PHILADELPHIA, PA, USA – Liberia has taken a significant step toward expanding its economic diplomacy with the official launch of the Liberia Trade and Investment Office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The announcement was made on the margins of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr.’s official working visit to the United States at the invitation of U.S. President Donald J. Trump.
Although President Boakai did not attend in person, he designated Ambassador Charles Snetter, Liberia’s Ambassador At-Large, to represent him at the opening ceremony and deliver a keynote address at the Liberia-U.S. Business and Trade Conference. The new office, located at 325-41 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia’s historic commercial district, will serve as a gateway for American businesses, diaspora investors, and entrepreneurs interested in entering the Liberian market.
According to a statement delivered on behalf of President Boakai, the initiative represents Liberia’s renewed commitment to creating a credible, transparent, and investor-friendly environment. The office is expected to provide critical support to investors in areas such as market entry, regulatory navigation, and sectoral partnerships, particularly in agribusiness, digital services, energy, manufacturing, and sustainable tourism.
The launch event forms part of a broader two-day conference aimed at showcasing investment-ready projects and promoting exports under the “Made in Liberia” brand. Sessions at the conference will also highlight financial instruments from U.S. agencies such as the Export-Import Bank (EXIM) and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), alongside other multilateral partners.
A key highlight of the conference will be the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Liberia, the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), and the Laborers’ District Council of Philadelphia. The agreement will focus on workforce development, technical training, and labor exchange, which officials say could play a critical role in Liberia’s infrastructure and human capital development.
Ambassador Snetter and the Liberian delegation, which includes Liberia’s Trade and Investment Representative to the U.S., Ambassador Gurley Gibson-Schwarz, and senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce, National Investment Commission, and Ministry of Finance, are also scheduled to tour the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority. The visit is intended to explore logistics collaboration that could boost Liberia’s export capacity.
President Boakai’s administration has made it clear that the Trade and Investment Office is not merely a symbolic gesture, but a strategic move to deepen Liberia’s economic ties with the United States and empower its diaspora to contribute meaningfully to national development. The initiative, officials say, will serve as a model for how small nations can leverage diaspora engagement and international partnerships to spur inclusive growth.
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