On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia took a decisive step towards the preservation of their shared natural heritage. The two nations signed a major agreement aimed at ensuring the sustainable management and conservation of the Taï-Grebo-Krahn-Sapo (TGKS) transboundary complex.

This signing took place on the sidelines of the ninth meeting of the bilateral cross-border Steering Committee (COPIL) dedicated to the management of these shared landscapes.

A strong political and strategic alliance

The agreement was officially initialed by two key players in the region's environmental governance:

1. Abou Bamba , Ivorian Minister of the Environment and Ecological Transition.
2. Rudolph Merab , director of the Forest Development Authority (FDA) of Liberia.

The Ivorian minister noted that the two countries share a 600 km natural border along the Cavally River . Given the exceptional richness of this forest massif, Abou Bamba stressed the urgent need to develop sustainable mechanisms to ensure that present and future generations benefit from the complex's major ecosystem services, particularly in the areas of agriculture, drinking water supply, tourism, fishing, and scientific research.

"Together with donors, NGOs and all stakeholders, we have made it our mission to implement this agreement for the well-being of the Ivorian and Liberian populations, in a spirit of collaboration and peace," said the Ivorian minister.

On the Liberian side, Rudolph Merab pledged to strictly adhere to the terms of this alliance by working closely with Côte d'Ivoire to protect the mountain range from increasing human pressures. He emphasized that the TGKS complex is a continuation of the protected areas established under Liberia's historical laws, enacted between 1953 and 1965.

A common legal framework to harmonize actions

For Chief Conservator Adama Tondossama , Director General of the Ivorian Office of Parks and Reserves (OIPR), this agreement is the concrete manifestation of a strong bilateral political will. According to him, this treaty will serve as a roadmap for:

1. Harmonize the laws and management tools of the national parks of the TGKS complex.
2. Create a permanent institutional coordination framework between the two states.
3. Facilitating the mobilization of international financing , particularly through innovative financing mechanisms linked to the carbon market and the preservation of biodiversity.

Major environmental challenges to overcome

Spanning an impressive 13,000 km² , the TGKS complex is one of the last large blocks of tropical rainforest in West Africa. This unique sanctuary is home to iconic and critically endangered species, such as the West African chimpanzee, the forest elephant, and the pygmy hippopotamus.

Although the vision of participatory management began in 2009, this ecological gem now faces serious threats:

1. Illegal gold mining that pollutes waterways.
2. Deforestation linked to uncontrolled agricultural expansion.
3. Large-scale poaching .

The priorities of the 9th meeting of the Steering Committee

During this two-day meeting, experts and decision-makers will focus on assessing the progress of previous resolutions. They will analyze the degradation of the banks of the Cavally River and finalize a strengthened protocol for the application of the law on the ground, with the aim of making the TGKS complex a hub of ecological resilience and a model of successful regional cooperation.