The Plenary of the House of Representatives has voted to pass Amendment No. 3 to the ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) Mineral Development Agreement (MDA), describing the decision as being in the best interest of the Liberian people.
The passage followed the presentation of a comprehensive report by the Joint Committee on Investment and Concessions; Lands, Mines, Energy, Natural Resources and Environment; and Judiciary, delivered by the Joint Chairman, Hon. Foday E. Fahnbulleh, on January 20, 2026, during the 3rd day sitting of
Pursuant to Plenary’s mandate, the Joint Committee conducted a public hearing on the Third Amendment on Monday, January 19, 2026, at the Capitol Building in Monrovia.
The hearing examined the substance of the proposed amendment, its national value, and its alignment with Liberia’s economic, social, and strategic interests.
The hearing was attended by members of the Inter-Ministerial Concessions Committee (IMCC), including senior officials from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, National Investment Commission and Ministry of Labor.
Each institution presented detailed explanations of its role in negotiating the Third Amendment and outlined anticipated benefits to the Republic of Liberia.
After more than four hours of deliberations, including executive session discussions, the Joint Committee concluded that the Third Amendment represents a significant improvement over the existing MDA, particularly in government revenue, infrastructure ownership, employment, Liberian participation, and regulatory clarity; that the amendment is the outcome of prolonged negotiations that began in 2020, following the Legislature’s rejection of the 2021 version in March 2022; that the agreement affirms Government of Liberia ownership of rail and port infrastructure and introduces Rail System Operating Principles (RSOP) to transition the rail corridor to a multi-user system; that stronger enforcement mechanisms are introduced to address long-standing public concerns; and that the amendment enhances Liberia’s economic and strategic positioning while balancing investor returns with national interest.
Among the key benefits adopted by the Joint Committee are: immediate and recurring revenues, including a US$200 million signature bonus, a US$5 million annual Community Development Fund, increased mining license fees, and improved royalty payments; employment and Liberianization, ensuring increased Liberian participation at management and professional levels; education and skills development, including scholarships, vocational training centers, and annual training contributions; infrastructure modernization, including bridge rehabilitation, road paving, rail upgrades, and guaranteed access for third-party rail users; and environmental protection, including water-use safeguards and annual contributions to the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation.
The Joint Committee concluded that while no concession agreement is without imperfections, the Third Amendment is a balanced, forward-looking, and nationally beneficial instrument that strengthens Liberia’s control over strategic assets and promotes responsible investment.
Following hours of heated debate, Plenary endorsed the report in its entirety and voted to pass the Third Amendment without reservation.
The approved agreement has now been forwarded to the Liberian Senate for concurrence.
