Natural resources and energy
Liberia has good assets on several minerals,
including iron ore, diamonds, gold, bauxite, copper and
nickel. There are also heavy-duty spatulas used in the
manufacture of paint, and kyanite, which is used in the
manufacture of refractory objects.
Iron mining was previously an important industry and
the export of iron ore was significant. For many years,
business was down due to the war but has now started to
resume (see Financial overview). A number of foreign
companies, some with stringent ownership conditions,
have shown interest and also been granted mining
licenses. However, many of the companies put most of the
work on ice and withdrew experts and capital in
connection with the Ebola epidemic 2014–2015, which also
coincided with falling world market prices for a number
of raw materials, such as iron ore.
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COUNTRYAAH:
Major exports by Liberia with a full list of the top products exported by the country. Includes trade value in U.S. dollars and the percentage for each product category.
When the Civil War began in 1989, gold and diamonds
became the only minerals extracted to a greater extent.
Diamonds were also smuggled into the country from Sierra
Leone. In May 2001, the UN Security Council banned
Liberia from exporting diamonds due to the suspicion
that the mining was illegal and that the proceeds were
used to finance the war. In 2007, the ban was lifted
after the new government began to cooperate with the
Kimberley Process, the control system that will
guarantee the legal origin of the stones. After that,
exports resumed. However, it has proved difficult to
completely stop the illegal mining and export.
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Abbreviationfinder: A popular acronym site in the world covering abbreviation for each country. For example, LR stands for Liberia.
Wood and charcoal are still the most common source of
energy for households and small businesses, while oil
and electricity account for a minor part. About a third
of electricity comes from hydropower. All oil must be
imported, but there is hope of finding oil off the coast
of Liberia and exploration is ongoing.
At the end of the war in 2003, the electricity grid
and the power plants were so poorly accessed that no
electricity could be produced at all. Most of the
capital Monrovia has now regained its electricity supply
thanks to foreign aid, but the capacity does not yet
meet the entire need. With assistance from the European
Investment Bank (EIB), 2014 began the reconstruction of
the large Mount Coffee power plant, which was destroyed
during the war. The project was delayed by the Ebola
outbreak but was expected to be implemented at the end
of 2016. In addition, Liberia 2018 is intended to be
connected to the West African energy pool Wapp, and thus
be able to get electricity from neighboring countries.
FACTS - ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Carbon dioxide emissions in total
935 thousand tons (2014)
Carbon dioxide emissions per inhabitant
0.2 ton (2014)
The share of energy from renewable sources
83.8 percent (2015)
2017
December
Weah wins the presidential election
December 26
The second round of the presidential election between
George Weah and Joseph Boakai is being held in calm
form. The turnout is lower than in the first round, 56
percent. According to observers, the election itself is
better organized than in October. The election is won by
Weah, who gets 61.5 percent of the vote. He has
particularly strong support among young voters. He was
congratulated by Boakai who confessed to being defeated.
Weah's victory also means that Jewel Howard-Taylor ,
who was previously married to Charles Taylor, will
become Liberia's vice president.
Weah takes over as President on January 22, 2018.
The Freedom Party supports Weah for the next round
of elections
December 14
George Weah's position is strengthened for the second
round of the presidential election, when the Freedom
Party decided to support his candidacy. All parties have
now accepted the ruling in the Supreme Court that
Brumskine and Boakai lacked sufficient evidence that the
cheating in the first round was so gross that the choice
had to be made.
HD provides the clear sign for the second round of
the presidential election
December 7
The Supreme Court gives the go-ahead to the second
round of presidential elections. The court finds that
there is not enough evidence that the election needs to
be redone. The Election Commission later announces that
the second round of elections between George Weak and
Joespeh Boakai will be held on December 26.
November
The election is appealed to the Supreme Court
November 28
The Freedom Party and the Unity Party are appealing
to the Supreme Court to formally appeal the result of
the October elections and demand that the election be
redone. The Election Commission must therefore provide
the court with the necessary documents until December 4,
after which the Supreme Court has a week to make its
decision.
Election Commission: No irregularities in the
presidential election
20th of November
The Election Commission (NEC) formally rejects the
allegations of election fraud made by the Freedom Party
and the Unity Party. Muana Ville, who is responsible for
the NEC issue, says the two parties have not been able
to prove that the Election Commission has committed any
irregularities. The two parties can appeal the decision,
but it is unclear if that will happen, or whether the
matter will ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court.
The outside world calls on Liberia to resolve the
crisis as soon as possible
November 14
Various foreign players, including the AU, the EU and
Ecowas, are pushing for the electoral commission and
political parties to resolve the ongoing crisis as soon
as possible so that Liberia can elect a new president.
In its statement, the AU, Ecowas and the UN operation in
the country emphasized the importance of respecting the
collective will of the Liberians and not letting
individual ambitions stand in the way.
According to media reports, the Election Commission
is investigating the complaints and is not expected to
make a decision this week.
Johnson Sirleaf expresses concern for Liberia's
democracy
November 8
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says the Supreme
Court's decision to postpone the second round of the
presidential election indefinitely poses a threat to
democracy in Liberia. The Election Commission, which
after the October election said it was properly
implemented, must now investigate allegations of
cheating before the decisive round of elections can be
held. At the same time, more and more parties have
supported the Freedom Party candidate Brumsine's
allegations that irregularities have occurred.
Four of the presidential candidates in October
Boakai, Brumskine, Alexander Cummings and Benoni Urey
meet for deliberations. They discuss, among other
things, forming an alliance to strengthen Boakai for the
second round of elections. Unity Party President Robert
Kpadeh says that all four agree that Weah cannot manage
the country. At the same time, the four politicians urge
their supporters to keep calm.
The second round of presidential elections is
postponed indefinitely
November 6
The Supreme Court postpones the second round of the
presidential election indefinitely. It says that no
election will be held until the NEC Election Commission
deals with the complaint filed by the Freedom Party.
According to the constitution, the NEC has up to one
month to deal with the case after an appeal has been
made. This means that the NEC must make its decision by
22 November.
The Supreme Court criticizes the Election Commission
for continuing the electoral preparations ahead of
November 7 without having done anything to the Freedom
Party's appeal. To hold the election without doing so
would run counter to the law, the court argues.
Ebola money disappeared into corruption
November 3
The Red Cross apologizes for the corresponding $ 6
million in aid funds disappeared through corruption and
fraud during the Ebola crisis in West Africa 2014 to
2016. In Liberia's case, this is about $ 2.7 million,
which went to goods that were overpriced and to payouts.
to people who did not exist. The Red Cross says that you
should do everything you can to answer the guilty.
HD stops elections after cheating charges
November 1st
The Supreme Court has, at least temporarily, stopped
the second round of elections in the presidential
election scheduled for November 7. The decision is
justified by the fact that the court must decide on an
appeal from the Freedom Party's Charles Brumskine, who
came in third place in the October elections. It is
unclear if the court will be able to reach its decision
before November 7.
Boakai from the ruling Unity Party has stated his
support for Brumskine's appeal, and is criticizing
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and accusing her of
being involved in the election process. It is about a
meeting that she should have had with the election judge
before the October elections. Through his press
secretary, the president allows health meetings to be
consistent with their constitutional role.
Security is strengthened both around the premises of
the Supreme Court and the Election Commission.
October
Several parties demand that the election be annulled
October 27th
The Freedom Party (LP), All Liberians' Party (ALP)
and the Alternative National Congress (ANC) submit
formal protests to the Election Commission asking them
to annul the result because of cheating. The complaints
include, among other things, allegations that ballot
papers were filled in advance, voters who were prevented
from voting, harassment by election observers, but also
problems regarding polling station opening hours.
Second round of elections awaits between Weah and
Boakai
October 10
Liberia goes for election. In the presidential
election, the Liberians can choose from 20 candidates
and 948 candidates compete for 73 seats in the House of
Representatives. The election is conducted under calm
conditions, but some reports come about that voters
tried to vote several times, lack of election material,
errors in voting lengths and more. The turnout is
reported to be relatively high, 75 percent according to
preliminary figures. The EU, AU, Ecowas, Carter Center
and others have sent observers to the election. In
addition, there are about 3000 domestic election
observers.
Presidential candidate for the ruling Unity
Party (UP) is Vice President Joseph Boakai. He
is expected to face his toughest opposition from
business leader and millionaire Benoni Urey, former
football star Senator George Weah, former warlord and
now Sen. Prince Johnson, Alexander Cummings, who worked
for Coca-Cola in both the United States and Nigeria, and
the Freedom Party's Charles Walker
Brumskine. The only woman in the starting field is
former photo model MacDella Cooper, who now runs a
foundation to improve living conditions for women and
children.
When almost all the votes are counted, George Weah
leads by 39 percent, ahead of Joseph Boakai who has
gained 29 percent, Charles Brumskine who has received
just under 10 percent and Alexander Cummings and Prince
Johnson who have received about 7 percent each . This
means that there will be a second round of elections on
November 7 between Weah and Boakai.
Charles Brumskine has rejected the result and claims
that cheating has occurred.
The election will also be rescheduled in two polling
stations in Nimba, but in the case of votes, it will not
affect the overall result.
July
Twenty want to succeed Johnson Sirleaf
31 July
Twenty candidates have been registered for the
presidential election in October when a successor to
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is to be appointed. The candidates
include the former warlord and now senator Prince
Johnson, former football professional George Weah, also
now senator, corporate executives Alexander Cummings and
Benoni Urey as well as the only female candidate, the
former photo model MacDella Cooper. Current Vice
President Joseph Boakai hopes to win votes on the
peaceful development of recent years. However, none of
the candidates are obvious advance favorites.
February
Taylor calls from prison
February 10
The British media company BBC reveals that former
President Charles Taylor manages to call from the Durham
prison to political supporters in his home country.
Among other things, he must have provided
representatives of the NPP, the party he once founded,
advice before the elections later in the year, and asked
them to avoid former allies who turned against him.
Prior to the election, NPP is collaborating with the
CDC and with former football star George Weah as
presidential candidate and Taylor's former wife Jewel
Taylor as vice presidential candidate.
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