After 13 years of inactivity, Liberia has reestablished its full membership in the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), a move that underscores the country’s renewed dedication to positioning tourism as a catalyst for economic growth, cultural exchange, and sustainable development.
According to frontpageafricaonline.com, this milestone follows years of inactivity due to unfulfilled obligations, but it has now been reversed through deliberate reforms and renewed leadership under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. Guided by his ARREST Agenda, which prioritizes tourism as a catalyst for economic diversification, President Boakai has reawakened what he once described as Liberia’s “sleeping giant.”
Strategic Leadership and Institutional Reforms
Within his first year in office, President Boakai appointed Ambassador Christopher Hayes Onanuga as Presidential Special Envoy on Tourism to champion the sector in collaboration with the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT).
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The administration also advanced a major policy reform with the enactment of the Liberia National Tourism Authority (LNTA) Act of 2025, establishing the LNTA as the central coordinating body for tourism and the creative industries.
Under the leadership of Director General-Designate Princess Eva Cooper and Deputy Director General-Designate for Planning, Atty. Dogba K. Norris, one of the Authority’s first priorities was reinstating Liberia’s membership in UN Tourism.
Liberia’s Return to Global Tourism Leadership
Following two weeks of sustained engagement—including diplomatic consultations, a comprehensive review of arrears and submission of a proposed ten-year payment plan—UN Tourism officially reinstated Liberia’s full membership status.
The reinstatement comes with an exceptional waiver, allowing Liberia to immediately exercise full membership rights—including voting privileges—pending the final approval of the General Assembly resolution.
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In its communication, the UN Tourism Secretariat praised Liberia’s “proactive and constructive approach,” pledging continued support for the country’s re-engagement in the organization’s activities and programs.
A Defining Moment for Liberia’s Tourism Sector
Director General-Designate Princess Eva Cooper described the development as “a major milestone for Liberia’s tourism sector and a testament to President Boakai’s vision to reposition tourism as a national priority.”
“For the first time in 13 years, Liberia will participate in the UN Tourism General Assembly, standing shoulder to shoulder with its global peers,” Cooper emphasized.
Benefits of Full Membership
With its reinstatement, Liberia now gains access to a wide range of opportunities, including: participation in decision-making processes that shape global tourism policy and programs; access to UN Tourism expertise in destination marketing, sustainability, digital transformation and policy development, training, workshops, and knowledge-sharing opportunities for Liberian tourism professionals, eligibility for grants and funding to support community-based tourism, infrastructure, and cultural heritage initiatives and global visibility through UN Tourism platforms to promote Liberia’s destinations, attract investors and boost visitor numbers.
A New Era of Renewal and Pride
Director General Cooper added, “This achievement is a testament to President Boakai’s vision to reposition tourism as a national priority. Liberia’s story is one of renewal, resilience, and rediscovery.”
With its coastline, culture, forests, biodiversity, and creativity once again ready to shine on the world stage, Liberia’s “sleeping giant” has truly awakened—ushering in a new era of growth, pride and sustainable tourism development.
