Liberia Border Crossings

The Liberian government has often cited its porous borders as an ongoing challenge. In 2013, the Liberian Ministry of Lands, Mines, and Energy publically stated that of an estimated 180 border crossings, only 36 are regularly manned by security/border personnel. The Ebola crisis has facilitated the closure of several border crossings. This is especially troublesome to the Liberian economy, which is still-recovering from a protracted civil conflict. The ending of conflicts led to significant increases in cross-border agricultural production and trade. This in-turn led to increasing importance of cross border movement.Prior to the current crisis, bus service between Monrovia and Abidjan was available several times a week. Bush taxis were also a common form of cross-border movement for many local residents. The vast number of rivers and tributaries in the area also makes water travel across Liberia’s borders fairly easy. Cross-border travelers can also take advantage of fishing boats traveling between Monrovia and Conakry.