PARIS, France — Liberians in France presented a unified petition to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr., urging on‑site passport renewal in Paris, external voting at the embassy, resumption of Air France flights, more scholarships and embassy jobs for Liberians, and reforms to high port and customs costs that they say deter diaspora investment.
Reading on behalf of community associations and elders, the Peace Ambassador said the current requirement to travel to Brussels for passports is costly and impractical, and called for legal status support for long‑term residents in France. The petition also cited “high traffic taxation” at ports as a brake on imports and SMEs, and requested priority access to government scholarships offered in France.
Community members flagged mismatches between three‑month visas issued by the embassy and one‑month entry stamps at the airport, and asked for clear guidance for Liberians with dual citizenship. Youth representatives appealed for education and food support, while football fans pressed for a roadmap to restore Liberia’s international competitiveness.
Ambassador Teeklo Yorlay said an interim community leadership is guiding a two‑year process to elect new officers after years of division, and Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow‑Nyanti pledged to report back via the embassy on timelines for passport services and other deliverables.
