Published: June 16, 2025
MONROVIA — The Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), in collaboration with the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), has launched a biometric registration exercise aimed at issuing resident permits to 269 former Ivorian refugees who have permanently settled in Liberia.
The initiative is part of the government’s implementation of Executive Order 144, signed by President Joseph N. Boakai, which seeks to regularize the legal status of former Ivorian refugees integrated into Liberian communities following years of displacement.
The registration process began in Monrovia and will extend to Montserrado, Nimba, Grand Gedeh and Maryland counties, where most of the targeted population currently resides.
During the official launch ceremony, Joseph Boye Cooper, deputy executive director for operations at the LRRRC, and Elijah F. Rufus, commissioner general of the LIS, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to refugee protection and long-term integration.
“This is a significant step forward in ensuring that these individuals are fully integrated and can enjoy the rights and privileges of legal residents,” Cooper said. “We are not just issuing permits — we are promoting dignity and belonging.”
The LIS has already begun enrolling former refugees, capturing biometric data that will be used to produce official resident permits. According to the LRRRC, these permits will grant beneficiaries access to essential public services, including education, healthcare and housing.
As part of the broader integration effort, the LRRRC will also coordinate with the National Identification Registry to ensure that all former Ivorian refugees are included in Liberia’s national identification system.
Liberia has hosted thousands of Ivorian refugees since the onset of civil conflict in neighboring Côte d’Ivoire in the early 2000s. While many have voluntarily repatriated over the years, a significant number opted to remain in Liberia, where they have established families, livelihoods and community ties.
Government officials say the biometric registration and regularization initiative underscores Liberia’s continued leadership in refugee protection across West Africa and aligns with international human rights and inclusion standards.
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