With the 2026 International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) approaching, the Government of Liberia has convened a national workshop to review and validate the country’s voluntary report on the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM).
The workshop, held on March 6, 2026, brought together representatives from government institutions, United Nations agencies, civil society organizations, academia and development partners to review national progress, identify remaining challenges and strengthen collective efforts to advance migration governance in Liberia.
Participants discussed the key essentials of effective migration governance, encompassing migration data, rights protection, diaspora engagement, and institutional coordination. The importance of robust migration data systems was highlighted as essential for informed decision-making.
“Reliable migration data remains a major challenge. Strengthening national data systems and ensuring interoperability between institutions will be critical for informed policymaking and effective migration governance,” said Mr. Mulbah Kromah of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS).
Liberia Advances Migration Policy Coordination Ahead of IMRF 2026
In recent years, Liberia has made significant progress in strengthening migration governance and advancing the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) through a series of concrete measures. These include the publication of the national Migration Governance Indicators (MGI) profile in 2021, followed by local MGI profiles for Monrovia (2023) and Gompa (2024), which have helped integrate migration considerations into local governance. Migration data has also been enhanced through the 2022 Population and Housing Census covering migration and urbanization, published by the LISGIS.
To country has also reinforced diaspora engagement with the creation of the Diaspora Engagement Task Force in August 2025 and the establishment of diaspora caucuses within the Legislature. More recently, Executive Order No. 159, issued in February 2026, has bolstered national migration governance arrangements.
Varlee Sanor, Deputy Executive Director of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), emphasized the significance of this measure, noting that it provides a strong foundation for a more coordinated approach to migration policy and data management.
“This order recognizes the institution as the lead entity on migration issues in the country, particularly in terms of policy coordination. It places stronger emphasis on migration issues and creates the basis for a more coordinated approach to managing migration data and policy.”
The workshop further highlighted the value of stronger institutional coordination through platforms such as the Liberia Technical Coordination Mechanism on Migration, which facilitates dialogue, collaboration, and policy alignment among migration actors. The insights and recommendations generated will also inform Liberia’s ongoing efforts to strengthen migration governance in line with national development priorities.
As Coordinator of the UN Network on Migration in Liberia, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reaffirms its commitment to supporting the Government and national partners in advancing inclusive, evidence-based, and coordinated approaches to migration governance.
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