Philadelphia, PA – Liberia has officially opened its Trade and Investment Office in Philadelphia, a bold move aimed at deepening commercial ties with the United States while offering a platform for diaspora engagement and private-sector collaboration. The announcement coincides with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s working visit to the U.S., where he is expected to deliver a keynote address at a high-level business and trade conference.
Strategically located in one of America’s historic centers of commerce, the new office is positioned to serve as a one-stop hub for both U.S. and Liberian enterprises. It will provide support services for companies seeking to enter either market, identify joint venture partners, navigate regulatory frameworks, and explore investment opportunities across high-growth sectors such as agribusiness, renewable energy, digital services, manufacturing, and sustainable tourism.
Liberia’s Trade and Investment Representative, Ambassador Gurly Gibson-Schwarz, described the new office as a “dynamic bridge between two entrepreneurial cultures.” She emphasized that the initiative is not just about attracting capital, but also about “mobilizing the vast talents and resources of the Liberian diaspora for innovation, infrastructure, and inclusive growth at home.”
The initiative reflects a broader push by the Boakai administration to reposition Liberia’s economy by enhancing its global competitiveness and tapping into non-traditional sources of investment. With over 300,000 Liberians and descendants residing across the United States, many of them professionals and entrepreneurs, the diaspora is viewed as a critical component of Liberia’s development strategy.
“This office is for all of us,” said Ambassador Gibson-Schwarz. “It is where Liberians in the U.S. can turn ideas into enterprises, and where American businesses can see Liberia as a serious partner with clear opportunities.”
The opening of the trade office sets the stage for a two-day Liberia-U.S. Business Conference being held in Philadelphia. The event brings together key players from government, the private sector, development finance institutions, and the diaspora. A signature session titled “Mobilizing Liberians Abroad for Home-Grown Innovation, Infrastructure, and Energy” will feature public-private models for expanding roads, ports, power, agribusiness, and broadband services in Liberia.
President Boakai’s keynote is expected to unveil a pipeline of bankable projects and outline the country’s macroeconomic vision. According to organizers, the event will also showcase Liberia’s value-added export potential under the theme “Made in Liberia,” highlighting sectors ready for scale and global partnership.
The conference will conclude with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Liberia and Laborers’ Local 332, a prominent labor union based in Philadelphia, as well as a site visit to a local shipyard—symbolizing Liberia’s interest in maritime, industrial, and logistics collaboration.
The launch of the Trade and Investment Office is seen as a signal that Liberia is not only open for business but is actively building the institutional infrastructure to sustain that message—starting with its own diaspora.
