Political Risk:
High
Score:
35/100
1
58/100
Is there formal provision for effective and independent legislative scrutiny of defence policy?
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Liberia has a bicameral legislature: a Senate and a House of Representatives.[1] The Constitution provides for these legislative bodies to oversee of the defence.[2]…
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In the Legislature, there are two oversight committees on defence and security. In the Upper House, the Senate, the Committee is referred to as…
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The independence of the Liberian Legislature is formally enshrined in the Constitution, which clearly establishes a bicameral legislature, the Senate and the House of…
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2
38/100
Does the country have an identifiable and effective parliamentary defence and security committee (or similar such organisations) to exercise oversight?
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Liberia’s Legislature has designated security and defence oversight committees in the Upper House and the Senate. This committee is referred to as Defence, National…
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The committee is comprised of members with some level of expertise in the defence sector. [1][4] Some of those in the committee include former…
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These Committees were much more responsive to policymaking during the period of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) [1] However, since UNMIL exited…
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The committee meets regularly, at least once a month. The short-term oversight entails conducting a budget hearing and making amendments to the budget. The…
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The committee’s long-term investigation is not commissioned, nor conducted. The Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) highlights that Liberia’s Legislature lacks systematic, long-term…
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The Senate confirmation hearing provides an opportunity for the minister to share his vision for the office. Such a vision is more often aligned…
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3
17/100
Is the country’s national defence policy or national security strategy debated and publicly available?
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There is no recent record of the national security strategy being debated. The last public consultation held on the national security strategy was held…
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In 2008, Liberia’s first post-war national security strategy document was drafted. The drafting was preceded by an extensive, countrywide consultation, which in effect opened…
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The last public consultation on the national security strategy was carried out in the last term of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s administration (2012-2017).[1] On June…
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A review of the official defence websites in Liberia reveals that the information provided is outdated and not updated in real time. For instance,…
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4
50/100
Do defence and security institutions have a policy, or evidence, of openness towards civil society organisations (CSOs) when dealing with issues of corruption?
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The policy of openness outlines that matters of defence and security ought to be open and consultative. This policy of openness led to the…
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Numerous civil society groups and nongovernmental organizations (NGO), including human rights organisations, operate in the country. A National Aid and NGO policy was introduced…
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In the transition process of Liberia from the notion of regime security to human security, CSOs have played an active role in partnering with…
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5
63/100
Has the country signed up to the following international anti-corruption instruments: UNCAC and the OECD Convention?
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Liberia is not a significant defence exporter. Liberia acceded to the UNCAC on 16 Sep 2005.[1] and considered a State Party.[2] The country has…
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Liberia is a State Party to UNCAC, and a 2022 civil society parallel report (executive summary) indicates that while legal instruments for implementing Chapter…
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6
50/100
Is there evidence of regular, active public debate on issues of defence? If yes, does the government participate in this debate?
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There is evidence of regular ongoing public debate on issues of defence.[1] The civil society Security Sector Working Group is one of the many…
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The government engagement happens often behind the scenes than in the open and in the public space.[1] The Senate and Lower House Committees are…
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7
63/100
Does the country have an openly stated and effectively implemented anti-corruption policy for the defence sector?
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According to the Act establishing the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), the Commission is mandated to investigate all acts of corruption across the public, private,…
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The National Defense Act 2008, Chapter 8, Code of Conduct, states that all personnel of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) shall adhere to…
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8
42/100
Are there independent, well-resourced, and effective institutions within defence and security tasked with building integrity and countering corruption?
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The National Defense Act 2008, Chapter 8, Code of Conduct, states that all personnel of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) shall adhere to…
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There are some internal accountability structures outlined in Liberia’s defence and security legal framework. The National Defense Act of 2008 mandates the establishment of…
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Staff of the Defence sector are recruited with full knowledge of the risk of corruption. Accordingly, they are trained to minimise the risk through…
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9
NS/100
Does the public trust the institutions of defence and security to tackle the issue of bribery and corruption in their establishments?
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There are a few reports on public trust in the Armed Forces of Liberia and the security sector in general. The social cohesion and…
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10
0/100
Are there regular assessments of the areas of greatest corruption risk for ministry and armed forces personnel, and are the findings used as inputs to the anti-corruption policy?
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There are no regular assessments carried out in the defence sector.[1] Concerns about national security have been used to circumvent the process of audits…
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Risk assessments are not conducted; this sub-indicator is marked Not Applicable.[1][2][3][4]
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Risk assessments are not conducted; this sub-indicator is marked Not Applicable.[1)][2][3][4]
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11
33/100
Does the country have a process for acquisition planning that involves clear oversight, and is it publicly available?
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The process of acquisition planning formally begins with the Ministry of National Defense submitting its budget requests to the Ministry of Finance and Development…
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Liberia’s defence and security legal framework, including the National Defense Act of 2008 and the National Security Agency (NSA) Act, outlines procedures for acquisition…
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Liberia’s external oversight of defence acquisition planning involves three primary institutions: 1. General Auditing Commission (GAC): As Liberia’s supreme audit institution, the GAC conducts…
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12
38/100
Is the defence budget transparent, showing key items of expenditure? And it is provided to the legislature in a timely fashion?
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The Defence budget is not accessible in terms of detail showing key expenditure.[1] Rather, the budget is a composite of the Armed Forces of…
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In 2013, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning replaced the Ministry of Finance, with the mandate to formulate, institutionalise, and administer economic development,…
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13
63/100
Is there a legislative committee (or other appropriate body) responsible for defence budget scrutiny and analysis in an effective way?
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There are two legislative committees mandated to scrutinise the defence budget.[1] Both the Ways and Means Committee and the Defence Committee review and scrutinise…
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These Committees possess formal power+K49:K51s to influence decision-making. These powers include the authority to confirm or reject presidential appointments to key positions within the…
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14
25/100
Is the approved defence budget made publicly available? In practice, can citizens, civil society, and the media obtain detailed information on the defence budget?
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Beyond the general review during the legislative budget process, there is limited knowledge of expenditure and detailed allocation. However, the Defence budget is published…
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The approved defence budget is available through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. However, certain aspects of the Defence budget, especially the section…
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Requests for defence-related information are usually funnelled through the Ministry of National Defense’s bureaucratic channels. Due to security concerns, such requests undergo careful scrutiny.[1][2]…
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15
0/100
Are sources of defence income other than from central government allocation (from equipment sales or property disposal, for example) published and scrutinised?
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There is no alternative source of income for the Ministry of National Defense. The primary source of income is the budgetary support as allocated…
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In Liberia, the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) is legally mandated to establish and oversee internal audit functions across all branches of government, including the…
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In Liberia, formal mechanisms for scrutinising non-central government sources of funding within the defence sector are limited.[1] While the General Auditing Commission (GAC) and…
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16
13/100
Is there an effective internal audit process for defence ministry expenditure (that is, for example, transparent, conducted by appropriately skilled individuals, and subject to parliamentary oversight)?
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In Liberia, the effectiveness of internal audit processes within the Ministry of National Defense (MoD) remains limited. The Internal Audit Agency (IAA) has faced…
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There is no evidence of enabling oversight of the internal audit function of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) by parliamentary committees.[1] The General Auditing…
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There is a scope limitation in the external audit of the internal audit function in the defence ministry expenditure. According to the GAC, based…
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The IAA is mandated to establish and direct internal audit functions across the Executive, Judiciary and Legislative branches of government.[1] In the security sector,…
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17
63/100
Is there effective and transparent external auditing of military defence expenditure?
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The General Auditing Commission (GAC) is external and mandated to conduct financial audits of MACs. Compared to internal audit, these external audits are designed…
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The external audit undertaken by the GAC is independent and protected by law.[1] As a matter of procedure, it reports to the Legislature with…
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The GAC conducts audit by first investigating government consolidated accounts. This account is where all government transactions are generated. It later goes to individual…
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The findings of the GAC audit are often systematic, particularly in terms of breaches of the public financial management law.[1] However, due to the…
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18
35/100
Is there evidence that the country’s defence institutions have controlling or financial interests in businesses associated with the country’s natural resource exploitation and, if so, are these interests publicly stated and subject to scrutiny?
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The 2008 National Defense Act of Liberia explicitly prohibits members of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) from engaging in outside employment without prior…
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While there is no recent public documentation or findings directly linking current defence institutions in Liberia to businesses in the natural resource sector,[1] historical…
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The Liberian government has established legal frameworks aimed at regulating the involvement of defence personnel in private enterprises. The 2008 National Defense Act mandates…
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The transparency of public officials’ interests in Liberia, particularly around asset declarations and conflict of interest, remains a significant challenge. While the Code of…
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The scrutiny of public officials’ financial interests in Liberia, particularly concerning asset declarations, has been largely superficial. The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) is designated…
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19
50/100
Is there evidence, for example through media investigations or prosecution reports, of a penetration of organised crime into the defence and security sector? If no, is there evidence that the government is alert and prepared for this risk?
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In 2023, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), jointly with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, seized 520 kg of cocaine, valued at approximately US$100…
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The government of Liberia launched an investigation into how drugs arrived in Liberia. In the meantime, the Ministry of Justice expressed disappointment in the…
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20
0/100
Is there policing to investigate corruption and organised crime within the defence services and is there evidence of the effectiveness of this policing?
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No policing function is exercised over the defence sector to investigate corruption or organised crime. Rather, the police have a unit called the Professional…
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No policing function is exercised over the defence sector to investigate corruption or organised crime.[1][2] Therefore, this indicator is marked as Not Applicable.
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No policing function is exercised over the defence sector to investigate corruption or organised crime.[1][2] Therefore, this indicator is marked as Not Applicable.
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21
0/100
Are the policies, administration, and budgets of the intelligence services subject to effective and independent oversight?
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According to Chapter 5, Article 29, of the legislature, the Senate and House of Representatives have the power to enact laws, review and appeal…
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While Liberia’s Constitution and legislative framework grant the Legislature oversight authority over security matters, in practice, access to classified information remains restricted. The National…
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22
0/100
Are senior positions within the intelligence services filled on the basis of objective selection criteria, and are appointees subject to investigation of their suitability and prior conduct?
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The Act establishing National Security Agency states that the Director General and his deputy shall be appointed by the President with Senate confirmation required…
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The Act establishing the National Security Agency (NSA) stipulates that the Director General and Deputy are appointed by the President, subject to Senate confirmation.…
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The Act establishing National Security Agency outlines that the Director General and his deputy shall be presidential appointees. This makes the selection criteria clear…
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23
100/100
Does the government have a well-scrutinised process for arms export decisions that aligns with Articles 7.1.iv, 11.5, and 15.6 of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)?
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Liberia signed the ATT 4 June 2013, ratified it 21 Apr 2015, and the ATT entered into force 20 July 2015.[1]
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Liberia was the first ECOWAS member state to fully domesticate the ATT by amending its Firearms and Ammunition Control Act of 2015 to align…
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Liberia has established the National Arms Commission. Though the arms embargo have been lifted since 2016, legislative oversight on arms has not evolved to…
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There is no legal framework regulating lobbying activity. The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) categorises Liberia’s Parliament as lacking transparency measures regarding lobbying.[1][2]
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There is no legal framework regulating lobbying activity.[1][2] Therefore, this indicator is marked Not Applicable.
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There is no legal framework regulating lobbying activity.[1][2] Therefore, this indicator is marked Not Applicable.
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There is no legal framework regulating lobbying activity.[1][2] Therefore, this indicator is marked Not Applicable.
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Defence and Security Policy and Policy Transparency
Q1
NA/100
Is there formal provision for effective and independent legislative scrutiny of defence policy?
View Question
Q2
NA/100
Does the country have an identifiable and effective parliamentary defence and security committee (or similar such organisations) to exercise oversight?
View Question
Q3
NA/100
Is the country’s national defence policy or national security strategy debated and publicly available?
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Q4
NA/100
Do defence and security institutions have a policy, or evidence, of openness towards civil society organisations (CSOs) when dealing with issues of corruption?
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Q5
NA/100
Has the country signed up to the following international anti-corruption instruments: UNCAC and the OECD Convention?
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Q6
NA/100
Is there evidence of regular, active public debate on issues of defence? If yes, does the government participate in this debate?
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Q7
NA/100
Does the country have an openly stated and effectively implemented anti-corruption policy for the defence sector?
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Q8
NA/100
Are there independent, well-resourced, and effective institutions within defence and security tasked with building integrity and countering corruption?
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Q9
NA/100
Does the public trust the institutions of defence and security to tackle the issue of bribery and corruption in their establishments?
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Q10
NA/100
Are there regular assessments of the areas of greatest corruption risk for ministry and armed forces personnel, and are the findings used as inputs to the anti-corruption policy?
View QuestionDefence Budgets
Q11
NA/100
Does the country have a process for acquisition planning that involves clear oversight, and is it publicly available?
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Q12
NA/100
Is the defence budget transparent, showing key items of expenditure? And it is provided to the legislature in a timely fashion?
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Q13
NA/100
Is there a legislative committee (or other appropriate body) responsible for defence budget scrutiny and analysis in an effective way?
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Q14
NA/100
Is the approved defence budget made publicly available? In practice, can citizens, civil society, and the media obtain detailed information on the defence budget?
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Q15
NA/100
Are sources of defence income other than from central government allocation (from equipment sales or property disposal, for example) published and scrutinised?
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Q16
NA/100
Is there an effective internal audit process for defence ministry expenditure (that is, for example, transparent, conducted by appropriately skilled individuals, and subject to parliamentary oversight)?
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Q17
NA/100
Is there effective and transparent external auditing of military defence expenditure?
View QuestionNexus of Defence and National Assets
Q18
NA/100
Is there evidence that the country’s defence institutions have controlling or financial interests in businesses associated with the country’s natural resource exploitation and, if so, are these interests publicly stated and subject to scrutiny?
View QuestionOrganised Crime
Q19
NA/100
Is there evidence, for example through media investigations or prosecution reports, of a penetration of organised crime into the defence and security sector? If no, is there evidence that the government is alert and prepared for this risk?
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Q20
NA/100
Is there policing to investigate corruption and organised crime within the defence services and is there evidence of the effectiveness of this policing?
View QuestionControl of Intelligence Services
Q21
NA/100
Are the policies, administration, and budgets of the intelligence services subject to effective and independent oversight?
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Q22
NA/100
Are senior positions within the intelligence services filled on the basis of objective selection criteria, and are appointees subject to investigation of their suitability and prior conduct?
View QuestionExport Controls
Q23
NA/100