Monrovia, Liberia – The National Bureau of Concessions (NBC) has received a hard-top Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep from the United Nations through its joint peacebuilding initiative. This is a significant step toward strengthening early-warning systems, improving concession monitoring, and fostering social cohesion and peace in Liberia’s concession-affected communities.
Speaking on behalf of the World Food Program (WFP) and the UN system, WFP Country Director Mary Njoroge emphasized the UN’s shared commitment to supporting gender equality, preventing land-related conflicts, and bolstering community resilience in Liberia.
She claims that the car was donated as part of the project “Enhancing Peace and Social Cohesion through Promotion of Equitable Access to and Use of Land for Rural Women in Conflict-Prone Communities and Concession Areas,” which is funded by the Peacebuilding Fund.
“Land governance is not just a technical issue,” the WFP Country Director stated, highlighting the continued importance of land governance for peace and security.
She stated, “It is a human rights issue that touches the stability of communities and their livelihoods; noting that unresolved land and concession disputes often escalate into broader conflicts, particularly affecting rural women who face additional barriers due to gender discrimination.”
According to Madam Njoroge, the collaborative program, which is being carried out by UNDP, WFP, and UN Women as the convening agency, aims to provide livelihood support, climate-smart agriculture, community dispute resolution processes, and stronger governance structures to conflict-prone concession areas.
She stated that the UN hopes to lessen tensions brought on by agricultural loss, environmental degradation, and restricted access to productive land through these measures.
“WFP’s contribution focuses on restoring livelihoods, supporting women and youth farmers, promoting cooperatives, and strengthening food security systems. “Where there is hunger, there can be no peace. Tackling food insecurity is directly connected to creating stability; highlighting WFP’s additional support through homegrown school feeding programs and climate adaptation initiatives with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency,” she added.
Acting NBC Officer-in-Charge Cllr. Rachell Yabah-Duobah thanked the UN for years of reliable institutional and logistical support while accepting the vehicle on behalf of the Government of Liberia.
The recently donated vehicle will greatly improve field monitoring, concession compliance verification, and reaction to community grievances recorded through the Concession Call Center created in 2022, according to OIC Yabah-Duobah.
“The call center has become an essential mechanism for early warning, dispute mitigation, and direct engagement with concession-affected communities, noting that more than 28 communities across Grand Gedeh, Nimba, Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Margibi counties have already benefited from UN-supported initiatives,” she narrated.
The NBC OIC called the vehicle donation a “remarkable milestone” in the Bureau’s efforts to avoid concession-related conflicts and guarantee accountability and transparency in the industry, praising WFP, UN Women, UNDP, and prior directors who started the process.
According to Kofi Ireland, the Peacebuilding Fund project is about to enter its second phase and will continue to expand land rights documentation, harmonize boundaries, and establish alternative dispute resolution structures in rural communities. Over the past two years, these interventions have significantly decreased conflicts related to concessions.
He clarified, however, that in order to advance fair land access, bolster community resilience, and maintain peace throughout Liberia, the UN reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with government institutions and civil society partners.
Reported by: Prince Saah
