Why Liberia?
Stable
- Africa’s oldest modern republic
- Government modeled on the US system
- Politically stable democracy since 2003 after signing the Accra Peace Agreement
- Three successful elections (2005, 2011 and 2017) with peaceful transfer of power from one democratically elected government to another
- UN peacekeeping program assisting Liberia’s transformation successfully ended in 2018
Growing
- Over 300% GDP growth between 2003 and 2019
- Currently has one of the highest levels of foreign direct investment (FDI) in West Africa relative to GDP
- Over US $18 Billion FDI committed to date, mainly towards the mineral, oil and agricultural sectors
- Part of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a single large trade bloc created to promote economic integration
- English is the official language
Mining Focused
- Pro-mining Government, EITI-compliant since 2011
- Mining Code based on Australian legislation
- Revival of the mining industry an explicit government objective as a vital tool for continued economic growth and FDI
- Friendly mining regulations have enabled in increase in gold production and exports
- Minimal 3% royalty rate and a 25% basic rate of tax on earnings
- 100% repatriation of profits and no currency exchange restrictions
- In January 2021, ArcelorMittal announced an additional US$800M investment into its mining operations in Liberia
Well Endowed
- West African craton hosts numerous world-class gold deposits with a gold endowment of over 450Moz
- 90% of the craton has been explored just in the last 30 years
- It is the largest Paleoproterozoic gold-producing region in the world
Underexplored
- Liberia is the least-explored area on the Craton, with high potential to discover and deliver gold mines
- Gold in Liberia is concentrated in Archean and Brimian age greenstone belts of the Man – Leo shield which forms the southwestern part of the Craton
There are many major natural resource companies that are invested in, and have been operating in, Liberia.