Financial Inclusion Framework and Implementation Roadmap

Globally, artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) makes a significant contribution to the world’s mineral supply chains, employs at least 44.75 million people and indirectly supports over 269 million people across 80 countries. Despite making such a vital economic contribution, the sector’s developmental and poverty reduction benefits have been hindered by its informal nature which has created a range of serious challenges and constraints. In general, the Liberian ASM experience reflects the global picture. Liberia is endowed with significant mineral resources and ASM forms the largest segment of the country’s mining industry. The artisanal and small-scale mining of gold and diamonds supports the livelihoods of between half a million to 1.5 million people directly and indirectly, but despite its socioeconomic contributions, significant poverty alleviating benefits have yet to be realised.

Liberia’s ASM sector has been constrained by a series of factors including: poor and dangerous working conditions; inappropriate use of technology; the limited technical capacity of miners; their lack of access to finance and funding; corruption; inadequate policy frameworks; limited government support; insufficient security of tenure; and limited access to resources which could be mined which have been properly mapped or explored. These challenges have limited the potential of ASM in Liberia to a subsistence activity.