- LCA – Liberia
- Version 1.05
Logistics Capacity Assessment
LIBERIA
Country
- Name
- Liberia
- Official Name
- Republic of Liberia
Assessment
Assessment Dates: Name of the Assessors Title
- From
- 7th November 2009
- To
- 3rd December 2009
Thierry Schweitzer assisted by Mårten Kihlström Consultant
[email protected] & [email protected] GLCSC Rome: [email protected]
Email contact
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Table of Contents
1. 2.
Table of Contents...................................................................................................................................... 2 Country Profile .......................................................................................................................................... 3
- 2.1.
- Introduction & Background................................................................................................................ 3
Humanitarian Background................................................................................................................. 6 Contact List – NGO‟s....................................................................................................................... 11 National Regulatory Departments ................................................................................................... 14 Customs Information ....................................................................................................................... 15
2.2. 2.3. 2.4. 2.5.
- 3.
- Logistics Infrastructure............................................................................................................................ 20
- 3.1.
- Port Assessment ............................................................................................................................. 20
Airport Assessment ......................................................................................................................... 34 Road Assessment ........................................................................................................................... 49 Railway Assessment ....................................................................................................................... 64 Waterways Assessment.................................................................................................................. 66 Storage Assessment ....................................................................................................................... 67 Milling Assessment.......................................................................................................................... 68
3.2. 3.3. 3.4. 3.5. 3.6. 3.7.
- 4.
- Logistics Related Services...................................................................................................................... 70
- 4.1.
- Fuel.................................................................................................................................................. 70
Transporters .................................................................................................................................... 72 Vehicle Rental ................................................................................................................................. 74 Taxi Companies............................................................................................................................... 74 Shipping Companies ....................................................................................................................... 75 Freight Forwarding Agents.............................................................................................................. 76 Electricity & Power .......................................................................................................................... 77 Manual Labour Costs ...................................................................................................................... 79 Telecommunications ....................................................................................................................... 80
4.2. 4.3. 4.4. 4.5. 4.6. 4.7. 4.8. 4.9. 4.10. Local Supplies Market..................................................................................................................... 82 4.11. UN Hospital Information .................................................................................................................. 84 4.12. International Courier Services......................................................................................................... 85 4.13. Airlines to/from Liberia..................................................................................................................... 85 4.14. Accommodation............................................................................................................................... 85
5. 6.
Scenarios & Contingencies..................................................................................................................... 87 Annexes .................................................................................................................................................. 88
6.1. 6.2. 6.3.
Annex 1: Relevant Websites applicable to this LCA ....................................................................... 88 Annex 2: Maps................................................................................................................................. 88 Annex 3: Miscellaneous .................................................................................................................. 88
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2.
Country Profile
Liberia, which means „land of the free‟ was founded by freed slaves from the United States in 1820. These freed slaves, called Americo-Liberians, first arrived in Liberia and established a settlement in Christopolis now Monrovia (named after U.S. President James Monroe) on February 6, 1820. This group of 86 immigrants formed the nucleus of the settler population of what became known as the Republic of Liberia. In December 1989, Charles Taylor launched a rebellion against Doe‟s regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which Doe himself was killed.
A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought Taylor to power, but fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003, peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles Taylor, who was exiled to Nigeria.
After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to power.
Liberia was traditionally noted for its hospitality and academic institutions, iron mining and rubber industry booms, and cultural skills and arts and craft works. But political upheavals beginning in the 1980s and the brutal 14-year civil war (1989-2003) brought about a steep decline in the living standards of the country, including its education and infrastructure.
The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strong presence throughout the country, completed a disarmament program for former combatants in late 2004, but the security situation is still volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish.
In January 2008 the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established to investigate war crimes committed during the civil war, began proceedings. It was modelled on South Africa‟s post apartheid body. International attention turned to two important war crimes trials: the first was that of former president Gen. Charles Taylor in The Hague, and the second was that of his son Charles (Chuckie) Taylor, Jr., in the United States, which resulted in a conviction in October 2009 on charges of torture and related war crimes; sentencing was set for January 2009.
- 2.1.
- Introduction & Background
- Basic Facts
- 2.1.1.
Basic Facts
- Capital
- Monrovia
English is the main language for communication particularly in the main cities. Other languages spoken are Bassa, Lorma, Kpelle, Vai, Gio, Mano, Krahn, Grebo, Kissi, Kru, Mende, and Mandingo
Language
Indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende),
- Ethnic groups
- Americo-Liberians 2.5%
(descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves) Indigenous beliefs 40%
- Christian 40%
- Religions
Muslim 20% Total: 111,369 km² Land: 96,320 km²
CIA fact sheet country comparison to
- the world: 103
- Country size (comparison)
Water: 15,049 km²
country comparison to the world: 132
National Census 2008 publication may 2009 PDF file
- Population density (map)
- 3,476,608
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, border (clockwise Sierra Leone, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire
Border countries Exports
$1.197 billion, rubber, timber, iron, CIA fact sheet Data 2006
- diamonds,
- cocoa,
- coffee. country comparison to the world:
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Country partners Malaysia 38.2%, US 147 15.9%, Poland 12.3%, Germany 9%, Belgium 6% (2008) $7.143 billion, fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment,
country comparison to the world: 103
- manufactured
- goods;
- foodstuffs
Imports
Imports partner South Korea 27.5%,
Singapore 25.2%, Japan 11.6%, China 11.2% (2008) Rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava
- Agricultural Products
- (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, CIA fact sheet
bananas; sheep, goats; timber
- 2.1.2.
- Country in Figures
General Information
country comparison to the world: 103
- Country size
- Total: 111,369 km²
- Population
- 3,441,790
2.665% country comparison to the world: 132
CIA fact sheet (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
country comparison to the world: 226 note: data are in 2008 US dollars
Population growth rate
$500 (2008 est.) $400 (2007 est.) $400 (2006 est.)
GDP per capita Population under poverty line (%) HIV prevalence (%)
80%
CIA fact sheet (2000 est.) CIA fact sheet (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
LIBERIA: HIV rates lower than feared
1.7%
Useful Information
Time zone (GMT +/-) Climate description
+/- 0
Current local time in Monrovia
Tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, CIA fact sheet cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers Liberian Dollar (also called Liberty Dollar)
Currency
United States Dollar circulated along
the official currency
Telephone dialling code Driving (left / right)
+231 Right
Depending on applicant‟s nationality
and issuing embassy / consulate. See CIA fact sheet Annexes for embassy and consulate contact.
Visa requirements and cost
- 2.1.3.
- Average Weather Conditions, Monrovia, Liberia
Relative Humidity
Discomfort from Heat
&
Humidity
High High High Extreme High Medium Medium Medium Medium High High High N/A
Wet Days
(+0.25 mm)
55
10 17 21 26 24 20 26 22 19 12
207
Temperature C
Average Record
Average Sunlight Hours
Ave
Precipitation
(mm)
Month
- am
- pm
- Min
- Max
30
- Min
- Max
- 32
- Jan
Feb
667654334465
4.9
23 23 23 23 22 23 22 23 22 22 23 23
22.6
13 20 19 16 16 18 16 18 18 19 16 14
16.9
95 94 92 91 89 89 88 87 92 92 91 93 90
78 76 77 80 79 82 83 84 86 84 80 79 80
31 56 97
29 31 31 30 27 27 27 27
33 32 33 34 31 29 30 29
March April May June July Aug Sept Oct
216 516 973 996 373 744 772 236 130
5,140
28 29 30
30 32 32
Nov Dec
Ave
- 28.8
- 31.4
Source: BBC Weather
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2.1.4.
Exchange Rate, Inflation of the Local currency
Money Parity and Inflation
- Year
- Exchange Rate – US$ = LRD
- Rate of Inflation
Central Bank of Liberia exchange rate history
- 2009 (up to mid November)
- Min 63, Max 72
Central Bank of Liberia exchange rate history Central Bank of Liberia exchange rate history Central Bank of Liberia exchange rate history Central Bank of Liberia exchange rate history
2008 2007 2006 2005
Min 62, Max 63 Min 60, Max 63 Min 52, Max 60 Min 53, Max 60
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- 2.2.
- Humanitarian Background
- Disasters, Conflicts & Migration History
- 2.2.1.
Disasters, Conflicts & Migration
Natural Disasters
Drought
Comments
Yes No
1983
Earthquake
- Epidemic
- Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes No
1980, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 (x2), 2002, 2003 (x2), 2005
Extreme temperature Flood
1990 1998, 2007, 2008, 2009
- Jan 2009
- Insect infestation
- Landslides
- 1982
Volcano
- Wave/Surge
- No
- Wildfires
- No
- Windstorm
- Yes
- 1995, 2007
Other comments
Man-made
- Civil strife
- Yes
No
1989 – 2003 (starting in the beginning of 1980‟s)
International conflict Displaced in country Refugees in country Refugees from country
Yes Yes Yes
N/A N/A N/A During civil war very few land mines (personnel and vehicle) were used. Greater risk of unexploded ordinance
Landmines casualties / year Other comments
Yes
Transport Accident 2002 (type and casualties unknown)
Source: *http://www.em-dat.net/disasters/countryprofiles.php