Monrovia – Liberia Ambassador Milton Nathaniel Barnes, a former Finance Minister, claims that Liberia’s economy remains fragile despite years of peace and political stability, urging national leaders to shift focus from political division to sustainable economic transformation.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway, emmanuel.conway@frontpageafricaonline.com
Speaking in an exclusive interview with FrontPage Africa on Wednesday, May 27, Ambassador Barnes described Liberia as a nation that is “surviving, but barely,” cautioning that the country’s heavy dependence on imported goods and raw material exports continues to expose the economy to global shocks.
“What I can say about our economy is that it surviving and that is not good enough. We need to thrive,” Ambassador Barnes declared, stressing that Liberia’s resilience and long-standing peace remain significant national achievements.
The Liberian diplomat, politician and educator, who served as Finance Minister from 1999 to 2002, praised Liberians for maintaining stability amid growing global tensions, including conflicts in the Middle East and Europe, which he said continue to affect vulnerable economies like Liberia’s.
However, he pointed out that the country’s over reliance on exporting unfinished raw materials such as iron ore, gold, diamonds, and rubber has limited long-term economic growth.
“The iron, the gold, the diamond and whatever raw minerals we have under our land will eventually finish. And so we need to begin investing in renewable resources like agriculture, tourism, and human capital.”
He stressed that agriculture remains one of Liberia’s greatest untapped opportunities, arguing that the country must transition from exporting raw commodities to producing finished goods locally.
Using Liberia’s rubber industry as an example, he questioned why the country continues exporting latex without manufacturing products such as medical gloves and condoms for regional and international markets.
“We need to add value to what we produce instead of continuously exporting raw materials, which we barely get nothing out of,” he said.
The former minister also identified tourism and the service sector as major opportunities for youth employment, especially as technology-driven industries continue to expand globally.
He called for stronger educational systems and vocational training programs to prepare young Liberians for future jobs.
Ambassador Barnes further criticized what he described as extreme inequalities within the public sector, noting that teachers and healthcare workers remain underpaid while lawmakers earn significantly higher salaries.
The Liberian financial expert, that this alone does not in any way encourage service to the nation as teachers and medical practitioners and classroom teachers do.
“The typical public school teacher makes between $150 and $190 a month, while legislators make many times more. We need to reshuffle our priorities.”
Showing the country’s leading menace that continues to undermine growth and development, the former Finance Ministry boss described corruption as one of Liberia’s biggest economic obstacles, calling it “systemic, institutional, and psychological.”
Ambassador Barnes maintains that corruption has become normalized in society, negatively affecting productivity and public trust. Adding: “We have created a system where people believe the only way to succeed is to cheat,” he stated.
On the heels of the foregoing, Ambassador. Barnes urged the government to invest more heavily in infrastructure and agriculture, criticizing past national budgets that allocated only a small percentage to the agricultural sector despite its importance to food security and economic development.
On foreign investment, he encouraged Liberia to negotiate from a position of strength by first understanding the true value of its natural resources before entering concession agreements.
“We need to first look within; understand our strengths, understand the value of our assets, and negotiate based on facts.”
During the nearly half hour interview, Ambassador Barnes zoomed in on what he as the “Three Cardinal Questions” for national development, namely:
What must we do to get what we want?
Are we willing and prepared to do what we must do to achieve it?
He also called on the current administration to prioritize patriotism, merit, and national unity over ethnicity and political loyalty when building leadership teams.
Despite his criticism of the country’s economic direction, Ambassador Barnes expressed optimism about Liberia’s future, especially given Africa’s growing global importance and Liberia’s natural wealth.
“Africa is changing. If managed properly, Africa could become the leader of the world, and Liberia has a role to play in that future.”
Ambassador Barnes, who now serves as Dean of Global Affairs at the Cuttington University School of Graduate Studies, reaffirmed his commitment to contributing to national development even outside public office.
“Life is not a destination; it is a journey,” he among other things, stated.
