Published: December 8, 2025
CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia — The Senate’s Joint Committee on Transport has raised alarm that the controversial Concession and Access Agreement between the Government of Liberia and Ivanhoe Liberia may violate a binding cross-border treaty with Guinea, prompting a high-stakes public hearing scheduled for Monday at the Capitol Building.
The committee, chaired by Montserrado County Senator Saah H. Joseph, said the Legislature cannot proceed with the Ivanhoe agreement until the Executive proves it was negotiated in full compliance with the 2019 Liberia–Guinea Implementation Agreement — the international framework that governs all cross-border rail access and mineral transport between the two nations.
In a formal communication dated November 12, 2025 and sent to the National Investment Commission, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Transport, the Senate cautioned that Liberia risks breaching international law if it signs or ratifies any rail-related concession without Guinea’s formal approval.
“Full adherence to this agreement is not only a matter of national policy but also a requirement of international law,” the letter states.
Government Cannot Show Compliance
According to senators, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice last week failed to provide any verified documentation showing that Guinea was consulted, engaged, or issued approval for the Ivanhoe deal. Lawmakers said this gap is not a technicality but a direct violation of the governing treaty.
Under the 2019 Implementation Agreement, neither Liberia nor Guinea may sign or ratify any rail-use concession without the other country’s concurrence. The treaty states unambiguously:
“No agreement shall be executed or ratified by either party without the formal approval or concurrence of the Government of Guinea.”
Yet the Ivanhoe agreement submitted to the Legislature reportedly contains no evidence that Guinea reviewed, endorsed, or was even notified of the deal.
Senate: Liberia Failed to Engage New Guinean Authorities
The committee also noted that since Guinea’s 2021 political transition, the Government of Liberia has not taken the required diplomatic steps to reaffirm the treaty or reactivate the joint committee responsible for cross-border coordination.
“There are serious concerns that the Government of Liberia has not formally engaged the new Guinean authorities, reaffirmed its commitment to the Implementation Agreement, or reactivated the joint committees central to its operation,” the Senate wrote.
Ivanhoe Agreement Allegedly Conflicts With Treaty Requirements
Lawmakers say the Ivanhoe Concession and Access Agreement (CAA) appears to have been drafted as a standalone commercial deal, with its own fee structure, tax regime, and operating rules, even though the Implementation Agreement requires harmonized laws, customs procedures, safety standards and non-discriminatory access for Guinean operators.
Article 4.1 of the treaty commits Liberia and Guinea to equal treatment of all rail users. Articles 8.2 and 8.3 require both countries to adopt joint pricing, customs protocols and safety regulations.
By setting unilateral access fees and creating a separate regulatory framework without bilateral consultation, Liberia may have breached the treaty’s requirement for uniform, harmonized rail operations. The Senate warned that allowing countries to negotiate separate private arrangements undermines the very purpose of the Implementation Agreement.
High-Stake Hearing Set for Monday
The Joint Committee has summoned all relevant ministries, the National Investment Commission and representatives of Ivanhoe Liberia for a public hearing on Monday. Senators say the goal is to establish whether the government followed the treaty’s mandatory procedures — and if not, what consequences Liberia faces under international law.
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