President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has raised serious concerns over conflicting reports about Liberia's total forest cover and has ordered the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) to provide a full reconciliation of the figures within one week.
Delivering the opening statement on behalf of President Boakai at the National Forest Forum 2025, held at the Monrovia City Hall, Dr. Augustine Konneh described the discrepancies in Liberia's forest data as "unacceptable" and warned that unreliable information undermines the country's environmental governance and credibility with international partners.
The forum, organized by the FDA, brought together key national and international stakeholders, including members of the Cabinet, EU Ambassador Nona Deprez, members of the diplomatic corps, development partners, civil society representatives, and private sector actors under the theme of promoting dialogue and collaboration in the sustainable management of Liberia's forest resources.
"To move forward effectively, we must begin with the truth," said Dr. Konneh, who served as the Senior Advisor to the Office of the President in the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs. "We must have clarity on the actual status of our national forest estate."
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According to him, the 2004 National Forest Inventory, conducted jointly by the World Bank Group and the FDA estimated Liberia's total forest cover at 4.3 million hectares. However, more recent figures now place the country's forest cover at 6.6 million hectares -- an unexplained increase of 2.3 million hectares.
"This sudden increase raises serious questions," he said.
"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?"
Dr. Konneh emphasized that accurate and scientifically verified data is the foundation for sound policymaking, credible forest management, and effective international engagement. He noted that confusion over fundamental data risks undermining the government's credibility and hinders Liberia's ability to attract climate finance and development support.
"Without clarity, confusion will continue to undermine our credibility and decision-making as a nation," he warned.
The Liberian leader therefore directed FDA Managing Director Hon. Rudolph J. Merab, Sr., along with the Authority's senior management and technical team, to submit a comprehensive report to his office within one week explaining and reconciling the discrepancies surrounding Liberia's total forest cover.
"We owe it to the Liberian people, and to the global community, to manage our forests based on truth, transparency, and scientific accuracy," the President declared.
"Only then can we chart a responsible and transformative path forward for the forest sector of our country."
President Boakai also expressed frustration over the slow progress and persistent underperformance of Liberia's forestry sector despite decades of international support and policy reforms. He said the country's vast forest endowment -- one of the largest remaining blocks of the Upper Guinea Forest in West Africa -- has not delivered the economic, social, and environmental dividends it should have provided since the end of the civil conflict.
"For more than two decades, we have seen repeated promises, fragmented interventions, and cycles of underperformance," Boakai noted.
"The forest sector has not delivered the expected benefits that should improve the lives of our people, especially those living in forest-dependent communities."
He cited weak institutions, inconsistent enforcement of forestry laws, illegal logging, and overlapping land uses as major challenges that continue to constrain the sector's growth. He also lamented that the potential of forest carbon, biodiversity conservation, and community forest management remains largely untapped.
"This is unacceptable for a country so richly endowed and so deeply reliant on its natural capital," Boakai stressed.
Outlining his vision for reform, President Boakai said his administration is committed to creating a robust, transparent, and accountable forestry sector that supports national development, climate resilience, and environmental stability.
He said the forest must once again become a pillar of Liberia's sustainable growth, contributing to job creation, rural empowerment, and international climate commitments.
"Under my administration, I envision a well-functioning forest sector that is accountable, efficient, and responsive to both the needs of our people and our environmental obligations," he said.
"The forest must once again contribute meaningfully to our national development agenda."
The President encouraged participants of the National Forest Forum to engage in honest and constructive discussions and to produce actionable recommendations for reforming the sector.
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"I wish you all a productive and honest forum," Boakai concluded.
"We must ensure that the outcomes of this gathering lead to real progress and renewed credibility for Liberia's forestry governance."
Liberia's forests account for over 40 percent of the nation's land area and represent the largest remaining section of the Upper Guinea Rainforest, a global biodiversity hotspot. Over the years, Liberia has entered several international partnerships -- including the EU's Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) and the REDD+ program -- to promote sustainable forest management and climate protection.
However, the sector continues to face persistent issues of illegal logging, weak benefit-sharing, and limited community participation. Environmental experts have long called for stronger governance, accurate data systems, and transparent leadership to ensure that the forest serves both national and local interests.
President Boakai's recent directive to the FDA is therefore being viewed as a critical first step toward restoring transparency, accountability, and scientific rigor in Liberia's forest management system.
