LRRRC issues residence permits to former Ivorian refugees

Published: July 8, 2025

ZWEDRU, Liberia — The Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) has begun issuing residence permits to former Ivorian refugees, as part of a sweeping government initiative to support local integration following the departure of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) from Liberia.

The announcement was made by LRRRC Officer-in-Charge Jackson Paye during a five-day assessment mission to southeastern Liberia, where he visited refugee-hosting communities in Grand Gedeh and Maryland counties. Paye said the initiative, led in collaboration with the Liberia Immigration Service and the National Identification Registry, aims to regularize the status of refugees who remained in the country after fleeing conflict in neighboring Côte d’Ivoire.

“The process has already started in Monrovia, and we are now expanding to Grand Gedeh and Maryland,” Paye said during a stop at the PTP Refugee Settlement in Zwedru. “This is part of a broader push to ensure former refugees can live with dignity, access services, and contribute to the economy.”

Paye’s visit came as part of an ongoing nationwide campaign to implement Executive Order No. 144, signed by President Joseph Boakai on Feb. 24. The order simplifies legal procedures for former refugees and enhances their access to essential services, including healthcare, housing, and official documentation.

During town hall meetings in Zwedru and Little Welbo in Maryland County, Paye pledged renewed support for sustainable livelihoods, especially in agriculture. He said the LRRRC would take over from UNHCR in facilitating farming projects on available land in former refugee settlements.

“We are focused on empowering these communities through agriculture,” he said. “Our goal is self-reliance and long-term integration.”

Paye also issued a warning to some individuals reportedly returning to Côte d’Ivoire to provoke unrest and then seeking reentry into Liberia under refugee status.

“Please don’t go back to Ivory Coast to cause confusion and run back to Liberia for protection,” he cautioned, urging former refugees to remain law-abiding and focused on rebuilding their lives.

The LRRRC chief praised local authorities for their cooperation and reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to upholding international conventions on refugee protection. He noted that as a signatory to major global and regional protocols, Liberia remains obligated to safeguard the rights of all individuals residing within its borders.

The southeast remains home to hundreds of former Ivorian refugees, many of whom have lived in Liberia for over a decade. With the end of UNHCR’s formal operations, the Boakai administration has vowed to maintain momentum in local integration efforts and refugee protection programs.