representing the Transformation Collaboration for Peace Initiative, Mr. Richard Agbaji commended the vital role of local NGOs, civil society organizations, and community-based groups in advancing effective migration governance.
He stressed that their grassroots engagement remains critical to public awareness, advocacy, and information dissemination. “We recognize these organizations as indispensable partners whose efforts strengthen inclusive migration governance and ensure that migration responses are grounded in dignity, trust, and community ownership,” Mr. Agbaji said.
Liberia’s GCM project represents the country’s first inter-governmentally negotiated framework on migration, encompassing 23 objectives and 10 guiding principles, including strengthened international cooperation on migration governance and a comprehensive set of policy options to address emerging migration challenges facing member states.
