MONROVIA – The Government of India has underscored the growing strength of its relationship with Liberia as New Delhi prepares to host two major international summits later this month aimed at deepening India-Africa cooperation and advancing global environmental conservation efforts.
Speaking during a press briefing at the Embassy of India in Monrovia on May 14, Indian Ambassador to Liberia, H.E. Mr. Manoj Bihari Verma, outlined plans for the Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV) and the inaugural International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit, both scheduled to take place in New Delhi from May 29 to June 1, 2026.
The ambassador described the two events as “historic” and said Liberia’s participation reflects the growing importance of India-Liberia relations in diplomacy, development cooperation, trade, environmental protection, and South-South collaboration.
“This is our season of renewal, for India and Africa, for conservation, and for the longstanding friendship between India and Liberia,” the ambassador declared.
India-Africa Forum Summit Returns After More Than a Decade
According to the ambassador, the Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit scheduled for May 31, 2026, will bring together African leaders, the African Union Commission, and regional economic blocs under the theme: “India-Africa Strategic Partnership for Innovation, Resilience, and Inclusive Transformation.”
The summit marks the first India-Africa Forum Summit in more than a decade following the last edition held in New Delhi in October 2015.
“When IAFS was established in 2008, it represented a bold vision — a platform for India and Africa to engage as true partners: partners in development, in solidarity, and in shaping a more just and multipolar world,” the ambassador stated.
He noted that the upcoming summit will focus on political and strategic cooperation, peace and security, governance, trade, education, infrastructure, digital technology, artificial intelligence, climate change, and cultural exchanges.
The summit will also feature an India-Africa Business Dialogue and Exhibition aimed at strengthening commercial ties and private sector investment between India and African countries.
In addition, India’s cultural diplomacy agency, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, will host an India-Africa Dance and Music Festival celebrating people-to-people ties between both regions.
India Expands Diplomatic Presence in Africa
The ambassador disclosed that since the last India-Africa Forum Summit, India has significantly increased its diplomatic footprint across Africa by opening 17 new diplomatic missions, including its embassy in Monrovia established in 2021.
According to him, India now maintains 46 diplomatic missions across Africa.
“That is a concrete and visible demonstration of India’s long-term commitment to this continent and to this partnership,” he emphasized.
The envoy said India has adopted what he described as a “consultative, demand-driven approach” to ensure that outcomes from the summit respond directly to African priorities and development needs.
Liberia Participating in Global Big Cat Conservation Initiative
The ambassador also highlighted Liberia’s participation in the inaugural International Big Cat Alliance Summit scheduled for June 1, 2026.
The International Big Cat Alliance, launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023, is an intergovernmental organization focused on protecting seven major big cat species worldwide — including tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, and pumas.
The ambassador noted that Liberia became one of the early member countries after ratifying the IBCA Framework Agreement on January 8, 2025.
“The IBCA currently has 25 member countries, and I am proud to note that Liberia is among them,” he said.
He added that Liberia’s rich biodiversity and forest ecosystem make its membership particularly meaningful within the alliance.
The summit is expected to attract heads of state, conservation scientists, policymakers, and environmental organizations from approximately 95 big cat range countries across Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
One of the major expected outcomes will be the adoption of the “Delhi Declaration,” described as the first-ever global declaration dedicated specifically to big cat conservation.
The summit theme is: “Save Big Cats, Save Humanity, Save Ecosystem.”
India Highlights Growing Liberia Partnership
A significant portion of the ambassador’s remarks focused on the deepening relationship between India and Liberia.
“India and Liberia share a relationship built on friendship, trust and mutual understanding,” the envoy stated.
He recalled India’s support to Liberia during periods of civil conflict and public health crises, particularly referencing India’s all-female United Nations peacekeeping contingent deployed to Liberia in 2007.
“That contingent remains a proud and lasting symbol of our partnership and our shared values,” he noted.
The ambassador also highlighted several recent diplomatic and development milestones between both countries.
These included the May-June 2025 visit of a nine-member Indian parliamentary delegation to Liberia, meetings between Indian officials and President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, and the first India-Liberia United Nations Consultations held in New Delhi in December 2025.
According to the ambassador, India also reaffirmed support for Liberia’s tenure on the United Nations Security Council during those consultations.
Scholarships, Training Opportunities Expanded
The envoy further disclosed that India has significantly increased educational and technical support programs for Liberia.
He revealed that India doubled its ITEC training opportunities for Liberians from 70 to 140 slots while also increasing ICCR scholarships fivefold to 20 scholarships annually.
More than 150 Liberians reportedly traveled to India in 2025 under various scholarship and training programs covering fields including mining safety, trauma care, nursing, film and media studies, and public administration.
Landmark Health Cooperation Agreement Signed
The ambassador additionally highlighted a landmark Memorandum of Understanding signed between India and Liberia in December 2025 on pharmacopoeia cooperation.
According to him, the agreement now allows Liberia to utilize Indian medicine quality standards and regulations — a move expected to strengthen Liberia’s healthcare system and public health regulation.
Media Urged to Follow Summits Closely
The ambassador urged Liberian journalists, commentators, and media institutions to closely monitor and report on the upcoming summits, stressing that the outcomes would carry direct relevance for Liberia and Africa’s future development.
“I invite all of you journalists, editors, commentators, opinion leaders, to view and cover these summits not as distant diplomatic occasions, but as developments with real significance for Liberia, Africa, and the future of South-South cooperation,” he said.
Quoting India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, the ambassador concluded:
“Together, India and Africa are not just partners in development — we are partners in shaping a better world.”
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