–Landmark Agreement Opens New Era of Cooperation in Trade, Education, Technology, Agriculture and Investment, Strengthening Nearly Two Centuries of Shared History Between Liberia and Maryland
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, USA – Liberia and the U.S. State of Maryland have entered a historic partnership after signing a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that establishes the first formal state-to-nation cooperation agreement between the State of Maryland and an African country.
The agreement, signed Wednesday, June 24, at the Governor’s Reception Room in Annapolis, marks a significant milestone in Maryland’s international engagement, becoming the first time in the state’s history that it has concluded a formal partnership with an African nation at the sovereign level.
Although Maryland has previously maintained cooperative arrangements with subnational governments abroad, officials described the Liberia agreement as the state’s first comprehensive government-to-government partnership with an African country.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Liberia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, on behalf of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr., while Governor Wes Moore signed on behalf of the State of Maryland.
The ceremony was witnessed by Maryland Secretary of State Susan C. Lee and Liberia’s Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Al-Hassan Conteh.
Building on a Historic Relationship
The agreement builds upon the longstanding historical ties between Liberia and Maryland, elevating an existing Sister-State relationship established in 2007 between the State of Maryland and Liberia’s Bong and Maryland Counties into a broader strategic partnership at the national level.
The relationship between Liberia and Maryland dates back nearly two centuries.
The State of Maryland played a pivotal role in Liberia’s early history through the Maryland State Colonization Society, which supported the establishment of settlements along Liberia’s southeastern coast during the 1830s. Those settlements later became the independent Republic of Maryland before voluntarily joining the Republic of Liberia in 1857. Today, it is Maryland County in Liberia.
Liberia also shares a unique historical connection with Maryland through its second President, Stephen Allen Benson, who was born in Cambridge, Maryland, before emigrating to Liberia as a child.
Officials from both governments said the new agreement honors that shared history while positioning the partnership to address modern economic and development priorities.
Expanding Cooperation Across Key Sectors
The Memorandum establishes a broad framework for strategic cooperation across multiple sectors considered critical to Liberia’s development agenda.
Areas covered under the agreement include:
- Trade and investment;
- Economic development;
- Education and academic exchanges;
- Technology and innovation;
- Agriculture;
- Renewable energy;
- Transportation;
- Life sciences;
- Cybersecurity;
- Artificial intelligence;
- Climate resilience;
- Tourism; and
- Cultural exchange.
Officials said the partnership is intended to create practical opportunities for businesses, universities, entrepreneurs, researchers, students, and public institutions on both sides of the Atlantic.
The agreement also aligns closely with President Boakai’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), particularly its pillars on Economic Transformation, Infrastructure Development, and Human Capital Development.
Nyanti: Partnership Looks to the Future
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti described the agreement as more than a diplomatic milestone, saying it represents a shared commitment to building a stronger future for both Liberia and Maryland.
“This Memorandum of Understanding represents more than a formal agreement; it is a reaffirmation of our shared history and a bold commitment to our shared future as we seek to create meaningful opportunities for investment, innovation, education, cultural exchange, and sustainable development that will benefit the people of Liberia and Maryland alike,” Minister Nyanti said.
She noted that the agreement demonstrates Liberia’s commitment to strengthening international partnerships capable of generating tangible economic opportunities while deepening people-to-people connections.
Governor Moore Welcomes New Chapter
Governor Wes Moore, the first African American governor of Maryland and only the third elected African American governor in U.S. history, welcomed the agreement as a significant opportunity to deepen the longstanding relationship between Maryland and Liberia.
He said the partnership would create new avenues for economic cooperation, educational exchanges, innovation, and cultural understanding while strengthening historical bonds between the two jurisdictions.
Governor Moore noted that the agreement reflects a shared vision of expanding opportunities for citizens, institutions, and businesses through mutually beneficial collaboration.
Working Group to Drive Implementation
To ensure the partnership delivers measurable outcomes, the Memorandum provides for the establishment of a Liberia–Maryland Working Group.
The body will oversee implementation of the agreement, identify priority projects, coordinate institutional exchanges, facilitate business partnerships, and monitor progress across the various sectors covered by the Memorandum.
Liberia’s Embassy in Washington, D.C. will serve as the lead coordinating institution responsible for implementing and monitoring the partnership.
Officials say the arrangement is designed to move the agreement beyond symbolic diplomacy by focusing on concrete projects capable of generating investment, creating jobs, expanding educational opportunities, and promoting innovation.
Broad Representation at Historic Ceremony
The signing ceremony brought together members of Governor Moore’s Cabinet, former Maryland state senators, senior government officials, members of the Liberian diplomatic mission, and leaders of the Liberian diaspora community in the United States.
Among those in attendance was Sebastian Teclar, President of the Liberian Association of the DC-Metro, Maryland and Virginia (DMV), accompanied by members of his leadership team.
Minister Nyanti was joined by Assistant Minister for American Affairs Christiana Konneh, Minister Counselor for Political and Diaspora Affairs Charles H.V. Allen, Minister Counselor for Press and Public Affairs Al-Jerome Anastas Chede Sr., and Ms. Stephenie Wesseh, Communications Officer in the Office of the Minister.
The landmark agreement represents one of Liberia’s most significant subnational international partnerships in recent years and underscores the Boakai administration’s broader strategy of leveraging diplomacy to attract investment, expand educational opportunities, strengthen institutional cooperation, and accelerate national development.
Officials from both Liberia and Maryland expressed confidence that the partnership will not only deepen the historic ties that have connected the two governments for nearly 200 years but also create new opportunities that will deliver lasting benefits for future generations on both sides of the Atlantic.
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