Lessons from foreign investments in Liberia
Based on a study of the Open Door Policy 1900-1980

Introduction

The following conclusions and recommendations are based on a study of Liberia's experience with concession agreements granted to foreign investors which covered more than 60 concession agreements. The study was originally published in 1983 and covered the 1900 - 1980 period. Though not a recent study, many of its conclusions and recommendations are still valid. For this reason it was decided to publish it on this site devoted to Liberia's past and present.

Since it was written in the early 1980's past and presence tences used refer to that period and earlier. When putting it on the web most of the original phrasing has not been altered. Occasionally this may lead to odd and maybe confusing reading. I hope the reader will understand the background of my decision not the rewrite the original text, which not only would have been a major exercise but also would have interfered with the originallity of the 1983 publication. The study was a Ph.D thesis on Liberia's experience with foreign investments and was originally published as 'The Open Door Policy of Liberia. An Economic History of Modern Liberia', two volumes (Uebersee Museum Bremen, Germany 1983).

Conclusions

Concession agreements studied by the author:

Lessons from
foreign investments
in Liberia

home