Liberia was not directly involved in the process to develop a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. It was, however, among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022.
Statements and positions
At the 2024 UN Security Council open debate on the Protection of Civilian in Armed Conflict, Liberia expressed concern for the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, stating that this “highlights the fact that much remains to be done to ensure compliance with international law and effectively safeguard civilians.” 1 In 2025, at the UN General Assembly’s First Committee, Liberia reaffirmed its “unwavering commitment to strengthening the multilateral approach in addressing issues of international security and arms control”, flagging the Political Declaration and other “key disarmament instruments”
In 2017, Liberia endorsed the communiqué arising from the Maputo Regional Meeting on Protecting Civilians from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas. 2 The Maputo Communiqué discussed the harms of explosive weapons in populated areas, the role of African states in working against it, and the need to create a Political Declaration on the matter. The 19 African states present agreed to work independently and cooperatively to, inter alia: avoid the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas; encourage collection of data and information; fully support the process towards adoption of an international Political Declaration; promote bilateral and regional cooperation through sharing experiences, good practices and expertise on reducing the harm caused by explosive weapons to civilians; constructively engage in discussions and initiatives at international level that could effectively provide greater protection to civilians in armed conflicts; foster deeper and further engagement from African States; and strengthen cooperation and partnerships with international organizations and civil society organisations to draw upon their relevant expertise and support. 3