Monrovia, Liberia – A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a financial sponsorship of the Liberia Marathon has been signed between ArcelorMittal Liberia and the Liberia Marathon Trust.
On Tuesday, September 10, 2025, at ArcelorMittal Liberia’s office in Monrovia, AML and the Liberia Marathon Trust signed a three-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) in which ArcelorMittal will give over US $30,000 annually as a grand sponsor of the race.
The MOU’s signing strengthens the company’s partnership with the Liberia Marathon Trust and encourages more cooperation in promoting sports in the nation.
Marcus Wleh, Head of Sustainability and External Relations at ArcelorMittal Liberia, clarified during the signing ceremony that the sponsorship deal was an extension of the company’s long-standing collaboration with the Liberia Marathon Trust.
“As a proud and leading sponsor, we are dedicating ourselves to the marathon for three years. We believe this is good, and once you have provided us with the marathon date and time, we look forward to presenting a very successful event. In addition, we are thinking about how we can help with initiatives in Grand Bassa, Bong, and Nimba,” Mr. Wleh stated.
Wleh stated that ArcelorMittal Liberia is pleased to be a part of this significant endeavor and indicated that he and other employees will be taking part in this year’s marathon.
Charles Cooper, the board chairman of the Liberia Marathon Trust, commended ArcelorMittal Liberia for its ongoing support, characterizing the company’s sponsorship as a significant investment that will support the marathon’s expansion.
“Signing this MOU, which commits us to sponsorship for three years, makes us very happy. This implies that we can now begin our efforts to support the athletes, advertise the marathon, and connect with more of our global partners early in the year. They can fly in early for the marathon if we give them advance notice,” Cooper said.
The theme for this year’s marathon, “Healthy Cities and Healthy Lives,” was also revealed by the chairman of the Liberia Marathon Trust Board.
With its most prominent participation in the National County Sports Meet, Liberia’s biggest athletic event, ArcelorMittal Liberia has been an enthusiastic supporter of the growth of sports in the nation.
The firm made the greatest single sponsorship contribution in the tournament’s history in 2022, contributing US $275,000. The Ministry of Youth and Sports received US $250,000 of this sum for the purpose of organizing the games, while the company’s operating counties of Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa also received specific allocations. The action, according to observers, marked a turning point in the expansion of corporate sponsorships of Liberian sports.
Despite operational difficulties, ArcelorMittal continued to sponsor the event in 2023–2024, contributing between US $80,000 and US $125,000. The money helped with the tournament’s planning, county-level setup, and rewards for the top teams.
Under its youth development programs, the corporation has given out smaller prizes to grassroots teams, such as those in River Gee and Rivercess counties, in addition to the County Meet.
The County Meet has long been seen as a national forum for harmony and peacemaking, and its growth and continuation have been made possible in part by ArcelorMittal’s ongoing support. According to analysts, this type of corporate funding is part of a larger trend of the private sector being involved in national initiatives that encourage social development.
