President Joseph N. Boakai has issued a directive to the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), demanding a full explanation and reconciliation of what he described as “serious discrepancies” in Liberia’s reported forest coverage. Speaking at the National Forest Forum in Monrovia on Monday, November 3, 2025 on behalf of President Boakai, Dr. Augustine Konneh,, Senior Advisor to the President questioned the sudden increase in the country’s forest area from US$4.3 million hectares reported in the 2004 National Forest Inventory to US$6.6 million hectares.
“Where are these new forest areas located? In which counties can we find them? What accounts for such a dramatic change in our forest statistics?” President Boakai asked, emphasizing that accurate data is the foundation for sound policymaking and credible forest management. The Liberian leader instructed the FDA Managing Director, Rudolph J. Merab, Sr. and his senior management team to provide a comprehensive report to his office within one week, clarifying the discrepancies surrounding Liberia’s total standing forest cover.
He said Liberia cannot continue to base its environmental and development strategies on “confusion and conflicting figures,” noting that credibility, transparency, and scientific accuracy must define the country’s forest governance moving forward.
He said, “We owe it to the Liberian people and to the global community to manage our forests based on truth, transparency, and scientific accuracy.” President Boakai described the forum as a crucial platform for reflection, dialogue, and collective commitment toward sustainable forest management.
Boakai lamented that despite Liberia’s vast forest resources, the largest remaining block of the Upper Guinea Forest, the sector has failed to deliver on its economic and social potential. “For more than two decades, we have seen repeated promises and underperformance. The forest sector has not delivered the expected economic, social, and environmental dividends that should improve the lives of our people, especially those living in forest-dependent communities,” The President stated.
He reaffirmed his administration’s vision of building a robust, transparent, and well-functioning forest sector capable of contributing meaningfully to job creation, climate resilience, and national development.
Boakai urged all stakeholders to engage in honest and productive dialogue, emphasizing that the outcomes of the forum must lead to real reforms and accountability in the management of Liberia’s forest resources. “Only then can we chart a responsible and transformative path forward for the forest sector of our country,” President Boakai narrated.
The National Forest Forum 2025, organized by the Forestry Development Authority, brought together senior government officials, international partners, members of the diplomatic corps, private sector representatives, and civil society organizations to discuss the future of Liberia’s forestry governance and sustainability efforts.
