By Jamesetta D Williams
MONROVIA–The Government of Liberia, through the Office of Diaspora Affairs at the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, has announced plans to convene the 2026 ASPRA Annual Conference in the United States, as part of efforts to strengthen engagement with Liberians abroad and attract greater diaspora investment into the country.
The announcement was made during the Ministry of Information press briefing in Monrovia by officials of the Office of Diaspora Affairs and organizers of the conference. The conference is scheduled for September 25–27, 2026, at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, under the theme, “From Dialogue to Delivery.”
According to the organizers, the theme represents a shift from years of discussions with Liberians in the diaspora toward practical outcomes, including investments, partnerships, policy recommendations, job creation and other measurable contributions to Liberia’s development.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information, Head of Diaspora Affairs at the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, Erasmus T. Williams, said the conference is intended to position Liberians living abroad as strategic partners in Liberia’s national development process.
Williams said the conference will provide an opportunity to showcase investments and other contributions already being made by Liberians abroad, while encouraging more members of the diaspora to return to Liberia, invest and participate in the country’s economy.
He said the government also intends to use the conference to identify some of the challenges confronting Liberians abroad who want to invest or establish businesses in Liberia.
According to Williams, direct engagement between government officials and diaspora Liberians will allow participants to discuss policy gaps, investment barriers and opportunities for improving the business environment.
He said the objective is to help create conditions that make it easier for Liberians returning from abroad to establish businesses, invest capital, create employment and contribute to national development.
Williams disclosed that the 2026 ASPRA Conference will be supported by a Steering Committee and a Planning Committee comprising representatives from government ministries and agencies, the private sector, development partners and other strategic institutions.
The Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs will chair the Steering Committee, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will serve as co-chair.
The conference leadership includes Ambassador Emma Don as chair, Ambassador MacGregor, Political Advisor to the President, as co-chair, and Rev. Dr. Francis, based in Minnesota, as operational vice-chair.
Development partners, including the United Nations Development Programme, are also expected to support the conference.
Williams said the organizers want the gathering to move beyond dialogue by identifying actual investments, partnerships and measurable contributions from Liberians in the diaspora.
The Office of Diaspora Affairs says Liberians living abroad possess financial resources, professional expertise, international networks and experiences that could contribute significantly to Liberia’s economic transformation.
Williams said the conference will highlight successful diaspora investments and initiatives as examples that could encourage other Liberians abroad to explore investment opportunities in Liberia.
He said the government also wants diaspora Liberians to have a direct voice in discussions surrounding policies that affect investment and business operations.
According to Williams, the engagement will help government identify practical measures to make doing business easier for Liberians returning from abroad.
He said increased diaspora investment has the potential to contribute to job creation, economic growth and broader national development.
Meanwhile, Rupena Lewis Vincent, Sponsorship and Fundraising Coordinator for the 2026 ASPRA Conference, said organizers have established a tier-based sponsorship structure to attract support from businesses, organizations, families and individuals.
Vincent said the sponsorship packages range from a Presidential Package to a Partnership Package, with different benefits and opportunities available to sponsors.
She said the packages have been made available through the conference’s online platform to allow potential sponsors to review the various options.
According to Vincent, organizers began international outreach in July, including promotional activities in the United States aimed at creating awareness about the conference and attracting sponsors.
She said businesses and individuals in the United States and other parts of the world have already expressed interest in supporting the conference.
Although final sponsorship figures were not immediately disclosed, Vincent said organizers have received commitments and expressions of interest and are continuing their fundraising efforts.
She added that since returning to Liberia, the organizing team has also begun engaging local businesses and organizations, describing the response as encouraging.
Vincent said the fundraising campaign is intended to build stronger partnerships among the government, businesses and Liberians in the diaspora.
Organizers also disclosed plans to eventually take the ASPRA Conference beyond the United States to other countries with significant Liberian populations.
Officials, however, acknowledged that expanding the conference internationally would require substantial logistical and financial resources.
They said organizing the conference involves expenses related to planning, training, transportation, accommodation and other logistical needs, particularly when government officials and other stakeholders are required to travel internationally.
Officials explained that scheduling the conference around the period of the United Nations General Assembly was therefore a strategic decision.
With a number of Liberian government officials already expected to travel to the United States for the UN General Assembly, organizers said holding the ASPRA Conference during the same period could reduce the additional cost of transporting officials and other stakeholders.
They said taking the conference to countries such as Canada or nations in Europe would require additional funding to transport government officials and other participants.
Despite the challenges, organizers said growing government support for the initiative could eventually make it possible to rotate the conference among different regions with significant Liberian populations.
Officials emphasized that Liberia’s diaspora extends beyond the United States, noting that Liberian communities in Canada, France, Ghana, Nigeria and other countries also represent important parts of the country’s global community.
Liberian students studying abroad are also expected to remain part of the government’s broader diaspora engagement strategy.
According to officials, students and young Liberians overseas represent an important source of knowledge, skills, professional networks and future investment opportunities for Liberia.
The government therefore intends to strengthen networks connecting students and other diaspora communities with developments and opportunities in Liberia.
The long-term vision, according to organizers, is to transform the ASPRA Conference into a global platform that connects Liberia with its diaspora communities around the world.
Officials said expanding the conference would not simply mean moving the event from one country to another. Rather, they said, it would provide an opportunity to bring the conference closer to different Liberian communities, understand their concerns, highlight their contributions and identify ways they can participate in Liberia’s development.
The organizers said the ultimate objective is to encourage Liberians everywhere to contribute to the country’s progress through investment, professional expertise, innovation, partnerships and other forms of engagement.
With the 2026 conference centered on “From Dialogue to Delivery,” the government is expected to use the gathering to push diaspora engagement toward practical and measurable outcomes.
The 2026 ASPRA Annual Conference is scheduled for September 25–27, 2026, at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, where government officials, diaspora representatives, businesses, development partners and other stakeholders are expected to discuss opportunities for strengthening the relationship between Liberia and its global diaspora.
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