On Thursday, February 5, 2025 ArcelorMittal Liberia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and the Co-Management Committee of the East Nimba Nature Reserve (CMC-ENNR) to support the conservation and management of the East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR).
The agreement forms part of ArcelorMittal Liberia’s Biodiversity Conservation Program (BCP), which was established to operationalize the company’s environmental and biodiversity commitments under its Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) with the Government of Liberia (GOL). Through this collaboration, ArcelorMittal Liberia will provide targeted financial and technical support to strengthen protected area management, law enforcement, biodiversity monitoring, and community engagement within ENNR.
At the MOU Signing ceremony held at the FDA office in Paynesville, ArcelorMittal Liberia’s Chief Executive Officer, Michiel Van Der Merwe, commended the FDA and the Co-management Committee of the East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR) for their efforts to protect nature and environment and assured them of AML’s support.
“We appreciate the great work that the FDA is doing and reaffirm our support. These initiatives align with our core values and what we want to see and do in the country. As we expand our operations, we want to make sure that we just don’t want to leave the place as we found it but leave it much better. That is our strategy,” explained CEO Van Der Merwe.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), Rudolph J. Merab Sr., welcomed the partnership, describing it as a timely and strategic collaboration that will enhance conservation efforts in the East Nimba Nature Reserve. He noted that the MOU reflects a shared responsibility between government and the private sector to protect Liberia’s biodiversity while ensuring sustainable development for present and future generations.
ENNR is a nationally designated protected area and a key component of the wider Mount Nimba biodiversity landscape. The partnership reinforces a shared commitment to safeguarding Liberia’s natural heritage while promoting responsible resource development and long-term environmental stewardship.
