Liberia is turning to the Caribbean in search of new investors and business partners, with Presidential Special Envoy for Trade and Investment Ambassador Maisie Dunbar leading the effort. Dunbar is scheduled to attend the We Mean Business Summit in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, from September 16–18, where she will promote opportunities in agriculture, tourism, energy, infrastructure and the country’s largely untapped blue economy.
Her participation underscores Liberia’s bid to position itself as an emerging investment destination while leveraging longstanding cultural and historical ties between Africa, the Caribbean and the wider diaspora. “The Caribbean and Africa share history, culture, resilience and tremendous entrepreneurial spirit,” Dunbar said ahead of the summit. “This is an opportunity to remind our Caribbean sisters that Liberia is not far away. We are part of the same global African story, and there are opportunities for us to do business together.”
Dunbar, who serves as Special Envoy to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, has been invited to join a fireside chat on investment, economic opportunity and the role of women in shaping markets. The summit, hosted by the National Women’s Collaborative founded by Sharon Jackson, is expected to convene more than 2,900 women entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders from over 30 countries.
For Liberia, the engagement carries significance beyond the conference itself. The government hopes to convert shared cultural connections into tangible trade and investment partnerships. Dunbar is expected to highlight Liberia’s strategic location on the West African coast and opportunities across agriculture, fisheries, tourism, infrastructure, energy, digital transformation and the blue economy. She will also emphasize the need for investment in human capital to sustain growth. “Investment in Liberia must also be investment in people,” she said. “Human capital development, workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, education and skills are the foundation upon which sustainable economic growth is built.”
Liberia’s youthful population and demand for jobs make workforce development a pressing priority. Dunbar’s own background as a Liberian-American entrepreneur adds a diaspora dimension to the mission, reflecting the government’s effort to engage professionals abroad not only as sources of remittances but as investors and conduits to international markets.
The St. Thomas summit is expected to explore partnerships in women-led enterprises, tourism, agriculture, fisheries, infrastructure and trade. Whether these discussions translate into concrete investments will depend on Liberia’s ability to connect investors with viable projects and create an enabling business environment. For Dunbar, the objective is clear: to move Liberia’s relationship with the Caribbean from shared history to shared business. “We are part of the same global African story,” she said. “And there are opportunities for us to do business together.”
