Liberian armed forces to begin nationwide recruitment drive

The Armed Forces of Liberia will launch a nationwide recruitment effort today, intended to increase the strength of the military. 

Liberia’s military is looking for volunteers between the ages of 18 and 35. The initiative will take place across all 15 counties in the country. Only prospective recruits who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and have a clean criminal record will be considered.  

The previous year saw a marked increase in armed conflict across West Africa. With Islamic militant groups active in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, the Liberian government will seek to add 350 new recruits during this current drive. Fatalities from conflicts between state governments and Islamic State affiliates have risen 18% since last year. As a result, the UN has recommended that Liberia increase the number of active personnel to 20,000. Currently only numbering 2,000 troops, the military still has a long way to go before reaching that goal. 

In the long term, the armed conflicts in the Sahel and Western Africa are expected to worsen, which will likely spur further efforts by Liberia to boost its national security and modernize its military.