President Boakai Moves to Curb Excessive Foreign Travel by Officials Amid Rising Concerns Over Government Spending
By: Anthony Dahn
MONROVIA/Executive Mansion – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has issued a sweeping directive restricting foreign travel by Cabinet Ministers and senior government officials, citing concerns over rising travel-related expenditures and the impact frequent trips are having on government operations.
The directive, announced Thursday during a Cabinet meeting at the Executive Mansion, immediately places tighter controls on international travel by ministers, heads of agencies and commissions, ambassadors, and other senior officials. Under the new policy, no official foreign trip will be undertaken without the President’s direct approval.
President Boakai said repeated foreign travel by top officials has disrupted Cabinet participation and weakened institutional leadership at a time when the government faces mounting national priorities. He further emphasized that the growing financial burden associated with official travel must be reduced in favor of urgent development needs.
Since assuming office in January 2024, President Boakai himself has undertaken several high-profile international trips, including visits to Ghana, South Korea, China, Indonesia, the United States, and Canada for bilateral meetings, investment forums, and international summits. Publicly available government records and budget documents also show substantial allocations for foreign travel and related expenses across government institutions, including the Office of the President and other state agencies.
As part of the new measures, the President introduced a “Virtual Participation First Policy,” directing Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions to prioritize attendance at international meetings through platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams whenever practical.
The directive further requires that all travel requests include detailed justification outlining the strategic importance of the trip, estimated costs, funding sources, delegation size, and reasons why virtual participation would not suffice.
President Boakai stressed that physical attendance at conferences and international engagements will only be approved where it is “demonstrably necessary” and in Liberia’s national interest. Except under extraordinary circumstances, no senior official is expected to undertake more than one official foreign trip per quarter without special authorization from the President.
The directive also reinforces stricter compliance with government travel regulations, including limits on travel class, per diem allowances, accommodation costs, and related expenditures, as the administration seeks to project what it describes as responsible governance and prudent management of public resources.
