Liberia is still recovering from a devastating civil war, which began in 1999 and ended in August 2003, when a comprehensive peace agreement was signed. A transitional power-sharing government has been in place until the actual president was elected in November 2005. No major security problems were reported during the 2005 elections, and the general tensions that surrounded the event have now largely subsided. The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has now completed its disarmament program. Social and economic infrastructure reconstruction is ongoing and progress has been made in resettling refugees and displaced persons from neighbouring countries, reintegrating former combatants, respecting human rights and the rule of law, creating a stable environment and paving the way for economic development and fighting corruption.

However, the security situation in Liberia remains unpredictable. Mass movement of people aggravates the already poor economic conditions, especially in Monrovia and in other cities, where the presence of refugees is putting a strain on food and shelter resources. Looting and robbery, often at gunpoint, is being reported throughout the country. Fighting and demonstrations can occur anywhere at any time.

Avoid unnecessary travel to the areas bordering Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast, where the presence of rebels and refugees contributes to instabilities.

An International Driving Permit (IDP) is recommended.

Roberts International Airport (RIA) is located 56 km outside Monrovia. Daytime air service is very limited. With the supervision of UNMIL, the airport is accessible, but travelers should expect frequently crowded and disorganized conditions. Since public transportation to Monrovia is not reliable, you should make previous arrangements in order to leave the airport accompanied by a driver.

Foreign Affairs Canada’s Office of Protocol provides contact details for the Consulate of the Republic of Liberia, where you can obtain further information on entry and exit requirements. Liberia does not have accredited representation in Canada.

A valid Canadian passport is required for Canadians intending to visit Liberia. The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected departure from the country. Canadians must also be in possession of a visa.

Tourist Visa: Required

Ordinary Visa: Required

Diplomatic Visa: Required

Official Visa: Required

Travellers are required to carry evidence of yellow fever and cholera vaccinations.

Immigration officials at the airport may authorize permits for a 48-hour stay only. Travellers wishing to stay longer must present their passport to the Central Bureau of Immigration on Broad Street in downtown Monrovia. The Central Bureau issues permits for stays up to three months for a 100 US$ fee. There is a 25 US$ departure tax to be paid in cash at the airport.

Standards of medical care may differ from those in Canada. Treatment may be expensive, and payment in advance may be required. Travellers are advised to arrange for medical insurance prior to departure. Prescription medications should be kept in the original container and packed in carry-on luggage.

The Public Health Agency of Canada also recommends that travellers who become sick or feel unwell on their return to Canada seek a medical assessment with their personal physician. Travellers should inform their physician that they have been travelling or living outside of Canada.

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12. ADDITIONAL HEALTH INFORMATION

Medical facilities and emergency services are poor in Monrovia and non-existent elsewhere. Medicines are scarcely available.

As HIV/AIDS infection rate is high in Liberia, you should be cautious about activities involving the transmission of bodily fluids.

Cancelling a scheduled trip abroad could cost you money. Before cancelling a scheduled trip, you should discuss the matter with your travel agent, your travel insurer, or the airline. The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller.

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17. FOR MORE INFORMATION

TIPS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELLERS TO LIBERIA

Recognizing a Business Scam

The Embassy of Canada in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (located at 23 Noguès Avenue, Le Plateau, Abidjan), along with many other embassies, frequently handles "scam" cases. Business people, many of them experienced in overseas transactions, have lost thousands of dollars to scams. Occasionally, persons who have gone to Liberia to "finalize" deals have been threatened or assaulted. Local police and other officials have not provided assistance to those caught up in scams.

Caution should be exercised when contemplating any business transaction involving Liberia. The scams range from attempts to engage business people in fictitious money transfer schemes to fraudulent solicitations to supply goods in fulfillment of non-existent Liberian government contracts. The scams are very sophisticated and may take victims to staged meetings, often held in borrowed offices at Liberian government ministries or at overseas locations. The persons involved do their research and can often provide plausible, but non-existent, orders written on seemingly genuine government stationery, replete with official stamps and seals.

Liberian business scams are not always easy to recognize, and any unsolicited business proposal should be carefully scrutinized. There are, nevertheless, some indicators that are warnings of a probable scam. Look out for:

Any offer of a substantial percentage of a large sum of money to be transferred into your account in return for your "discretion" or "confidentiality";

Any deal that seems too good to be true;

Requests for signed and stamped blank letterhead or invoices, or for bank account information;

Requests for urgent air shipment, accompanied by an instrument of payment whose genuineness cannot immediately be established;

Solicitation letters or e-mails claiming that the soliciting party has personal ties to senior Liberian officials;

Requests for advance payment in U.S. dollars, in advance of transfer taxes or incorporation fees;

Statements that your name was provided to the soliciting party either by someone you do not know or by a "reliable contact";

Promises of advance payment for services to be provided to the Liberian government;

Claims that a Liberian visa is not necessary or that arrival in Liberia should be overland from a neighbouring country;

Resistance by Liberian partners to your checking in with the local Canadian government office;

Any offer to supply oil; and

Any offer of a charitable donation.

These indicators are some of the most common hallmarks of Liberian scam operations. The list is not all-inclusive, as scam operators are constantly weaving new elements into their schemes. The best rule is to carefully check any unsolicited business proposal originating from Liberia or involving Liberians before any funds are committed, before any goods or services are provided, or before any travel is undertaken.

How Do the Scams Work?

Liberian business scams are confidence schemes, designed to exploit the trust you develop in your Liberian partner and defraud you of goods, services, or money. The scams are flexible, and operators adapt them to take the greatest advantage of the target.

Solicitation letters or e-mails received in Canada may sometimes originate in countries neighbouring Liberia (i.e. Sierra Leone or Côte d'Ivoire), in Europe, or in North America; however, you may be requested to visit Liberia to finalize the deal.

Here is a brief description of some of the most common schemes:

Money Transfer: The operator claims to have a large sum of money, usually millions of dollars, that needs to be transferred to a "safe" bank account abroad. You, as the bank account owner, are promised a percentage of the huge sum, just for allowing the use of your account. You may be asked to provide blank, signed invoices, letterhead, and bank account information, or to send money for transfer taxes. Some businesses have found their accounts looted by the persons to whom they sent account information.
Fraudulent Order: The operator usually places a small order, paying with a genuine cashier's cheque drawn on a foreign bank. The operator then places another, somewhat larger order, again paying with a genuine instrument. Then you receive an order by courier. Your Liberian partner urgently needs a large quantity of your product air-shipped. Confident in your partner, you ship, but this time the cashier's cheque (which looks the same) is a forgery.

Experienced business people usually require full payment in advance of shipment or an irrevocable letter of credit confirmed by a reputable international bank.

Charitable Donation: The operator offers to make a donation to your organization, asking for bank account information (see Money Transfer, above). Then the operator loots the account or asks for advance payment of a fee to ensure conversion of Liberian dollars into U.S. dollars.

Contract: The operator claims to have a Liberian government contract and needs your company's expertise to carry out the job. The operator scams you by collecting thousands of dollars in "fees" before you can do business.

Business Opportunity: The operator convinces you to explore a business opportunity by visiting Liberia. Once you arrive, the operator takes charge of your life, trying to keep you from contacting friends, family, or the Canadian government office in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. By various means, sometimes including violence or threats of violence, the operator extracts money from you. This type of scam becomes particularly dangerous for a victim who has entered Liberia without a valid Liberian visa, issued by a Liberian embassy or consulate.

All travellers MUST have a visa prior to arrival in Liberia and must pass through immigration formalities upon entry into the country. Letters addressed to immigration officials have no validity.

CONTACT INFORMATION

International Trade Canada
Africa and Middle East Trade Division
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0G2

Ask for the Commercial Officer responsible for Liberia at (613) 944-4000. If you already have a contact name, you can also fax your request at (613) 996-9709.

Embassy of the Republic of Liberia
5201 - 16th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20011
U.S.A.
Tel.: 202-723-0437
Fax: 202-723-0436
Web site: http://www.embassyofliberia.org/
E-mail: info@embassyofliberia.org

Criminal Operations Branch
Economic Crime Directorate
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
1200 Vanier Parkway
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0R2
Tel.: 613-998-6050 or 613-998-6069
Fax: 613-993-4299

PhoneBusters National Call Centre
P.O. Box 686
North Bay, ON
P1B 8J8
Tel.: 1 888 654-9426 or 705-495-8501
Fax: 1 888 654-9426 or 705-494-4008
Web site: www.phonebusters.com

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18. ANNEX

N/A

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