The first tree being planted by community and both Monrovia City Mayor John-Charuk Siafa and EU Ambassador Nona Deprez

MONROVIA, Liberia — The European Union and Monrovia City Corporation inaugurated the Monrovia Urban Greenery and Climate Resilience Project (MUGCREP) with a three-month pilot designed to transform Monrovia’s coastal corridor into a living, greener space. A signing ceremony between Mayor John-Charuk Siafa and EU Ambassador Nona Deprez established a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to kick off the initiative, running from February to April 2026 and targeting more than 200 fruit-bearing trees along a 7-kilometer stretch from Johanssen Beach to Pan African Plaza, near One UN House, and extending toward the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Executive Mansion, and the Mamba Point enclave.

Launching of the beach-front tree planting between the Monrovia City Corporation and the European Union Delegation to Liberia

The project is framed as a bold step in climate action that citizens can see, feel, and live. “This is climate action you can see, feel, and live in,” Ambassador Deprez said at the signing, underscoring the EU’s commitment to greenhouse planting, coastal protection, and resilient urban spaces. The trees will be carefully selected for resilience to saline conditions and coastal winds, with aims to strengthen the coastline, cool urban areas, improve air quality, and restore the aesthetic appeal of Monrovia’s shoreline.

A coconut tree that was planted as a part of the beach-front tree planting initiative between the EU and the Monrovia City Corporation

Mayor Siafa highlighted the broader social and economic benefits of the green makeover. In a post on Facebook, he recalled the site-tour conducted on February 5th and 6th with the EU Ambassador to review the 1st Street Sinkor beachfront—an area slated for intensified cleanup and renewal. “Let’s think Monrovia. Love Monrovia. Build Monrovia,” he proclaimed, framing the project as a community-driven catalyst for pride, tourism, and local livelihoods.

Monrovia City Mayor John-Charuk Siafa speaking at the launch of the beach-front tree planting

Community engagement sits at the heart of MUGCREP. Residents, youth groups, and local leaders are being mobilized for tree planting, awareness campaigns, and stewardship activities designed to foster long-term care and ownership of the green spaces. The initiative envisions spillover benefits: cooler public spaces, enhanced coastal protection against erosion, improved air quality, and strengthened biodiversity along the coastal corridor connecting diplomatic and governmental hubs with residential neighborhoods.

The EU and the Monrovia City Corporation have decided to plant fruit-bearing trees along the beach from Johanssen all the way to behind the One United Nations Building on First Street in Sinkor

The MOU aligns with Liberia’s broader urban development and climate resilience agenda, and represents a tangible example of international partnership translating into local action. If the pilot proves successful, it could pave the way for scalable, city-wide green investments and further climate adaptation projects across Monrovia and other Liberian communities.

Some areas of the trees planting along the beach will need massive cleanup

Officials stressed that the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to sustainable urban development and to empowering communities to participate actively in climate resilience. As Monrovia plants its future, residents and visitors alike can look forward to a greener, cooler, and more resilient capital—one tree at a time.

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