On Monday, 26 October 2026, the Embassy of the Republic of Liberia in Paris initiated discussions with France’s AFNOR Group and the Réseau Normalization et Francophonie (RNF), or Network for Standardization and Francophonie, to explore strategic cooperation aimed at strengthening Liberia’s national quality infrastructure, enhancing institutional capacity, and improving the competitiveness of Liberian products and services in regional and international markets.
The discussions took place during a high-level meeting at the Embassy between His Excellency Dr. Teeko Tozay Yorlay, Sr., Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Liberia to the French Republic, and Mr. Franck Lebeugle, Deputy Director General of AFNOR Group, Director of Standardization Activities, and President of the RNF Network. Mr. Paul Passerat also accompanied the AFNOR delegation.
The engagement forms part of the Embassy’s economic diplomacy agenda to mobilize international technical expertise, promote institutional partnerships, and support the Government of Liberia’s efforts to advance economic transformation through improved standards, quality assurance, and trade competitiveness.
A key focus of the meeting was the proposed membership of the Liberia Standards Authority (LiSA) in the RNF Network, an international, non-profit association that promotes cooperation among standards organizations and other institutions across the Francophone community.
Participation in the network could provide LiSA with opportunities to access standardization resources, exchange technical expertise, participate in professional development initiatives, and strengthen its institutional capabilities. These opportunities would support Liberia’s efforts to improve the development and application of internationally recognized standards and enhance confidence in the quality, safety, and reliability of Liberian goods and services.
The discussions also established a pathway toward developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) involving LiSA, AFNOR Group, and the RNF Network. Subject to further consultations and agreement among the relevant institutions, the proposed MoU would provide a framework for technical assistance, professional training, knowledge exchange, and institutional capacity-building.
Speaking during the meeting, Ambassador Yorlay reaffirmed the Government of Liberia’s commitment to strengthening national standards and quality assurance systems as essential pillars of economic transformation, industrial development, trade facilitation, investment promotion, and private-sector growth.
The Ambassador emphasized that a stronger national quality infrastructure would help Liberian producers meet applicable international requirements, improve product consistency, support value addition, and expand access to regional and global markets. He underscored the importance of ensuring that standards development and conformity assessment capabilities keep pace with Liberia’s economic ambitions.
Ambassador Yorlay further noted that the proposed cooperation aligns with the Government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) under the leadership of His Excellency President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., particularly its priorities relating to agricultural transformation, infrastructure development, economic diversification, and private-sector development.
The discussions identified several potential areas of cooperation, subject to further technical consultations and the finalization of an agreed framework: RNF Membership and International Cooperation: Facilitating LiSA’s participation in the RNF Network and exploring opportunities for access to standardization resources, technical exchanges, and professional development programs.
Agriculture and Agro-processing: Strengthening quality requirements and conformity assessment practices for priority Liberian products, including rice, cassava, coffee, and cocoa, to promote value addition, product reliability, and access to international markets.
Technical and Institutional Capacity-Building: Promoting professional training, workshops, technical exchanges, and knowledge transfer to enhance the expertise and operational capacity of LiSA and other relevant institutions.Alignment with International Standards: Exploring support for the development, adoption, and implementation of relevant international standards across priority sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, construction, maritime activities, renewable energy, and environmental management.
Ambassador Yorlay highlighted the longstanding diplomatic relations between Liberia and France, noting that the October 2025 engagement between President Boakai and French President Emmanuel Macron had provided renewed momentum for expanding practical cooperation between the two countries.
He emphasized the Embassy’s determination to translate diplomatic relations into concrete institutional partnerships that address Liberia’s development priorities, strengthen public-sector capabilities, attract investment, and create new opportunities for Liberian enterprises.
The Ambassador also stressed that international standardization and quality assurance are important to building trust among consumers, investors, trading partners, and regulatory institutions. Strengthening these systems, he noted, could contribute to greater competitiveness for Liberian businesses while supporting the country’s broader industrialization and export-development objectives.
In response, Mr. Lebeugle welcomed Liberia’s interest in strengthening its national standardization system and exploring participation in the RNF Network. He outlined opportunities for international cooperation, institutional development, technical exchanges, and access to standardization resources that could support the capacity-building objectives identified during the meeting. Both sides agreed to pursue the preparation and consideration of an MoU as a potential basis for sustained institutional cooperation.
As an immediate follow-up, AFNOR Group is expected to prepare and submit a draft MoU for review and consideration by LiSA. A follow-up meeting is anticipated within a few weeks to discuss proposed membership arrangements, priority technical activities, and possible implementation modalities.
The Embassy will coordinate with the Liberia Standards Authority to facilitate consultations, identify national priorities, and advance the proposed partnership.
The proposed cooperation represents a potential opportunity to strengthen Liberia’s engagement with international standardization networks, improve the capacity of national institutions, and build greater confidence in Liberian products and services.
By facilitating access to technical expertise and promoting institutional collaboration, the initiative seeks to support the development of a more effective national quality infrastructure capable of contributing to agricultural modernization, industrial development, trade expansion, and sustainable economic growth.
Through this engagement, the Embassy of the Republic of Liberia in Paris reaffirms its commitment to economic diplomacy that delivers development by fostering strategic international partnerships aligned with Liberia’s national priorities. The meeting was also attended by Mr. Emmanuel Saye Larmeh, Deputy Chief of Mission; Mr. Talifa Roger Suah, Counselor; and Mr. James S. Tuobe, Jr., Third Secretary at the Paris Mission.
