MONROVIA, Liberia — August 13, 2026_The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other national and international partners, has concluded a one-day National Validation Workshop aimed at strengthening responsible sand management and protecting Liberia’s coastal and riverine ecosystems.

The workshop, held Thursday at the Corina Hotel in Sinkor, brought together representatives of government ministries, agencies and commissions, local authorities, civil society and non-governmental organizations, academia, private sector actors, community representatives, development partners and international organizations to review and validate the draft project proposal titled “Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Productive Sectors: Responsible Sand Value Chain for Coastal Resilience in West Africa.”

The initiative is a 36-month regional project endorsed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) under the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) and being developed by UNEP in partnership with the EPA of Liberia and The Gambia’s National Environment Agency (NEA).

The project seeks to address the environmental and social impacts associated with unsustainable sand extraction, including coastal erosion, habitat degradation, biodiversity loss, pollution and increasing vulnerability of communities to flooding and other climate-related impacts.

It also seeks to promote better governance of the sand value chain, strengthen policies and regulations, improve institutional coordination, encourage responsible sourcing and sustainable alternatives, and create biodiversity-positive livelihood opportunities for communities that depend on sand resources.

The national validation workshop represented the final major consultative step before the proposal is submitted to the GEF for review and approval.

Officially opening the workshop, EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo stressed that the initiative should not be viewed merely as an intervention to regulate sand mining, but as a broader effort to balance natural resource use, biodiversity conservation, livelihoods and national development.

Dr. Yarkpawolo recalled that during the project’s inception workshop in April, he emphasized that the initiative was about “how we manage our natural resources, protect biodiversity, support livelihoods and pursue development without destroying the environmental foundation upon which our people depend.”

He acknowledged that sand remains essential to construction and national development, but warned that its extraction without proper planning, regulation and restoration can have serious consequences.

According to him, unsustainable sand mining can accelerate coastal and riverbank erosion, destroy habitats, degrade water quality, expose communities and infrastructure to flooding and storm impacts, and threaten fishing and other local livelihoods.

He also pointed to weak monitoring, fragmented institutional responsibilities and limited sustainable alternatives as factors allowing harmful practices to continue.

Dr. Yarkpawolo said the proposed project is designed to address these challenges across the entire sand value chain by strengthening scientific evidence and baseline information, improving policies and regulations, enhancing institutional coordination and enforcement, and promoting responsible sourcing and sustainable alternatives.

He added that the project would also support biodiversity-positive livelihood opportunities, particularly for women, youth and vulnerable communities.

“In simple terms, the project connects science to policy, policy to the market, and the market to improved livelihoods and environmental protection,” the EPA Executive Director said.

He further highlighted the EPA’s newly strengthened laboratory facilities, including its marine and water quality, chemical and radiation laboratories and modern elemental analyzer, as an important national foundation for generating and validating the scientific evidence required to guide responsible sand management.

Dr. Yarkpawolo placed strong emphasis on national ownership, stressing that international support must translate into stronger Liberian institutions, expertise and accountability.

“National ownership, however, is not achieved simply by placing Liberia’s name on a document,” he said. “It is achieved when our institutions, communities, businesses, experts and civil society meaningfully shape the project and accept responsibility for its delivery.”

He therefore urged participants to critically examine the draft proposal, challenge assumptions, identify gaps and recommend practical solutions rather than simply endorsing the document.

The EPA Executive Director said the ultimate success of the initiative should be measured not by the quality of the proposal alone, but by whether it reduces unsustainable sand extraction, protects coastal and riverine ecosystems, strengthens governance, improves livelihoods and supports a more sustainable construction sector.

He maintained that economic development and environmental protection do not have to be competing objectives, noting that sound science, clear rules, responsible investment, effective institutions and genuine partnerships can allow both to reinforce each other.

Also speaking at the workshop, Assistant Minister for Planning, Research and Development at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Hon. Emmanuel Vaye, welcomed the initiative and commended the EPA, UNEP and stakeholders for their contributions to the development of the project.

Representing the Minister of Mines and Energy, Minister Vaye recognized sand as an important resource for national development, particularly the construction sector, while noting that its improper extraction can contribute to coastal erosion, ecosystem degradation and other environmental challenges.

He described the validation workshop as an important opportunity for stakeholders to review, refine and collectively strengthen the proposed interventions before the project is submitted to the GEF.

From the Ministry of Mines and Energy’s perspective, he said particular attention should be given to data and planning, regulatory oversight and enforcement, institutional coordination, and the promotion of more sustainable and efficient approaches to sand extraction and construction.

He stressed that addressing the challenges associated with sand requires a value-chain approach involving government institutions, communities, private-sector actors, development partners and other stakeholders.

Minister Vaye encouraged participants to provide honest and constructive input to ensure that the final proposal is realistic, nationally owned and responsive to Liberia’s development and environmental priorities.

He emphasized that the objective should go beyond securing approval for the proposal.

“The objective is not simply to submit the proposal but to develop an initiative that can make a meaningful contribution to the government’s conservation, coastal resilience, sustainable resources management and broader development agenda,” he said.

He reaffirmed the Ministry of Mines and Energy’s commitment to working closely with the EPA, UNEP and other partners throughout the process and continuing stakeholder engagement.

Montserrado County Superintendent Whroway Bryan stressed the need to place communities at the center of efforts to address the impacts of sand mining.

Superintendent Bryan said the increasing demand for sand, particularly for construction, requires stronger collective action to prevent environmental degradation and protect the lives and livelihoods of communities.

He stressed that the development of the project must result in practical measures to stop harmful practices and protect people living in affected areas.

According to him, the presence of representatives from government institutions, agencies and other organizations demonstrates a shared interest in protecting communities and ensuring that sand management becomes a national priority.

Superintendent Bryan particularly emphasized the importance of working directly with sand-mining companies and other private-sector actors.

He said regulations must not only be developed but properly implemented, with government authorities and sand operators working together to ensure compliance and responsible practices.

He also called for meaningful community participation in the project, stressing that communities must be able to see themselves and their concerns reflected in the final document.

“Our job is to make sure that what is put together, people take ownership of it,” he said, emphasizing that technical experts may develop the proposal, but communities must ultimately see the project as their own.

He urged stakeholders to ensure that the final project reflects Liberia’s realities and protects communities.

Superintendent Bryan thanked the technical teams and stakeholders who worked on the proposal and encouraged continued collaboration to ensure that the initiative delivers practical benefits.

Mr. Momodu Michael Kemokai, Country Director of Conservation International, also underscored the importance of responsible sand management, describing sand as one of the natural resources that supports economic development.

He noted that sand is essential for infrastructure, housing, roads, schools and other investments that contribute to national growth.

However, he warned that irresponsible sand extraction can produce significant environmental and social consequences, including coastal erosion, land degradation, habitat destruction, biodiversity loss and increased vulnerability of communities to climate-related impacts.

As development and infrastructure expansion continue, Kemokai said demand for sand is expected to grow, making it necessary to understand the entire sand production and value chain and address existing challenges while promoting economic development and environmental sustainability.

He said Conservation International believes nature is among the most valuable assets for development because healthy ecosystems provide critical services that support livelihoods, strengthen resilience to climate change and contribute to long-term economic prosperity.

He cautioned that unsustainable natural resource extraction can undermine these benefits and place additional pressure on communities that depend directly on healthy landscapes and coastal ecosystems.

Kemokai said the validation workshop provides an important opportunity for government institutions, sand operators, researchers, civil society organizations and local communities to collectively examine how sand extraction can be better regulated and monitored.

He also called for greater transparency, improved compliance with environmental standards and sustainable business practices throughout the sand industry.

In particular, he emphasized the need to integrate environmental safeguards into every stage of the sand value chain.

“Sustainable extraction is not simply an environmental issue. It is also an issue of economic efficiency, social responsibility and intergenerational equity,” Kemokai said.

He explained that decisions being made today will determine whether future generations inherit productive landscapes and resilient ecosystems.

Conservation International, he said, remains committed to supporting evidence-based decision-making, ecosystem conservation and sustainable natural resource management.

He disclosed that the organization is already working with the EPA to establish natural capital accounts and expressed interest in extending such work to beaches and freshwater ecosystems.

Kemokai said this could help identify the value of natural ecosystems and explore ways communities can benefit from the resources and services they provide.

The workshop followed the successful inception workshop and a series of national consultations involving government institutions, local communities, academia, civil society, development partners and private-sector stakeholders.

Inputs gathered throughout the consultation process have informed the project’s design, results framework, implementation arrangements, safeguards and financing strategy.

During the validation exercise, stakeholders reviewed key components of the proposed project, including the project design and results framework, policy and institutional framework, governance arrangements, technical interventions and expected outputs.

The consultations are expected to ensure that the final proposal reflects Liberia’s national priorities, addresses stakeholder concerns and provides realistic and measurable interventions.

The project’s broader objective is to transform the sand value chain from one characterized by unsustainable extraction and environmental degradation into one that supports responsible resource use, biodiversity conservation, coastal resilience, sustainable livelihoods and national development.

With the national validation now completed, the draft proposal will proceed toward submission to the Global Environment Facility for review and approval, subject to the completion of the final technical and procedural requirements.