Monrovia, Liberia– The Government of Liberia, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has officially launched the development of the country’s first Biodiversity Finance Plan (BFP) during a high-level inception workshop held at the One UN House in Monrovia, the UNDP has said.
The workshop brought together more than 40 representatives from key government institutions, including the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), as well as development partners, civil society organizations, academia, and private-sector stakeholders.
The initiative is being implemented under the Global Environment Facility’s Eighth Replenishment Cycle (GEF-8) Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), a global UNDP-led programme that helps countries identify financing needs, assess funding gaps, and develop innovative financial solutions to support biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.
Liberia joined the BIOFIN programme in 2024, becoming part of a global network of countries that have mobilized more than US$1.6 billion for biodiversity conservation since 2012.
Opening the workshop, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Louis Kuukpen emphasized that biodiversity is not only an environmental asset but also a foundation for economic growth, food security, climate resilience, and human well-being.
“Liberia’s rich biodiversity provides immense social, environmental, and economic value, yet investments in its protection remain insufficient. BIOFIN offers a proven methodology to assess biodiversity expenditures, identify financing gaps, and develop innovative solutions aligned with Liberia’s national development priorities and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,” Kuukpen said.
He called on all stakeholders to actively contribute to the process, stressing that biodiversity finance is a shared development and governance agenda that requires strong partnerships, national ownership, and collective action to unlock sustainable investments in Liberia’s natural capital.
Highlighting the significance of the initiative, BIOFIN Project Manager Emmanuel Massaquoi noted that Liberia’s natural ecosystems are central to the country’s prosperity and resilience.
“Liberia’s forests, wetlands, and coastal ecosystems are the foundation of our economy, food security, and climate resilience. Yet the financial systems meant to protect them are stretched thin. This Biodiversity Finance Plan will help us identify funding gaps and unlock resources from public, private, and international sources to secure our natural heritage for generations to come.”
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustin Kpehe Ngafuan, Austin Togbah underscored the importance of sustainable financing in achieving biodiversity goals.
“Achieving our biodiversity objectives requires more than sound policies. It demands sustainable, innovative, and well-coordinated financing mechanisms that mobilize public and private resources and deliver measurable environmental, social, and economic returns,” he said.
He noted that the Biodiversity Finance Plan presents an opportunity to identify financing gaps, improve expenditure efficiency, and align biodiversity investments with Liberia’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
“The initiative also reinforces our broader commitment to mainstream climate and environmental considerations into national planning, budgeting, and public financial management systems.”
Representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highlighted the plan’s alignment with Liberia’s international biodiversity commitments, particularly Target 19 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for significantly increasing financial resources for biodiversity-related activities.
The EPA noted that the Biodiversity Finance Plan will directly support implementation of Liberia’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.
Speaking on behalf of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), Blama S. Goll, Technical Manager of the Liberia Forest Licensing Department, emphasized the need to connect conservation objectives with sustainable financing mechanisms.
“Nature is our most vital asset, yet protecting it faces a critical funding gap. Today, we are not just talking about conservation; we are shaping the economic frameworks that will secure our ecosystems for the future.”
He called on participants to use the workshop to build consensus around practical and actionable solutions capable of unlocking investments for a nature-positive economy.
“By bridging the gap between environmental goals and financial mechanisms, we can direct resources where they are needed most. Let us collaborate, align our strategies, and develop a roadmap that supports both biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.”
The workshop employed a participatory and interactive approach, combining technical presentations, plenary discussions, and validation exercises to gather stakeholder input and build consensus on the way forward. Lead Consultant Darlington S. Tuagben presented the Inception Report, outlining the proposed methodology, implementation timeline, key deliverables, and the expected roles of participating institutions.
By the end of the workshop, participants had developed a shared understanding of the Biodiversity Finance Plan’s objectives and scope, validated the proposed methodology, clarified institutional responsibilities, and agreed on an implementation roadmap for the next phase of work.
The GEF-8 BIOFIN project in Liberia, valued at US$314,000 over three years (2025-2027), will assess biodiversity financing needs, identify funding gaps, and develop practical and innovative finance solutions to support national biodiversity priorities.
The resulting Biodiversity Finance Plan will serve as a strategic roadmap for mobilizing resources, improving financing efficiency, and advancing Liberia’s transition toward a nature-positive and climate-resilient development pathway.
BIOFIN is a global UNDP-led programme that supports countries in developing and implementing evidence-based finance solutions to achieve national biodiversity targets. Since its inception in 2012, the initiative has helped countries mobilize more than US$1.6 billion for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
The Global Environment Facility’s Eighth Replenishment Cycle (GEF-8) represents a landmark global commitment to addressing biodiversity loss, climate change, degradation, and pollution. Through BIOFIN, Liberia is strengthening its capacity to align biodiversity conservation with sustainable economic growth and long-term national development goals.